Central High School

Summary:

Central High School is a public charter high school located in Panama City, Florida, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 93 students. The school has a diverse student population, with 60.22% White, 15.05% African American, and 16.13% Hispanic students.

Despite its small size, Central High School faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has consistently low four-year graduation rates, ranging from 17.1% to 48.3%, which is much lower than the nearby North Bay Haven Career Academy (97.6%), Rutherford High School (84.2%), and A. Crawford Mosley High School (95.1%). Additionally, Central High School has an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate, reaching as high as 98.0%, far exceeding the rates of nearby schools like Rosenwald High School (71.4%) and North Bay Haven Career Academy (17.6%).

Academically, Central High School's performance, as measured by proficiency rates in various state assessments, is significantly lower than the surrounding schools and the Bay District and Florida state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Central High School's proficiency rates ranged from 13% to 28%, while the Bay District and Florida state averages ranged from 51% to 68%. This performance gap is particularly stark when compared to other charter schools in the area, such as North Bay Haven Career Academy and Palm Bay Preparatory Academy 6-12, which consistently outperform Central High School across various metrics.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

1250 W. 17th St
Panama City, FL 32405

(850) 215-0770

District: Bay

SchoolDigger Rank:
684^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,994

Student/teacher ratio: 106.0

Number of students: 106

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.4%

Hispanic:

16.0%

African American:

14.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Central High School ranks worse than 84.8% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 8^th among 10 ranked high schools in the Bay School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.99. (See more...)

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.

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

Compare Details Student population at Central High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (60.4%), Hispanic (16%), African American (14.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 54.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central High School is 106, which is the highest among 11 high schools in the Bay School District! (See more...)

Compare Central High School employs 1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central High School is $12,994, which is the 4^th highest among 10 high schools in the Bay School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Central High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Central High School 684^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Central High School in the ranking list.)

Bay:

SchoolDigger ranks Bay 28^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2018	9.55	594^th	716	17.0%
2019	12.92	598^th	734	18.5%
2021	6.94	656^th	746	12.1%
2022	3.80	708^th	774	8.5%
2023	5.85	697^th	792	12.0%
2024	7.99	684^th	807	15.2%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Reviews:
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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	Total
2016	25	11	0	3	0	0	4	43
2017	100	35	2	4	1	0	9	151
2018	130	27	2	4	1	0	10	174
2019	155	20	0	16	1	0	6	198
2020	111	21	1	15	0	0	9	157
2021	88	14	0	14	0	1	9	126
2022	60	10	1	9	0	1	8	89
2023	56	14	0	15	1	0	7	93
2024	64	15	0	17	1	0	9	106

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	43	1.0	43.0	18.6
2017	151	5.0	30.2	37.1
2018	174	8.0	21.7	1.7
2019	198	7.0	28.2	74.7
2020	157	8.0	19.6	44.6
2021	126	3.0	42.0	54.8
2022	89	2.0	44.5	65.2
2023	93	2.0	46.5	50.5
2024	106	1.0	106.0	54.7

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	43	1.0	43.0	18.6
2017	151	5.0	30.2	37.1
2018	174	8.0	21.7	1.7
2019	198	7.0	28.2	74.7
2020	157	8.0	19.6	44.6
2021	126	3.0	42.0	54.8
2022	89	2.0	44.5	65.2
2023	93	2.0	46.5	50.5
2024	106	1.0	106.0	54.7

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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,063 (16.3%)	$5,440 (83.7%)	$6,503
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$6,403 (100.0%)	$6,403
2020	$281 (3.7%)	$7,302 (96.3%)	$7,583
2021	$1,358 (15.4%)	$7,467 (84.6%)	$8,826
2022	$1,920 (17.4%)	$9,116 (82.6%)	$11,036
2023	$2,033 (15.6%)	$10,961 (84.4%)	$12,994

Data source: Florida 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 598^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 697^th of 792 High schools	6.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Central High School)	11	0	11%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Bay)	53	46	7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course US History (Central High School)	45	18	27%
End of Course US History (Bay)	74	63	11%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Central High School)	50	13	37%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Bay)	65	57	8%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Central High School)	0	11	11%
End of Course Geometry (Bay)	62	53	9%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	198	93	53%
African American	20	14	30%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	16	15	6.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	155	56	63.9%
Two or More Races	6	7	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.7%	50.5%	24.2%

Schools Near Central High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)					FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1250 W. 17th St	Panama City	32405	Bay County	Bay	Yes	No	No	Yes	(850) 215-0770	106	1	106.0	54.7%	64 (60.4%)	15 (14.2%)	17 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.5%)	8	684^th of 807 public high schools	15.2%		5.8	697^th of 792 public high schools	12.0%	13				25.0	13.0					22.0	20.0	24.0	28.0		$12,994	$2,033	$10,961
Palm Bay Preparatory Academy 6-12	Public, Charter	6-12	1104 Balboa Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	Yes	No	No	Yes	(850) 215-0770	201	9	22.3	51.7%	88 (43.8%)	33 (16.4%)	63 (31.3%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (7.0%)	44.7	369^th of 807 public high schools	54.3%		55.1	240^th of 792 public high schools	69.7%	129	53.0	65.0	68.0	38.0	35.0	43.0	67.0	88.0	59.0	90.0	77.0	65.0	38.0	69.0	$17,807	$1,324	$16,483
Bay High School	Public	9-12	1200 Harrison Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-4600	1,298	59	22.1	51.6%	587 (45.2%)	347 (26.7%)	228 (17.6%)	24 (1.8%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	106 (8.2%)	46	352^nd of 807 public high schools	56.4%		41.9	372^nd of 792 public high schools	53.0%	20				62.0	64.0					25.0	33.0	64.0	59.0		$9,061	$1,519	$7,542
Chautauqua Charter School	Public, Charter	9-12	1118 Magnolia Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 785-5056	47	5	9.4	34.0%	33 (70.2%)	4 (8.5%)	8 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.3%)								(n/a)
Amikids Maritime Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	200 E. Beach Drive	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(850) 919-2213	88	3	29.3	21.6%	75 (85.2%)	1 (1.1%)	6 (6.8%)	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.5%)	67.3	154^th of 807 public high schools	80.9%					(n/a)				66.0	76.0					45.0	64.0	93.0			$6,579	$00	$6,579
Rosenwald High School	Public	6-12	924 Bay Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-4580	324	25	12.7	69.4%	184 (56.8%)	83 (25.6%)	34 (10.5%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (5.9%)	3.2	755^th of 807 public high schools	6.4%		2.5	774^th of 792 public high schools	2.3%	19		18.0	5.0	6.0	13.0	9.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		4.0	12.0	12.0	11.0	$18,650	$4,722	$13,927
Florida State University Panama City Developmental Laborato	Public, Charter	9-12	4750 Collegiate Dr	Panama City	32405	Bay County	Fsu Bay	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(850) 896-7728	97	7	14.9	19.6%	68 (70.1%)	12 (12.4%)	5 (5.2%)	1 (1.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (10.3%)								(n/a)
New Horizons Learning Center	Public	6-12	3200 Minnesota Ave	Panama City	32405	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-1110	91	17	5.3	78.0%	52 (57.1%)	25 (27.5%)	6 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (8.8%)	3.3	751^st of 807 public high schools	6.9%					(n/a)		15.0	20.0	15.0	5.0		25.0	6.0	7.0	15.0		9.0	13.0	20.0	$34,990	$8,203	$26,787
A. Crawford Mosley High School	Public	9-12	501 Mosley Dr	Lynn Haven	32444	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	No	(850) 767-4400	1,838	79	23.4	34.5%	1,320 (71.8%)	159 (8.7%)	194 (10.6%)	35 (1.9%)	5 (0.3%)	7 (0.4%)	118 (6.4%)	55.7	245^th of 807 public high schools	69.6%		52.5	261^st of 792 public high schools	67.0%	16				56.0	58.0					39.0	49.0	76.0	75.0		$7,063	$622	$6,442
Rutherford High School	Public	6-12	1000 School Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-4500	1,423	76	18.7	61.3%	510 (35.8%)	476 (33.5%)	274 (19.3%)	34 (2.4%)	2 (0.1%)	6 (0.4%)	121 (8.5%)	22.9	616^th of 807 public high schools	23.7%		23.2	575^th of 792 public high schools	27.4%	41	27.0	32.0	31.0	29.0	34.0	20.0	30.0	40.0	26.0	27.0	37.0	49.0	58.0	46.0	$10,601	$2,083	$8,518

Frequently Asked Questions about Central High School

Is Central High School a good school?

Central High School ranks in the bottom 15.2% of Florida high schools.

How many students attend Central High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 106 students attended Central High School.

What district is Central High School in?

Bay

What is the racial makeup of Central High School?

Students at Central High School are 60% White, 16% Hispanic, 14% African American, 8% Two or more races.

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