Enrollment
512
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gonzales, LA
Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 220009000462
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Middle School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Louisiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #3 of 8
- public schools in Gonzales · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.6:1
- small classes for Louisiana
- 43.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Middle School has class sizes smaller than 89% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Gonzales, LA.
School address
District: Ascension Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220009000462 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.6:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.0%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Middle School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Middle School
Central Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Gonzales, Louisiana, enrolling 512 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.6:1, Central Middle School is leaner than roughly 89% of Louisiana schools and 31% under the state's 16.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 512 students, its enrollment sits close to the Louisiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 275 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #179.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 512 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 103 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 512 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Gonzales's middle schools, it stands alongside Gonzales Middle School (664 students): Central Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.6:1 vs 12.8:1).
Ascension Parish also operates Dutchtown High School (2,029 students) and East Ascension High School (1,894 students) alongside Central Middle 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 Middle School compares
Central Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.6:1 | ▼ 31% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.0% | ▼ 31% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 512 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
512
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% below the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 11% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,042
per pupil, district-wide
- below Louisiana avg of $16,376
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 512 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
41
in-school suspensions + 62 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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
White 44.5%
African American 27.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.9%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 44.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.7, Central Middle School is more mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ascension Parish, which includes Central Middle School.
$14,042
Per student
-14%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.9%
State 32.2%
Federal 13.9%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutchtown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Ascension High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. Amant High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Prairieville Primary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,029
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,894
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,847
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,096
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar middle schools in Gonzales
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~512 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Central Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Ascension Parish'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 Middle School
How many students attend Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has 512 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gonzales, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School is 11.6:1, which is 31% lower than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 26% 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 Middle School?
43.0% of students at Central Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Central Middle School is White at 44.5% of enrollment, in Gonzales, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Middle School rank among public schools in Gonzales?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Gonzales, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Gonzales on the city page.
Is Central Middle School a good school?
Central Middle School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Louisiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana 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 Ascension Parish?
Besides Central Middle School, Ascension Parish also operates Dutchtown High School (2,029 students), East Ascension High School (1,894 students), and St. Amant High School (1,847 students). See the Ascension Parish 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.