Central High School

Summary:

Central High School is a public high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, serving grades 8-12 with a total enrollment of 2,338 students. It is part of the Little Rock School District, which is ranked 189 out of 252 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central High School has a long history and a strong reputation, having ranked among the top high schools in Arkansas for many years. In the 2023-2024 school year, it ranked 129 out of 305 Arkansas high schools and received a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school consistently outperforms the district and the state in various standardized test scores, with 34.9% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, 34.8% in Reading, 15.2% in Geometry, and 34.3% in Biology. However, the school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 48.8% to 55.57% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average.

When comparing Central High School to nearby schools, some interesting findings emerge. Little Rock Hall Steam Magnet High School, a public magnet school in the same district, consistently underperforms Central High School in test scores and has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Similarly, Graduate Arkansas Charter High, a public charter school, also underperforms Central High School in test scores and has a much higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. In contrast, Estem High School, a public charter school, performs comparably to Central High School in some areas, such as English Language Arts and Reading, but lags behind in Mathematics and Science.


Detail:

Public 8-12

 1500 Park St
       Little Rock, AR  72202


(501) 447-1400

District: Little Rock School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
129th of 305 Arkansas High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,007 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  2,260

Racial breakdown:

African American:
48.5%
White:
29.4%
Asian:
10.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  53.9% Help


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 Compare Central High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Central High School ranks better than 57.7% of high schools in Arkansas. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.94. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Central High School has the largest high school student body size in the Little Rock School District. Racial makeup is: African American (48.5%), White (29.4%), Asian (10.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 53.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central High School is 14. 1 high schools in the Little Rock School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Central High School employs 161.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central High School is $11,007. 1 high schools in the Little Rock School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Central High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Central High School 129th of 305 Arkansas public high schools. (See Central High School in the ranking list.)

Little Rock School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Little Rock School District 189th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Central High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 39.28 144th 232 37.9%
2007 46.08 126th 258 51.2%
2008 31.19 192nd 256 25.0%
2009 45.36 142nd 261 45.6%
2010 42.82 155th 262 40.8%
2011 49.84 136th 266 48.9%
2012 54.60 120th 266 54.9%
2013 52.84 114th 271 57.9%
2014 50.49 134th 268 50.0%
2015 60.54 64th 267 76.0%
2016 69.68 68th 269 74.7%
2017 67.90 65th 264 75.4%
2018 70.00 54th 263 79.5%
2019 71.78 46th 282 83.7%
2021 75.06 47th 290 83.8%
2022 68.77 62nd 282 78.0%
2023 64.17 92nd 295 68.8%
2024 52.94 129th 305 57.7%
See the entire list of Arkansas High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Central High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    







Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
0%

100%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Central High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 883 1207 27 6 0 n/a n/a 0 2123
1989 616 638 9 5 n/a n/a n/a 0 1268
1990 720 1110 26 5 2 n/a n/a 0 1863
1991 617 977 32 2 1 n/a n/a 0 1629
1992 640 1036 40 2 3 n/a n/a 0 1721
1993 750 1142 36 3 3 n/a n/a 0 1934
1994 618 1228 27 4 2 n/a n/a 0 1879
1995 543 1017 22 8 1 n/a n/a 0 1591
1996 543 1017 22 8 1 n/a n/a 0 1591
1997 635 1104 29 8 1 n/a n/a 0 1777
1998 725 1101 18 9 2 n/a n/a 0 1855
1999 745 1097 17 12 1 n/a n/a 0 1872
2000 842 1167 26 9 1 n/a n/a 0 2045
2001 878 1142 34 13 2 n/a n/a 0 2069
2002 841 1110 44 15 2 n/a n/a 0 2012
2003 841 1110 44 15 2 n/a n/a 0 2012
2004 897 1132 54 22 6 n/a n/a 0 2111
2005 981 1125 63 30 4 n/a n/a 0 2203
2006 1033 1273 76 35 5 n/a n/a 0 2422
2007 1010 1268 74 42 6 n/a n/a 0 2400
2008 987 1250 73 43 4 n/a n/a 0 2357
2009 941 1332 87 48 2 n/a n/a 0 2410
2010 940 1296 105 58 5 0 0 0 2404
2011 869 1355 145 68 5 0 14 0 2456
2012 829 1305 181 82 5 0 17 0 2419
2013 793 1337 172 107 9 0 20 0 2438
2014 772 1406 190 120 11 0 20 0 2519
2015 727 1419 190 110 21 0 22 0 2489
2016 710 1470 167 101 15 0 22 0 2485
2017 719 1432 175 115 17 0 23 0 2481
2018 730 1281 171 123 14 0 28 0 2347
2019 796 1300 199 135 13 0 23 0 2466
2020 785 1254 201 155 18 0 17 0 2430
2021 759 1308 205 167 19 1 17 0 2476
2022 749 1331 210 182 14 1 19 0 2506
2023 672 1192 227 209 19 4 15 0 2338
2024 664 1097 241 205 14 3 36 0 2260

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2123 104.2 20.3 n/a
1989 1268 108.0 11.7 n/a
1990 1863 128.0 14.5 5.6
1991 1629 118.2 13.7 9.8
1992 1721 120.1 14.3 14.6
1993 1934 129.2 15.0 16.3
1994 1879 134.0 14.0 20.6
1995 1591 105.6 15.1 26.1
1996 1591 105.6 15.1 26.1
1997 1777 87.3 20.4 23.6
1998 1855 87.3 21.2 19.2
1999 1872 89.4 20.9 25.4
2000 2045 130.0 15.7 24.9
2001 2069 121.0 17.1 24.4
2002 2012 118.0 17.1 29.1
2003 2012 118.0 17.1 29.1
2004 2111 126.0 16.8 26.1
2005 2203 143.0 15.4 27.6
2006 2422 146.0 16.6 33.2
2007 2400 150.0 16.0 32.8
2008 2357 154.0 15.3 35.3
2009 2410 155.0 15.5 34.6
2010 2404 165.7 15.6 41.1
2011 2456 160.8 15.2 42.3
2012 2419 159.2 15.1 43.7
2013 2438 164.8 14.7 42.2
2014 2519 162.6 15.4 46.2
2015 2489 181.0 13.7 49.7
2016 2485 175.0 14.2 46.7
2017 2481 179.5 13.8 23.8
2018 2347 163.5 14.3 18.3
2019 2466 175.3 14.0 48.7
2020 2430 167.6 14.4 48.9
2021 2476 168.9 14.6 55.6
2022 2506 177.8 14.0 48.8
2023 2338 161.6 14.4 53.3
2024 2260 161.1 14.0 53.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Central High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2123 104.2 20.3 n/a
1989 1268 108.0 11.7 n/a
1990 1863 128.0 14.5 5.6
1991 1629 118.2 13.7 9.8
1992 1721 120.1 14.3 14.6
1993 1934 129.2 15.0 16.3
1994 1879 134.0 14.0 20.6
1995 1591 105.6 15.1 26.1
1996 1591 105.6 15.1 26.1
1997 1777 87.3 20.4 23.6
1998 1855 87.3 21.2 19.2
1999 1872 89.4 20.9 25.4
2000 2045 130.0 15.7 24.9
2001 2069 121.0 17.1 24.4
2002 2012 118.0 17.1 29.1
2003 2012 118.0 17.1 29.1
2004 2111 126.0 16.8 26.1
2005 2203 143.0 15.4 27.6
2006 2422 146.0 16.6 33.2
2007 2400 150.0 16.0 32.8
2008 2357 154.0 15.3 35.3
2009 2410 155.0 15.5 34.6
2010 2404 165.7 15.6 41.1
2011 2456 160.8 15.2 42.3
2012 2419 159.2 15.1 43.7
2013 2438 164.8 14.7 42.2
2014 2519 162.6 15.4 46.2
2015 2489 181.0 13.7 49.7
2016 2485 175.0 14.2 46.7
2017 2481 179.5 13.8 23.8
2018 2347 163.5 14.3 18.3
2019 2466 175.3 14.0 48.7
2020 2430 167.6 14.4 48.9
2021 2476 168.9 14.6 55.6
2022 2506 177.8 14.0 48.8
2023 2338 161.6 14.4 53.3
2024 2260 161.1 14.0 53.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,357 (12.3%) $9,650 (87.7%) $11,007

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 46th of 282 High schoolsRanks 92nd of 295 High schools
 14.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
9th Grade English (Central High School)60.953.3
 7.6%
   9th Grade English (Little Rock School District)42.840
 2.8%
   9th Grade English (Arkansas)58.653.4
 5.2%
9th Grade Math (Central High School)41.930.8
 11.1%
   9th Grade Math (Little Rock School District)25.518.7
 6.8%
   9th Grade Math (Arkansas)35.826.6
 9.2%
9th Grade Science (Central High School)41.635.2
 6.4%
   9th Grade Science (Little Rock School District)25.222.2
 3%
   9th Grade Science (Arkansas)3531.9
 3.1%
9th Grade Reading (Central High School)44.142.3
 1.8%
   9th Grade Reading (Little Rock School District)27.930.9
 3%
   9th Grade Reading (Arkansas)37.440.6
 3.2%
10th Grade English (Central High School)57.956.1
 1.8%
   10th Grade English (Little Rock School District)45.139.6
 5.5%
   10th Grade English (Arkansas)59.654.4
 5.2%
10th Grade Math (Central High School)3325.9
 7.1%
   10th Grade Math (Little Rock School District)19.813.1
 6.7%
   10th Grade Math (Arkansas)29.220.4
 8.8%
10th Grade Science (Central High School)34.930.7
 4.2%
   10th Grade Science (Little Rock School District)22.616.5
 6.1%
   10th Grade Science (Arkansas)3328.6
 4.4%
10th Grade Reading (Central High School)34.837.7
 2.9%
   10th Grade Reading (Little Rock School District)2524.7
 0.3%
   10th Grade Reading (Arkansas)32.235.9
 3.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Central High School)33.431.2
 2.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Little Rock School District)17.515.9
 1.6%
11th Grade English (Central High School)5453.6
 0.4%
   11th Grade English (Little Rock School District)3633.6
 2.4%
11th Grade Reading (Central High School)4541.5
 3.5%
   11th Grade Reading (Little Rock School District)2624.3
 1.7%
11th Grade Science (Central High School)35.236.2
 1%
   11th Grade Science (Little Rock School District)18.720.4
 1.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students24662338
 5.2%
African American13001192
 8.3%
American Indian1319
 46.2%
Asian199227
 14.1%
Hispanic135209
 54.8%
Pacific Islander04
White796672
 15.6%
Two or More Races2315
 34.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients48.7%53.3%
 4.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Central High School

Students at Central High School are 49% African American, 29% White, 11% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,260 students attended Central High School.

Central High School ranks 129th of 305 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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