Central High School

Summary:

Central High School is a public high school in Phoenix, Arizona, serving 1,901 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Phoenix Union High School District, which is ranked 249 out of 288 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central High School consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages on standardized tests, with only 15% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 9% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to state averages of 38% and 30%, respectively. The school has also struggled with low graduation rates, ranging from 66.9% to 81.8% over the past 5 years, and a relatively high dropout rate of 3.4% to 6.1% in recent years. Additionally, over 91% of Central High School students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

In contrast, some nearby schools within the same district, such as PXU City and Phoenix Coding Academy, perform significantly better. Phoenix Coding Academy, in particular, stands out with much higher test scores, graduation rates, and overall performance, ranking among the top 10% of Arizona high schools. The differences in academic performance and outcomes between these schools suggest that factors beyond just funding, such as school culture, curriculum, and teaching practices, may play a crucial role in driving student success.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 4525 N Central Ave
       Phoenix, AZ  85012-1816


(602) 764-7500

District: Phoenix Union High School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
249th of 259 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,506 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  1,901

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
67.3%
African American:
15.3%
American Indian:
6.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  92% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Central High School ranks worse than 96.1% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks 11th among 16 ranked high schools in the Phoenix Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.8. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Central High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (67.3%), African American (15.3%), American Indian (6.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 92% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central High School is 16.4, which is the 4th best among 16 high schools in the Phoenix Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Central High School employs 115.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central High School is $9,506. 9 high schools in the Phoenix Union High School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Central High School 249th of 259 Arizona public high schools. (See Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Phoenix Union High School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Phoenix Union High School District 249th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Central High School

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Rank History for all students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 48.61 211th 395 46.6%
2010 48.90 215th 403 46.7%
2011 36.25 250th 397 37.0%
2012 43.47 267th 471 43.3%
2013 41.79 281st 491 42.8%
2014 39.05 250th 394 36.5%
2015 17.08 241st 261 7.7%
2016 28.75 248th 406 38.9%
2017 26.90 269th 416 35.3%
2018 28.81 252nd 420 40.0%
2019 11.89 270th 285 5.3%
2021 35.54 283rd 509 44.4%
2022 23.90 318th 464 31.5%
2023 26.86 328th 469 30.1%
2024 9.80 249th 259 3.9%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.69 55th 76 27.6%
2021 28.31 242nd 374 35.3%
2022 38.14 168th 282 40.4%
2023 16.42 179th 199 10.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.27 7th 45 84.4%
2021 44.58 29th 312 90.7%
2022 41.67 53rd 258 79.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.94 167th 422 60.4%
2022 32.37 192nd 380 49.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.37 151st 253 40.3%
2022 25.27 123rd 168 26.8%
2023 30.23 233rd 347 32.9%
2024 12.64 160th 168 4.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.71 17th 26 34.6%
2021 63.25 34th 168 79.8%
2022 28.02 72nd 150 52.0%
2023 48.80 28th 60 53.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.41 248th 354 29.9%
2019 10.21 240th 247 2.8%
2021 29.81 316th 492 35.8%
2022 22.59 325th 456 28.7%
2023 21.58 317th 406 21.9%
2024 7.75 188th 193 2.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.65 38th 130 70.8%
2022 23.58 116th 116 0.0%
2023 28.80 19th 25 24.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.13 265th 370 28.4%
2019 12.17 227th 238 4.6%
2021 41.97 242nd 492 50.8%
2022 23.10 318th 455 30.1%
2023 25.15 305th 429 28.9%
2024 7.84 201st 207 2.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 1.94 82nd 83 1.2%
2021 25.73 169th 231 26.8%
2022 8.58 215th 238 9.7%
2023 9.82 134th 146 8.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.05 107th 122 12.3%
2019 18.99 27th 33 18.2%
2021 33.27 182nd 306 40.5%
2022 26.04 207th 301 31.2%
2023 13.40 192nd 201 4.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.83 182nd 311 41.5%
2019 14.76 175th 183 4.4%
2021 42.90 231st 479 51.8%
2022 30.03 276th 441 37.4%
2023 26.37 278th 379 26.6%
2024 10.07 157th 164 4.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.50 23rd 68 66.2%
2021 30.29 115th 256 55.1%
2022 35.28 129th 255 49.4%
2023 22.48 92nd 128 28.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.59 197th 291 32.3%
2019 8.28 211th 217 2.8%
2021 46.56 235th 448 47.5%
2022 41.28 213th 409 47.9%
2023 52.16 164th 371 55.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

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



Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Central High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1355 367 78 721 124 n/a n/a -468 2177
1989 1282 363 71 751 125 n/a n/a -487 2105
1990 1188 321 66 785 164 n/a n/a -513 2011
1991 1078 272 82 800 162 n/a n/a -273 2121
1992 900 216 94 803 139 n/a n/a 0 2152
1993 911 205 129 958 132 n/a n/a 0 2335
1994 836 240 118 1077 133 n/a n/a 0 2404
1995 806 231 105 1348 153 n/a n/a 0 2643
1996 806 231 105 1348 153 n/a n/a 0 2643
1997 828 252 102 1348 161 n/a n/a 0 2691
1998 794 212 100 1345 157 n/a n/a 0 2608
1999 752 241 98 1365 172 n/a n/a 0 2628
2000 654 249 81 1239 171 n/a n/a 0 2394
2001 582 244 82 1278 169 n/a n/a 0 2355
2002 487 245 70 1258 143 n/a n/a 0 2203
2003 487 245 70 1258 143 n/a n/a 0 2203
2004 466 251 57 1272 132 n/a n/a 0 2178
2005 416 251 59 1407 151 n/a n/a 0 2284
2006 403 232 56 1456 175 n/a n/a 0 2322
2007 348 288 56 1424 155 n/a n/a 0 2271
2008 293 274 59 1477 168 n/a n/a 0 2271
2009 260 283 108 1433 151 n/a n/a 0 2235
2010 247 295 155 1445 154 n/a n/a 0 2296
2011 232 270 158 1431 141 2 3 0 2237
2012 231 256 154 1506 169 1 7 0 2324
2013 196 240 137 1562 158 5 23 0 2321
2014 153 251 104 1559 152 5 32 0 2256
2015 130 225 91 1621 149 4 31 0 2251
2016 161 217 82 1692 158 1 39 0 2350
2017 140 241 95 1503 138 1 58 0 2176
2018 147 281 99 1368 101 0 49 0 2045
2019 148 286 86 1325 131 2 60 0 2038
2020 176 282 66 1146 113 2 86 0 1871
2021 158 290 58 1216 124 1 56 0 1903
2022 134 306 43 1317 117 2 51 0 1970
2023 116 290 44 1280 119 3 49 0 1901

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 2177 104.8 20.7 n/a
1989 2105 103.8 20.2 n/a
1990 2011 95.3 21.1 n/a
1991 2121 95.2 22.2 n/a
1992 2152 105.6 20.3 n/a
1993 2335 109.8 21.3 n/a
1994 2404 113.8 21.1 n/a
1995 2643 124.8 21.2 n/a
1996 2643 124.8 21.2 n/a
1997 2691 120.9 22.3 n/a
1998 2608 120.4 21.7 n/a
1999 2628 133.4 19.7 n/a
2000 2394 154.2 15.5 n/a
2001 2355 143.0 16.5 n/a
2002 2203 148.8 14.8 n/a
2003 2203 148.8 14.8 n/a
2004 2178 127.2 17.1 71.7
2005 2284 122.6 18.6 63.5
2006 2322 139.2 16.7 66.7
2007 2271 144.8 15.7 15.2
2008 2271 146.6 15.5 8.7
2009 2235 148.2 15.1 71.1
2010 2296 146.8 15.6 81.2
2011 2237 144.8 15.4 8.4
2012 2324 141.8 16.3 83.8
2013 2321 147.8 15.7 54.8
2014 2256 134.2 16.8 85.6
2015 2251 137.0 16.4 90.3
2016 2350 138.0 17.0 90
2017 2176 137.0 15.8 93.8
2018 2045 136.4 14.9 91.9
2019 2038 142.4 14.3 92
2020 1871 124.6 15.0 91.9
2021 1903 108.0 17.6 n/a
2022 1970 120.1 16.4 91.9
2023 1901 115.5 16.4 92

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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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2177 104.8 20.7 n/a
1989 2105 103.8 20.2 n/a
1990 2011 95.3 21.1 n/a
1991 2121 95.2 22.2 n/a
1992 2152 105.6 20.3 n/a
1993 2335 109.8 21.3 n/a
1994 2404 113.8 21.1 n/a
1995 2643 124.8 21.2 n/a
1996 2643 124.8 21.2 n/a
1997 2691 120.9 22.3 n/a
1998 2608 120.4 21.7 n/a
1999 2628 133.4 19.7 n/a
2000 2394 154.2 15.5 n/a
2001 2355 143.0 16.5 n/a
2002 2203 148.8 14.8 n/a
2003 2203 148.8 14.8 n/a
2004 2178 127.2 17.1 71.7
2005 2284 122.6 18.6 63.5
2006 2322 139.2 16.7 66.7
2007 2271 144.8 15.7 15.2
2008 2271 146.6 15.5 8.7
2009 2235 148.2 15.1 71.1
2010 2296 146.8 15.6 81.2
2011 2237 144.8 15.4 8.4
2012 2324 141.8 16.3 83.8
2013 2321 147.8 15.7 54.8
2014 2256 134.2 16.8 85.6
2015 2251 137.0 16.4 90.3
2016 2350 138.0 17.0 90
2017 2176 137.0 15.8 93.8
2018 2045 136.4 14.9 91.9
2019 2038 142.4 14.3 92
2020 1871 124.6 15.0 91.9
2021 1903 108.0 17.6 n/a
2022 1970 120.1 16.4 91.9
2023 1901 115.5 16.4 92

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

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $611 (5.0%) $287 (2.3%) $1,508 (12.2%) $9,422 (76.5%) $2,001 (16.2%) $11,423 (92.7%) $12,320
2020 $791 (6.1%) $452 (3.5%) $2,034 (15.6%) $9,857 (75.7%) $1,921 (14.8%) $11,778 (90.5%) $13,021
2021 $2,056 (14.7%) $1,130 (8.1%) $5,242 (37.5%) $9,135 (65.4%) $1,650 (11.8%) $10,785 (77.2%) $13,971
2022 $972 (10.2%) $176 (1.9%) $2,120 (22.3%) $7,558 (79.5%) $799 (8.4%) $8,358 (87.9%) $9,506

Data source: Arizona 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 270th of 285 High schoolsRanks 328th of 469 High schools
 24.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students20381901
 6.7%
African American286290
 1.4%
American Indian131119
 9.2%
Asian8644
 48.8%
Hispanic13251280
 3.4%
Pacific Islander23
 50%
White148116
 21.6%
Two or More Races6049
 18.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients92%92%
 0%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Central High School

Central High School ranks in the bottom 3.9% of Arizona high schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,901 students attended Central High School.

Students at Central High School are 67% Hispanic, 15% African American, 6% American Indian, 6% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of 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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