Enrollment
561
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Pikeville, KY
Pike County Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Pike County Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 210480000505
👥 S:T ratio 36
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pike County Central High School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Pikeville · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16:1
- students per teacher
- 55.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Pike County Central High School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pike County Central High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Pikeville, KY.
School address
District: Pike County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210480000505 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.4%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pike County Central High School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pike County Central High School
Pike County Central High School is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Pikeville, Kentucky, enrolling 561 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 55.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 561 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,389 Kentucky schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 499 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #484, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (96% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 8/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 561 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Pikeville's high schools, it stands alongside Shelby Valley High School (503 students): Pike County Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16:1 vs 15.7:1).
Pike County also operates Valley Elementary School (844 students) and Mullins Elementary School (779 students) alongside Pike County Central High 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 Pike County Central High School compares
Pike County Central High School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16:1 | ▲ 5% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.4% | ▼ 6% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 561 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
561
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 63% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.3%
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
$13,492
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 561 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
58
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.6 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 96.1%
Two or More 1.6%
African American 1.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 96.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 7.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 7.6, Pike County Central High School is less mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pike County, which includes Pike County Central High School.
$13,492
Per student
+2%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.5%
State 59.4%
Federal 19.1%
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 Pike County Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mullins Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Johns Creek Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Millard School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belfry Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pike County Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 844
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 779
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 616
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 601
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 589
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar high schools in Pikeville
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 Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~561 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pike County Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Pike County Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Pike County'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 Pike County Central High School
How many students attend Pike County Central High School?
Pike County Central High School has 561 students enrolled. It is a high school in Pikeville, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pike County Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pike County Central High School is 16:1, which is 5% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pike County Central High School?
55.4% of students at Pike County Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pike County Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Pike County Central High School is White at 96.1% of enrollment, in Pikeville, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pike County Central High School?
Pike County Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower 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 Pike County Central High School rank among high schools in Pikeville?
By Resource Investment Index, Pike County Central High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Pikeville, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Pikeville on the city page.
Is Pike County Central High School a good school?
Pike County Central High School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Pike County?
Besides Pike County Central High School, Pike County also operates Valley Elementary School (844 students), Mullins Elementary School (779 students), and Johns Creek Elementary School (616 students). See the Pike County 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.