Central Union High

Summary:

Central Union High is a public high school located in El Centro, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,957 students. The school is part of the Central Union High School District, which is ranked 808 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central Union High has consistently ranked in the top 35% of California high schools over the past 10 years, with a current ranking of 759 out of 2,323 schools. The school's performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments is above the state average in English Language Arts/Literacy, with 61.41% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 55.73%. However, the school's performance in Mathematics is below the state average, with only 23.77% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 27.9%. Central Union High outperforms the nearby Mt. Signal Virtual Academy and Desert Oasis High (Continuation) in terms of academic achievement, graduation rates, and attendance, but lags behind the performance of Southwest High, another school in the same district.

Central Union High has a strong four-year graduation rate, which has ranged from 88% to 94.2% over the past five years, consistently outperforming the state average. The school also performs particularly well in terms of Hispanic student achievement, ranking in the top 25% of California high schools for this subgroup in recent years. However, the school's performance for Special Education and Disabled students is below average, ranking in the bottom 50% of California high schools. Additionally, Central Union High has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 9.1% in 2017-2018 to 26.7% in 2021-2022, which is a concerning trend that the school and district should focus on addressing.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1001 Brighton Ave.
       El Centro, CA  92243-3110


(760) 336-4300

District: Central Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
759th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,526 Help


Feeder schools for Central Union High:

Elementary:    Booker T. Washington Elementary
    Desert Garden Elementary
    Harding Elementary
    Margaret Hedrick Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Wilson Junior High

Student/teacher ratio:  20.1 Help
Number of students:  1,957

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
95.5%
White:
2.4%
African American:
0.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  77.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Central Union High ranks better than 67.3% of high schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked high schools in the Central Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.74. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Central Union High 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.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Central Union High has the largest high school student body size in the Central Union High School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (95.5%), White (2.4%), African American (0.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 77.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Union High is 20.1. 1 high schools in the Central Union High School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Central Union High employs 96.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Union High is $14,526. 1 high schools in the Central Union High School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Union High 759th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Central Union High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Central Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Union High 808th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Central Union High

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Rank History for all students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 36.99 763rd 1653 53.8%
2005 44.55 703rd 1901 63.0%
2006 46.54 702nd 1968 64.3%
2007 49.72 661st 2063 68.0%
2008 54.79 572nd 2117 73.0%
2009 53.45 646th 2238 71.1%
2010 60.68 501st 2281 78.0%
2011 61.99 470th 2367 80.1%
2012 59.63 546th 2354 76.8%
2013 57.70 592nd 2426 75.6%
2015 57.00 815th 1994 59.1%
2016 58.02 826th 2039 59.5%
2017 64.13 698th 2021 65.5%
2018 56.87 867th 2017 57.0%
2019 56.50 823rd 2133 61.4%
2021 55.39 525th 1290 59.3%
2022 55.41 814th 2123 61.7%
2023 50.54 856th 2348 63.5%
2024 54.74 759th 2323 67.3%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.30 144th 938 84.6%
2019 67.48 131st 941 86.1%
2021 53.75 154th 467 67.0%
2022 65.20 147th 1044 85.9%
2023 49.37 272nd 1323 79.4%
2024 41.87 415th 1350 69.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 27.29 1090th 1547 29.5%
2024 39.25 729th 1534 52.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.21 692nd 1862 62.8%
2019 59.70 687th 1937 64.5%
2021 54.42 471st 1126 58.2%
2022 56.47 717th 1943 63.1%
2023 48.55 926th 2247 58.8%
2024 56.21 702nd 2235 68.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.33 21st 89 76.4%
2024 54.82 43rd 100 57.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 53.60 122nd 290 57.9%
2023 60.95 125th 417 70.0%
2024 65.44 124th 451 72.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.49 795th 1760 54.8%
2019 51.27 816th 1833 55.5%
2021 50.97 504th 1054 52.2%
2022 47.34 880th 1858 52.6%
2023 44.26 966th 2118 54.4%
2024 48.86 849th 2098 59.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.32 674th 1052 35.9%
2019 27.35 831st 1117 25.6%
2021 23.73 463rd 555 16.6%
2022 37.72 615th 1161 47.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.04 856th 1834 53.3%
2019 55.72 743rd 1880 60.5%
2021 53.48 471st 1122 58.0%
2022 58.91 667th 1916 65.2%
2023 53.54 734th 2207 66.7%
2024 56.95 653rd 2172 69.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.74 590th 1742 66.1%
2019 65.72 519th 1814 71.4%
2022 66.41 499th 1861 73.2%
2023 61.03 579th 2142 73.0%
2024 66.19 471st 2125 77.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Central Union High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.41 354th 1173 69.8%
2019 52.23 594th 1222 51.4%
2022 82.09 179th 1204 85.1%
2023 87.59 89th 1434 93.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California 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 Union High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Central Union High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 634 110 55 1723 1 n/a n/a 0 2523
1989 580 86 39 1975 3 n/a n/a 0 2683
1990 594 72 50 2118 3 n/a n/a 0 2837
1991 543 76 43 2284 4 n/a n/a 0 2950
1992 544 69 48 2250 1 n/a n/a 0 2912
1993 544 79 44 2460 2 n/a n/a 0 3129
1994 503 80 39 2292 1 n/a n/a 0 2915
1995 258 58 24 1389 2 n/a n/a 0 1731
1996 258 58 24 1389 2 n/a n/a 0 1731
1997 187 55 28 1215 1 n/a n/a 0 1486
1998 197 57 25 1246 3 n/a n/a 0 1528
1999 226 51 31 1273 1 n/a n/a 0 1582
2000 216 45 35 1321 2 n/a n/a 0 1619
2001 204 37 35 1360 1 n/a n/a 0 1637
2002 143 35 31 1385 0 n/a n/a 0 1594
2003 143 35 31 1385 0 n/a n/a 0 1594
2004 139 42 22 1449 0 n/a n/a 0 1652
2005 122 51 25 1505 0 n/a n/a 3 1706
2006 130 48 28 1533 0 n/a n/a 11 1750
2007 134 50 21 1625 0 n/a n/a 6 1836
2008 117 38 16 1601 n/a n/a n/a 0 1772
2009 106 38 13 1531 0 4 20 0 1712
2010 97 46 9 1588 5 2 18 0 1765
2011 87 45 11 1611 8 0 19 0 1781
2012 81 48 14 1647 6 1 16 0 1813
2013 79 36 14 1733 9 1 5 0 1877
2014 71 34 13 1761 13 2 2 0 1896
2015 66 26 10 1759 7 2 1 0 1871
2016 76 27 13 1763 4 1 5 0 1889
2017 53 24 8 1778 4 1 4 0 1872
2018 55 16 6 1785 1 0 6 0 1869
2019 49 14 1 1775 3 2 7 0 1851
2020 40 14 2 1832 4 2 6 0 1900
2021 37 15 9 1909 5 1 8 0 1984
2022 42 14 10 1852 5 0 4 0 1927
2023 46 18 12 1868 4 0 9 0 1957

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 Union High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2523 103.6 24.3 n/a
1989 2683 107.2 25.0 n/a
1990 2837 117.4 24.1 n/a
1991 2950 117.7 25.0 n/a
1992 2912 119.6 24.3 44.1
1993 3129 126.8 24.7 40.2
1994 2915 130.0 22.4 43.8
1995 1731 74.5 23.2 47.5
1996 1731 74.5 23.2 47.5
1997 1486 67.5 22.0 54.8
1998 1528 77.6 19.7 65.1
1999 1582 76.6 20.7 55.9
2000 1619 77.4 20.9 58.4
2001 1637 80.0 20.5 50.9
2002 1594 77.0 20.7 71.5
2003 1594 77.0 20.7 71.5
2004 1652 71.4 23.1 56.8
2005 1706 74.2 23.0 61
2006 1750 74.4 23.5 54.6
2007 1836 82.2 22.3 60.9
2008 1772 92.4 19.2 65.8
2009 1712 78.8 18.7 61.5
2010 1765 77.4 22.8 70.7
2011 1781 n/a n/a 67
2012 1813 71.9 25.2 n/a
2013 1877 73.4 25.5 54.4
2014 1896 79.4 23.8 72.6
2015 1871 82.0 22.8 76.4
2016 1889 81.0 23.3 75.3
2017 1872 79.8 23.4 72.9
2018 1869 86.2 21.6 76.6
2019 1851 86.6 21.3 76.6
2020 1900 n/a n/a 72.7
2021 1984 88.7 22.3 76.4
2022 1927 91.4 21.0 75.6
2023 1957 96.9 20.1 77.3

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 Union High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2523 103.6 24.3 n/a
1989 2683 107.2 25.0 n/a
1990 2837 117.4 24.1 n/a
1991 2950 117.7 25.0 n/a
1992 2912 119.6 24.3 44.1
1993 3129 126.8 24.7 40.2
1994 2915 130.0 22.4 43.8
1995 1731 74.5 23.2 47.5
1996 1731 74.5 23.2 47.5
1997 1486 67.5 22.0 54.8
1998 1528 77.6 19.7 65.1
1999 1582 76.6 20.7 55.9
2000 1619 77.4 20.9 58.4
2001 1637 80.0 20.5 50.9
2002 1594 77.0 20.7 71.5
2003 1594 77.0 20.7 71.5
2004 1652 71.4 23.1 56.8
2005 1706 74.2 23.0 61
2006 1750 74.4 23.5 54.6
2007 1836 82.2 22.3 60.9
2008 1772 92.4 19.2 65.8
2009 1712 78.8 18.7 61.5
2010 1765 77.4 22.8 70.7
2011 1781 n/a n/a 67
2012 1813 71.9 25.2 n/a
2013 1877 73.4 25.5 54.4
2014 1896 79.4 23.8 72.6
2015 1871 82.0 22.8 76.4
2016 1889 81.0 23.3 75.3
2017 1872 79.8 23.4 72.9
2018 1869 86.2 21.6 76.6
2019 1851 86.6 21.3 76.6
2020 1900 n/a n/a 72.7
2021 1984 88.7 22.3 76.4
2022 1927 91.4 21.0 75.6
2023 1957 96.9 20.1 77.3

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 Union High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $14,526

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Union High

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 823rd of 2133 High schoolsRanks 856th of 2348 High schools
 2.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Central Union High)62.858.4
 4.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Central Union High)61.654.9
 6.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Central Union High)21.418.2
 3.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Central Union High)22.620.9
 1.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Central Union High)18.820.8
 2%
   12th Grade Science (Central Union High)16.923.2
 6.3%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students18511957
 5.7%
African American1418
 28.6%
American Indian34
 33.3%
Asian112
 1100%
Hispanic17751868
 5.2%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White4946
 6.1%
Two or More Races79
 28.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.6%77.3%
 0.8%


Schools Near Central Union High









Frequently Asked Questions about Central Union High

Central Union High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Booker T. Washington Elementary
Elementary : Desert Garden Elementary
Elementary : Harding Elementary
Elementary : Margaret Hedrick Elementary
Elementary : Meadows Elementary
Middle : Wilson Junior High

Students at Central Union High are 95% Hispanic, 2% White.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,957 students attended Central Union High.

Central Union High ranks 759th of 2323 California 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 California 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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