Palm Beach Central High School

Q: Is Palm Beach Central High School a good school?

Palm Beach Central High School ranks 283 rd of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Palm Beach Central High School is a public high school serving 2,980 students in grades 9-12 in Wellington, Florida, which is part of the Palm Beach School District.

Palm Beach Central High School stands out for its diverse student population, with 29.93% White, 20% African American, and 42.18% Hispanic students, which is more diverse than nearby schools like Wellington High School and Royal Palm Beach High School. The school also maintains a strong 94.4% four-year graduation rate, higher than the district and state averages, as well as nearby schools like Turning Points Academy (43.8%) and Palm Beach County Jail (52.6%). However, the school's test scores are generally on par or slightly below district and state averages, though still higher than some nearby schools.

While Palm Beach Central High School performs well in many areas, it faces some challenges, such as an increase in chronic absenteeism from 6.5% in 2018-2019 to 11.6% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district average and some nearby schools. Additionally, the school's racial diversity has been declining, with the percentage of White students rising from 33.2% in 2020-2021 to 29.93% in 2022-2023, while the percentage of Hispanic students has increased. The school and district should address these trends to ensure continued student success.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

8499 Forest Hill Blvd
Wellington, FL 33411

(561) 304-1000

District: Palm Beach

SchoolDigger Rank:
283^rd of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,466

Feeder schools for Palm Beach Central High School:

Elementary:	Cholee Lake Elementary School
	Elbridge Gale Elementary School
	Equestrian Trails Elementary
	Everglades Elementary
Middle:	Emerald Cove Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.3

Number of students: 2,980

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

42.2%

White:

29.9%

African American:

20.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Palm Beach Central High School ranks better than 64.9% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 15^th among 42 ranked high schools in the Palm Beach School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 51.65. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach Central High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (42.2%), White (29.9%), African American (20%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palm Beach Central High School is 21.3. 34 high schools in the Palm Beach School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Palm Beach Central High School employs 139.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palm Beach Central High School is $10,466. 33 high schools in the Palm Beach School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Beach Central High School 283^rd of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Palm Beach Central High School in the ranking list.)

Palm Beach:

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Beach 41^st of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Palm Beach Central High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	61.86	187^th	484	61.4%
2005	74.19	112^th	487	77.0%
2006	71.26	121^st	477	74.6%
2007	73.73	128^th	563	77.3%
2008	75.05	129^th	577	77.6%
2009	68.61	167^th	587	71.6%
2010	78.75	116^th	620	81.3%
2011	75.93	138^th	622	77.8%
2012	56.58	182^nd	606	70.0%
2013	62.67	178^th	648	72.5%
2014	63.29	203^rd	687	70.5%
2016	57.24	204^th	693	70.6%
2017	57.80	202^nd	714	71.7%
2018	57.52	212^th	716	70.4%
2019	60.81	189^th	734	74.3%
2021	53.38	240^th	746	67.8%
2022	56.85	214^th	774	72.4%
2023	53.30	251^st	792	68.3%
2024	51.65	283^rd	807	64.9%

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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Enrollment information for Palm Beach Central High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	1047	505	52	565	14	n/a	n/a	0	2183
2005	1414	571	74	774	16	n/a	n/a	0	2849
2006	1322	363	82	646	11	n/a	n/a	0	2424
2007	1356	374	70	704	11	n/a	n/a	80	2595
2008	1388	414	76	712	6	n/a	n/a	86	2682
2009	1390	496	93	773	12	n/a	n/a	114	2878
2010	1379	457	94	905	21	n/a	n/a	70	2926
2011	1345	472	81	855	22	10	83	0	2868
2012	1281	506	92	872	22	4	86	0	2863
2013	1267	499	89	918	20	3	100	0	2896
2014	1194	521	94	926	18	1	99	0	2853
2015	1151	560	95	1026	21	4	96	0	2953
2016	1160	582	109	1047	22	4	86	0	3010
2017	1075	587	128	1064	25	4	85	0	2968
2018	1094	586	121	1127	16	5	84	0	3033
2019	1099	570	132	1159	16	2	87	0	3065
2020	1023	592	111	1145	14	3	78	0	2966
2021	961	580	115	1149	11	4	75	0	2895
2022	883	574	129	1151	17	8	69	0	2831
2023	892	596	129	1257	16	6	84	0	2980

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 Palm Beach Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	2183	97.0	22.5	21
2005	2849	147.0	19.4	19.6
2006	2424	132.0	18.4	18.2
2007	2595	136.0	19.1	17.5
2008	2682	148.0	18.1	17.6
2009	2878	183.8	18.2	22.1
2010	2926	149.0	19.6	23.7
2011	2868	147.0	19.5	25.8
2012	2863	148.0	19.3	28.4
2013	2896	149.0	19.4	29.7
2014	2853	150.0	19.0	37.2
2015	2953	151.0	19.5	39.3
2016	3010	156.0	19.2	43.2
2017	2968	154.0	19.2	43.7
2018	3033	153.0	19.8	45.1
2019	3065	147.0	20.8	43.8
2020	2966	148.0	20.0	46.1
2021	2895	150.0	19.3	55.4
2022	2831	148.0	19.1	56.2
2023	2980	139.8	21.3	39.6

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 Palm Beach Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	2183	97.0	22.5	21
2005	2849	147.0	19.4	19.6
2006	2424	132.0	18.4	18.2
2007	2595	136.0	19.1	17.5
2008	2682	148.0	18.1	17.6
2009	2878	183.8	18.2	22.1
2010	2926	149.0	19.6	23.7
2011	2868	147.0	19.5	25.8
2012	2863	148.0	19.3	28.4
2013	2896	149.0	19.4	29.7
2014	2853	150.0	19.0	37.2
2015	2953	151.0	19.5	39.3
2016	3010	156.0	19.2	43.2
2017	2968	154.0	19.2	43.7
2018	3033	153.0	19.8	45.1
2019	3065	147.0	20.8	43.8
2020	2966	148.0	20.0	46.1
2021	2895	150.0	19.3	55.4
2022	2831	148.0	19.1	56.2
2023	2980	139.8	21.3	39.6

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 Palm Beach Central High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$420 (5.6%)	$7,014 (94.4%)	$7,434
2019	$451 (5.9%)	$7,256 (94.1%)	$7,707
2020	$349 (4.0%)	$8,400 (96.0%)	$8,750
2021	$571 (6.2%)	$8,643 (93.8%)	$9,215
2022	$1,117 (11.2%)	$8,885 (88.9%)	$10,000
2023	$978 (9.3%)	$9,488 (90.7%)	$10,466

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palm Beach 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 189^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 251^st of 792 High schools	5.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach Central High School)	60	57	3%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	56	54	2%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach Central High School)	61	51	10%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	54	52	2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Palm Beach Central High School)	78	71	7%
End of Course Biology 1 (Palm Beach)	69	63	6%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Palm Beach Central High School)	77	70	7%
End of Course US History (Palm Beach)	69	62	7%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Palm Beach Central High School)	51	39	12%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Palm Beach)	65	54	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Palm Beach Central High School)	62	56	6%
End of Course Geometry (Palm Beach)	61	53	8%
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	3065	2980	2.8%
African American	570	596	4.6%
American Indian	16	16
Asian	132	129	2.3%
Hispanic	1159	1257	8.5%
Pacific Islander	2	6	200%
White	1099	892	18.8%
Two or More Races	87	84	3.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.8%	39.6%	4.2%

Schools Near Palm Beach 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)	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 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th 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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Palm Beach Central High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	8499 Forest Hill Blvd	Wellington	33411	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 304-1000	2,980	140	21.3	39.6%	892 (29.9%)	596 (20.0%)	1,257 (42.2%)	129 (4.3%)	16 (0.5%)	6 (0.2%)	84 (2.8%)	51.7	283^rd of 807 public high schools	64.9%		53.3	251^st of 792 public high schools	68.3%	32			52.0	55.0				27.0	50.0	73.0	74.0	$10,466	$978	$9,488
Palm Beach Juvenile Correctional Facility	Public	6-12	9680 Process Dr	West Palm Beach	33411	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	No	(561) 681-5908	30	1	30.0	10.0%	3 (10.0%)	24 (80.0%)	3 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School	Public	9-12	4906 Lyons Road	Lake Worth	33467	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(561) 851-5400	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)			52.0	54.0				34.0	47.0	73.0	69.0
Somerset Academy Wellington High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1000 Wellington Trace	Wellington	33414	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(561) 421-5510	40	4	9.2	55.0%	13 (32.5%)	9 (22.5%)	17 (42.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.5%)	28.9	554^th of 807 public high schools	31.4%					(n/a)			44.0	36.0				39.0	31.0	51.0		$14,566	$3,563	$11,003
Turning Points Academy	Public	6-12	1950 Benoist Farms Rd	West Palm Beach	33411	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	Yes	(561) 681-3700	76	11	6.9	80.3%	9 (11.8%)	48 (63.2%)	15 (19.7%)	2 (2.6%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	5.1	718^th of 807 public high schools	11.0%		4.2	723^rd of 792 public high schools	8.7%	5	5.0	6.0	15.0	13.0	6.0	0.0	0.0	5.0		21.0		$48,133	$4,069	$44,063
John I. Leonard High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	4701 10th Ave N	Greenacres	33463	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 641-1200	3,549	175	20.2	67.3%	368 (10.4%)	601 (16.9%)	2,483 (70.0%)	45 (1.3%)	13 (0.4%)	7 (0.2%)	32 (0.9%)	27.8	564^th of 807 public high schools	30.1%		23.3	571^st of 792 public high schools	27.9%	7			36.0	39.0				29.0	30.0	59.0	56.0	$11,247	$1,431	$9,815
Royal Palm Beach High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	10600 Okeechobee Blvd	Royal Palm Beach	33411	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 753-4000	2,343	121	19.3	56.9%	315 (13.4%)	1,038 (44.3%)	839 (35.8%)	66 (2.8%)	12 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (3.1%)	32.4	512^th of 807 public high schools	36.6%		33.2	468^th of 792 public high schools	40.9%	44			44.0	46.0				31.0	34.0	55.0	55.0	$11,609	$1,632	$9,978
Wellington High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	2101 Greenview Shores Blvd	Wellington	33414	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 795-4900	2,688	139	19.4	29.1%	1,143 (42.5%)	332 (12.4%)	1,044 (38.8%)	64 (2.4%)	7 (0.3%)	4 (0.1%)	94 (3.5%)	65.8	164^th of 807 public high schools	79.7%		66.3	162^nd of 792 public high schools	79.5%	2			67.0	63.0				59.0	59.0	77.0	79.0	$11,378	$1,018	$10,361
Ese Other Teaching Services	Public	6-12	3378 Forest Hill Blvd Ste A203	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	No	(561) 434-8626	92	4	23.0	3.3%	24 (26.1%)	28 (30.4%)	39 (42.4%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Palm Beach County Jail	Public	6-12	3228 Gun Club Rd	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	No	(561) 681-5908	31	3	10.3	9.7%	1 (3.2%)	19 (61.3%)	9 (29.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.2%)	1 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$24,013	$3,761	$20,251

Frequently Asked Questions about Palm Beach Central High School

Is Palm Beach Central High School a good school?

Palm Beach Central High School ranks 283^rd of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Palm Beach Central High School?

Palm Beach Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cholee Lake Elementary School
Elementary : Elbridge Gale Elementary School
Elementary : Equestrian Trails Elementary
Elementary : Everglades Elementary
Middle : Emerald Cove Middle School

How many students attend Palm Beach Central High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,980 students attended Palm Beach Central High School.

What is the racial makeup of Palm Beach Central High School?

Students at Palm Beach Central High School are 42% Hispanic, 30% White, 20% African American, 4% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

What district is Palm Beach Central High School in?

Palm Beach

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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.