Enrollment
269
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Henderson, KY
The Central Academy
Federal NCES profile for The Central Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210271002457
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 73
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
The Central Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Kentucky schools.
- #7 of 11
- public schools in Henderson · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 22.4:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 69.6%
- free-lunch eligible
The Central Academy has class sizes larger than 96% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, The Central Academy ranks #7 of 11 public schools in Henderson, KY.
School address
District: Henderson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210271002457 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.4:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+47% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.6%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How The Central Academy compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at The Central Academy
The Central Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Henderson, Kentucky, enrolling 269 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.4:1 is larger than about 96% of Kentucky schools and 47% above the 15.2:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 269 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 235 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #81.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 135 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 20.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 119 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 269 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Henderson's public schools, it stands alongside Thelma B. Johnson Early Learning Center (358 students): The Central Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.4:1 vs 21.1:1).
Henderson County also operates Henderson County High School (1,852 students) and Henderson County North Middle School (670 students) alongside The Central Academy.
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 The Central Academy compares
The Central Academy on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.4:1 | ▲ 47% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.6% | ▲ 18% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 269 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.4:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
269
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.4:1
students per teacher
- 47% above state mean
Top 96% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.8%
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
$12,593
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 135 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
43
in-school suspensions + 76 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 44.2 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 69.1%
African American 13.4%
Two or More 11.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 69.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.9, The Central Academy is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Henderson County, which includes The Central Academy.
$12,593
Per student
-5%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.6%
State 51.9%
Federal 20.6%
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 The Central Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Henderson County North Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Henderson County South Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spottsville Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bend Gate Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to The Central Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,852
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 670
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 514
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar other schools in Henderson
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~269 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on The Central Academy's federal record.
- Compare The Central Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Henderson 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 The Central Academy
How many students attend The Central Academy?
The Central Academy has 269 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Henderson, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The Central Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at The Central Academy is 22.4:1, which is 47% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at The Central Academy?
69.6% of students at The Central Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of The Central Academy?
The largest demographic group at The Central Academy is White at 69.1% of enrollment, in Henderson, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for The Central Academy?
The Central Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 The Central Academy rank among public schools in Henderson?
By Resource Investment Index, The Central Academy ranks #7 of 11 public schools in Henderson, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Henderson on the city page.
Is The Central Academy a good school?
The Central Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of 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 Henderson County?
Besides The Central Academy, Henderson County also operates Henderson County High School (1,852 students), Henderson County North Middle School (670 students), and Henderson County South Middle School (661 students). See the Henderson 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.