Enrollment
1,051
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Newark, NJ
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 341134002192
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of New Jersey schools.
- #6 of 11
- high schools in Newark · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 69.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High School has class sizes larger than 91% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #6 of 11 high schools in Newark, NJ.
School address
District: Newark Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341134002192 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
70.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.6%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+135% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High School
Central High School is a higher-need, large high school in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling 1,051 students.
Class loads run heavy: 15:1 is larger than about 91% of New Jersey schools and 27% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 69.6% of students qualify for free meals, 135% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Jersey, bigger than 91% of state schools at 1,051 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 120 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #15.
Its student body is led by African American (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (44%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 175 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Newark's high schools, it stands alongside Essex County Newark Tech (606 students): Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15:1 vs 11.4:1).
Newark Public School District also operates East Side High School (2,046 students) and Barringer High School (1,894 students) alongside Central High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Central High School compares
Central High School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | ▲ 27% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.6% | ▲ 135% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,051 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,051
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 135% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 91% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$25,301
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 175 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 52.7%
Hispanic or Latino 44.2%
Two or More 0.9%
White 0.8%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 52.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.7, Central High School is about as mixed as the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newark Public School District, which includes Central High School.
$25,301
Per student
+1%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+52%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.8%
State 79.3%
Federal 9.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Barringer High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ann Street School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Street School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Avenue School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,046
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,894
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,213
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,084
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Newark
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Essex County Newark Tech
Vocational / career-technical school
606 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
West Side High School
Standard public school
541 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Newark Sch of Data Science and Information Technology
Standard public school
414 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Newark School of Global Studies
Standard public school
377 students 14:1 students per teacher
Peoples Preparatory Charter School
Standard public school
340 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Lead Charter School
Standard public school
333 students 66.6:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,051 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Newark Public School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Central High School
How many students attend Central High School?
Central High School has 1,051 students enrolled. It is a high school in Newark, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 15:1, which is 27% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High School?
69.6% of students at Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is African American at 52.7% of enrollment, in Newark, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central High School rank among high schools in Newark?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High School ranks #6 of 11 high schools in Newark, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Newark on the city page.
Is Central High School a good school?
Central High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of New Jersey schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Newark Public School District?
Besides Central High School, Newark Public School District also operates East Side High School (2,046 students), Barringer High School (1,894 students), and Ann Street School (1,294 students). See the Newark Public School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.