Enrollment
719
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Wilkesboro, NC
Wilkes Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Wilkes Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370495001989
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wilkes Central High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Wilkesboro · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 50.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Wilkes 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, Wilkes Central High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Wilkesboro, NC.
School address
District: Wilkes County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370495001989 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wilkes Central High School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wilkes Central High School
Wilkes Central High School is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, enrolling 719 students.
At 14.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 50.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 719 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 464 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #126.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%) (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 360 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 209 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 719 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 9 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Wilkesboro's high schools, it stands alongside Wilkes Early College High School (265 students): Wilkes Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 29.4:1).
Wilkes County Schools also operates Millers Creek Elementary School (699 students) and West Wilkes High School (582 students) alongside Wilkes 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 Wilkes Central High School compares
Wilkes Central High School on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.8% | ▼ 23% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 719 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
719
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 45% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.4%
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
$12,156
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
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 360 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
141
in-school suspensions + 68 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 expulsions.
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 50.8%
Hispanic or Latino 26.6%
African American 11.0%
Two or More 10.3%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 50.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, Wilkes Central High School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wilkes County Schools, which includes Wilkes Central High School.
$12,156
Per student
+1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.8%
State 59.5%
Federal 19.7%
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 Wilkes Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millers Creek Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Wilkes High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Wilkes High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Wilkes Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wilkes Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 699
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 582
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 578
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 564
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Wilkesboro
1 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 North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~719 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wilkes Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Wilkes Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Wilkes County Schools'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 Wilkes Central High School
How many students attend Wilkes Central High School?
Wilkes Central High School has 719 students enrolled. It is a high school in Wilkesboro, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wilkes Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Wilkes Central High School is 14.7:1, which is 7% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Wilkes Central High School?
50.8% of students at Wilkes 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 Wilkes Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Wilkes Central High School is White at 50.8% of enrollment, in Wilkesboro, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wilkes Central High School?
Wilkes Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical 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 Wilkes Central High School rank among public schools in Wilkesboro?
By Resource Investment Index, Wilkes Central High School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Wilkesboro, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Wilkesboro on the city page.
Is Wilkes Central High School a good school?
Wilkes Central High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Wilkes County Schools?
Besides Wilkes Central High School, Wilkes County Schools also operates Millers Creek Elementary School (699 students), West Wilkes High School (582 students), and North Wilkes High School (578 students). See the Wilkes County Schools 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.