- Enrollment
- 1,396
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Harrison, TN
Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 470159000495
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Tennessee schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Tennessee schools.
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- small classes for Tennessee
- 617
- students enrolled
Central High School has class sizes smaller than 90% of Tennessee schools. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Hamilton County · Tennessee
NCES ID 470159000495 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-79 students YoY
Central High School shrank from 749 students in 2022-23 to 670 in 2023-24 (-10.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 57.0 → 44.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-79 students YoY 470159000495 · Harrison, TN High · MID · TRAD
617 enr · 10.8:1 · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students)
Central High School shrank from 749 students in 2022-23 to 670 in 2023-24 (-10.5%). Teacher FTE lost 57.0 → 44.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Tennessee schools → · Find another →
Central High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Signal Mountai
Signal Mountain Middle/High School
1,396 students
- The Howard Sch
The Howard School
1,329 students
- East Hamilton
East Hamilton High School
1,293 students
- Ooltewah High
Ooltewah High School
1,233 students
- East Brainerd
East Brainerd Elementary
1,177 students
- This school
Central High School
617 students
What this shows Central High School reports 617 students on the CCD universe file.
How Central High School compares
Central High School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.8:1 | ▼ 29% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 617 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
617
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 10% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
50.2%
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
$14,785
per pupil, district-wide
- above Tennessee avg of $11,532
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 206 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
177
in-school suspensions + 103 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 28.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 30 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 42.8%
White 36.3%
Two or More 11.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 42.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Central High School is more mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Hamilton County reports $14,785 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Mountain Middle/High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| The Howard School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hamilton High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ooltewah High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Brainerd Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher 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
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,293
- Students per teacher
- 68.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,233
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~617 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.8:1)
Frequently asked questions about Central High School
How many students attend Central High School?
Central High School has 617 students enrolled. It is a high school in Harrison, TN. CCD year-over-year: 749 (2022-23) → 670 (2023-24), down 79.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High School is 10.8:1, which is 29% lower than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 31% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Central High School is African American at 42.8% of enrollment, in Harrison, TN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High School?
Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Hamilton County?
Besides Central High School, Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students), The Howard School (1,329 students), and East Hamilton High School (1,293 students). See the Hamilton County district page for the complete list.