- Enrollment
- 3,262
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Wellington, FL
Palm Beach Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Palm Beach Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120150004121
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palm Beach Central High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Wellington · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.9:1
- large classes for Florida
- 38.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Palm Beach Central High School has class sizes larger than 76% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Beach Central High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Wellington, FL.
School address
District: Palm Beach · Florida
NCES ID 120150004121 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-139 students YoY
Palm Beach Central High School held near 2,841 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-139 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 139.8 → 150.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-139 students YoY 120150004121 · Wellington, FL High · LARGE · TRAD
2,760 enr · 19.9:1 · 38.4% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students)
Palm Beach Central High School held near 2,841 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-139 headcount). Teacher FTE added 139.8 → 150.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Palm Beach Central High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- John I. Leonar
John I. Leonard High School
3,262 students
- Jupiter High S
Jupiter High School
3,122 students
- Park Vista Com
Park Vista Community High School
2,881 students
- Boca Raton Com
Boca Raton Community High School
2,819 students
- Palm Beach Lak
Palm Beach Lakes High School
2,809 students
- This school
Palm Beach Central High School
2,760 students
What this shows Palm Beach Central High School reports 2,760 students on the CCD universe file.
How Palm Beach Central High School compares
Palm Beach Central High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.9:1 | ▲ 12% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.4% | ▼ 26% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,760 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,760
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
38.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 76% in Florida - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$14,024
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $12,081
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 394 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
117
in-school suspensions + 193 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 40.4%
African American 25.6%
White 25.5%
Asian 5.1%
Two or More 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.3, Palm Beach Central High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Palm Beach reports $14,024 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Palm Beach Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John I. Leonard High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jupiter High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Park Vista Community High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Boca Raton Community High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Palm Beach Lakes High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palm Beach Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,122
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,881
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,819
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,809
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
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 (~2,760 students)
Frequently asked questions about Palm Beach Central High School
How many students attend Palm Beach Central High School?
Palm Beach Central High School has 2,760 students enrolled. It is a high school in Wellington, FL. CCD year-over-year: 2,980 (2022-23) → 2,841 (2023-24), nearly flat (-139).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palm Beach Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Palm Beach Central High School is 19.9:1, which is 12% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palm Beach Central High School?
38.4% of students at Palm Beach Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palm Beach Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Palm Beach Central High School is Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment, in Wellington, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palm Beach Central High School?
Palm Beach Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Palm Beach Central High School rank among high schools in Wellington?
By Resource Investment Index, Palm Beach Central High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Wellington, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Wellington on the city page.
What other schools are in Palm Beach?
Besides Palm Beach Central High School, Palm Beach also operates John I. Leonard High School (3,262 students), Jupiter High School (3,122 students), and Park Vista Community High School (2,881 students). See the Palm Beach district page for the complete list.