- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Rutherfordton, NC
R-S Central High School
Federal NCES profile for R-S Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370408001651
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
R-S Central High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Rutherfordton · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
R-S Central High School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, R-S Central High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Rutherfordton, NC.
School address
District: Rutherford County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370408001651 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-8 students YoY
R-S Central High School held near 750 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-8 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 54.0 → 48.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-8 students YoY 370408001651 · Rutherfordton, NC High · MID · TRAD
763 enr · 14.4:1 · 99.6% lunch · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: East Rutherford High School (623 students)
R-S Central High School held near 750 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-8 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 54.0 → 48.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
R-S Central High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
R-S Central High School
763 students
- East Rutherfor
East Rutherford High School
623 students
- Chase High Sch
Chase High School
596 students
- Ellenboro Elem
Ellenboro Elementary School
567 students
- R-S Middle Sch
R-S Middle School
561 students
- East Rutherfor
East Rutherford Middle School
533 students
What this shows R-S Central High School reports 763 students on the CCD universe file.
How R-S Central High School compares
R-S Central High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 763 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
763
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 41% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
61.1%
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
$14,515
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 254 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
115
in-school suspensions + 109 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 70.6%
African American 13.0%
Two or More 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 70.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.2, R-S Central High School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Rutherford County Schools reports $14,515 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How R-S Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Rutherford High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chase High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ellenboro Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| R-S Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Rutherford Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to R-S Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 533
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
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 (~763 students)
Frequently asked questions about R-S Central High School
How many students attend R-S Central High School?
R-S Central High School has 763 students enrolled. It is a high school in Rutherfordton, NC. CCD year-over-year: 758 (2022-23) → 750 (2023-24), nearly flat (-8).
What is the student-teacher ratio at R-S Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at R-S Central High School is 14.4:1, which is 9% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 8% 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 R-S Central High School?
99.6% of students at R-S Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of R-S Central High School?
The largest demographic group at R-S Central High School is White at 70.6% of enrollment, in Rutherfordton, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for R-S Central High School?
R-S Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 R-S Central High School rank among public schools in Rutherfordton?
By Resource Investment Index, R-S Central High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Rutherfordton, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Rutherford County Schools?
Besides R-S Central High School, Rutherford County Schools also operates East Rutherford High School (623 students), Chase High School (596 students), and Ellenboro Elementary School (567 students). See the Rutherford County Schools district page for the complete list.