Enrollment
626
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gonzales, LA
Central Primary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Primary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220009002279
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 97
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Primary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Louisiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #3 of 5
- schools in Gonzales · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.2:1
- large classes for Louisiana
- 48.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Primary School has class sizes larger than 94% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Primary School ranks #3 of 5 schools in Gonzales, LA.
School address
District: Ascension Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220009002279 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.2:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
+38% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.5%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Primary School compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Primary School
Central Primary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Gonzales, Louisiana, enrolling 626 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.2:1 is larger than about 94% of Louisiana schools and 38% above the 16.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 626 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Against 347 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #225.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 626 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 1.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Gonzales's public schools, it stands alongside Duplessis Primary School (539 students): Central Primary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.2:1 vs 13.5:1).
Ascension Parish also operates Dutchtown High School (2,029 students) and East Ascension High School (1,894 students) alongside Central Primary 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 Primary School compares
Central Primary 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 | 23.2:1 | ▲ 38% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.5% | ▼ 22% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 626 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.2:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
626
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
23.2:1
students per teacher
- 38% above state mean
Top 94% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
1.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
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 626 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
25
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 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
White 46.2%
Hispanic or Latino 25.6%
African American 21.9%
Two or More 6.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 46.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Central Primary 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 Primary 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 Primary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutchtown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Ascension High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| St. Amant High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lake Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Prairieville Primary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Primary 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 other schools in Gonzales
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Duplessis Primary School
Standard public school
539 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Pecan Grove Primary School
Standard public school
508 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
G. W. Carver Primary School
Standard public school
487 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
Gonzales Primary School
Standard public school
455 students 12:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~626 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Primary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Primary 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 Primary School
How many students attend Central Primary School?
Central Primary School has 626 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gonzales, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Primary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Primary School is 23.2:1, which is 38% higher than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Primary School?
48.5% of students at Central Primary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Primary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Primary School is White at 46.2% of enrollment, in Gonzales, LA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Primary School?
Central Primary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Primary School rank among schools in Gonzales?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Primary School ranks #3 of 5 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 schools in Gonzales on the city page.
Is Central Primary School a good school?
Central Primary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Primary 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.