Enrollment
961
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · West Allis, WI
Central High
Federal NCES profile for Central High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 551626002101
👥 S:T ratio 47
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin.
- #1 of 3
- high schools in West Allis · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- students per teacher
- 67.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Central High has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #1 of 3 high schools in West Allis, WI.
School address
District: West Allis-West Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551626002101 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
72.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.7%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+76% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central High compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central High
Central High is a higher-need, large high school in West Allis, Wisconsin, enrolling 961 students.
At 13.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Wisconsin median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 67.7% of students qualify for free meals, 76% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 95% of state schools at 961 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Among 34 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #26, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 320 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among West Allis's high schools, it stands alongside Nathan Hale High (1,134 students): Central High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 15.1:1).
West Allis-West Milwaukee School District also operates Nathan Hale High (1,134 students) and Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate (902 students) alongside Central High.
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 compares
Central High on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▼ 8% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.7% | ▲ 76% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 961 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
961
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 76% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 51% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
54.9%
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
$13,812
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 320 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 165 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
Hispanic or Latino 41.8%
White 31.1%
African American 15.0%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Central High is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, which includes Central High.
$13,812
Per student
-7%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.3%
State 50.1%
Federal 12.6%
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 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Hale High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horace Mann Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lane Intermediate | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar 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
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 902
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 393
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 381
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in West Allis
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wisconsin, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~961 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central High's federal record.
- Compare Central High against another school. Compare schools
- West Allis-West Milwaukee 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
How many students attend Central High?
Central High has 961 students enrolled. It is a high school in West Allis, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High?
The student-teacher ratio at Central High is 13.3:1, which is 8% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central High?
67.7% of students at Central High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central High?
The largest demographic group at Central High is Hispanic or Latino at 41.8% of enrollment, in West Allis, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central High?
Central High has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 rank among high schools in West Allis?
By Resource Investment Index, Central High ranks #1 of 3 high schools in West Allis, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in West Allis on the city page.
Is Central High a good school?
Central High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin. 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 West Allis-West Milwaukee School District?
Besides Central High, West Allis-West Milwaukee School District also operates Nathan Hale High (1,134 students), Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate (902 students), and Jefferson Elementary (393 students). See the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District district page for the complete list.
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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.