- Enrollment
- 809
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Norton, VA
Central High
Federal NCES profile for Central High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510408001789
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Virginia schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Norton · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 80.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High has class sizes larger than 87% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Norton, VA.
School address
District: Wise County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510408001789 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-11 students YoY
Central High held near 663 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 41.8 → 39.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-11 students YoY 510408001789 · Norton, VA High · MID · TRAD
676 enr · 16.5:1 · 80.7% lunch · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Union Primary (809 students)
Central High held near 663 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 41.8 → 39.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Virginia schools → · Find another →
Central High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Union Primary
Union Primary
809 students
- This school
Central High
676 students
- Wise Primary
Wise Primary
603 students
- Union High
Union High
564 students
- Union Middle
Union Middle
561 students
- J.W. Adams Com
J.W. Adams Combined
523 students
What this shows Central High reports 676 students on the CCD universe file.
How Central High compares
Central High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▲ 19% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.7% | ▲ 40% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 676 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
676
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
80.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 87% in Virginia - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.3%
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
$13,973
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $15,892
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 338 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
85
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 93.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%
Two or More 1.9%
African American 1.3%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 93.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.0, Central High is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Wise County Public Schools reports $13,973 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Central High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union Primary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wise Primary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Union High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Union Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| J.W. Adams Combined | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 603
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 564
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 523
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~676 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.5:1)
Frequently asked questions about Central High
How many students attend Central High?
Central High has 676 students enrolled. It is a high school in Norton, VA. CCD year-over-year: 674 (2022-23) → 663 (2023-24), nearly flat (-11).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High is 16.5:1, which is 19% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High?
80.7% of students at Central High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High?
The largest demographic group at Central High is White at 93.2% of enrollment, in Norton, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High?
Central High has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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).
How does Central High rank among public schools in Norton?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Norton, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Wise County Public Schools?
Besides Central High, Wise County Public Schools also operates Union Primary (809 students), Wise Primary (603 students), and Union High (564 students). See the Wise County Public Schools district page for the complete list.