Central High School

Summary:

Central High School is a public high school in Kansas City, Missouri, serving 535 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Kansas City 33 school district, which is ranked 338 out of 386 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central High School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-20% of Missouri high schools over the past decade, with a current statewide ranking of 368 out of 378 high schools. The school's academic performance is significantly below state and district averages across all subject areas and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 7% of students were proficient or better in Algebra I, compared to 23.7% in the Kansas City 33 district and 41.5% statewide. Central High School also struggles with low graduation rates, ranging from 66.4% to 86.5% over the past few years, and extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 47% to 83.2%.

In contrast, the nearby Lincoln College Prep magnet school consistently outperforms Central High School and the district averages across a range of metrics, including test scores, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism. This suggests that the magnet school model may be more effective in supporting student success. Additionally, Central High School serves a student population that is predominantly from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 99.44% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, which may be a contributing factor to the school's poor academic performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3221 Indiana
Kansas City, MO 64128-2062

(816) 418-2005

District: Kansas City 33

SchoolDigger Rank:
368^th of 378 Missouri High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,481

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 535

Racial breakdown:

African American:

80.0%

Hispanic:

11.2%

White:

6.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Central High School ranks worse than 97.4% of high schools in Missouri. It also ranks last among 6 ranked high schools in the Kansas City 33 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.11. (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.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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 Central High School has the largest high school student body size in the Kansas City 33 School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central High School is $17,481. 4 high schools in the Kansas City 33 School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Central High School 368^th of 378 Missouri public high schools. (See Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Kansas City 33:

SchoolDigger ranks Kansas City 33 338^th of 386 Missouri 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	MO State Percentile
2006	2.53	524^th	534	1.9%
2007	3.79	521^st	538	3.2%
2008	3.69	524^th	539	2.8%
2009	1.45	505^th	507	0.4%
2010	2.19	503^rd	516	2.5%
2011	1.91	511^th	528	3.2%
2012	1.44	515^th	522	1.3%
2013	2.20	509^th	523	2.7%
2014	1.14	512^th	521	1.7%
2015	1.84	489^th	504	3.0%
2016	0.96	393^rd	401	2.0%
2018	2.26	463^rd	468	1.1%
2019	1.16	458^th	460	0.4%
2021	6.19	341^st	358	4.7%
2022	5.61	348^th	361	3.6%
2023	4.12	338^th	352	4.0%
2024	5.11	368^th	378	2.6%

See the entire list of Missouri High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	27.43	104^th	127	18.1%

See the entire list of Best Missouri 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	MO State Percentile
2018	5.27	378^th	382	1.0%
2019	2.48	367^th	368	0.3%
2021	13.57	249^th	255	2.4%
2022	21.80	219^th	250	12.4%
2023	16.43	247^th	268	7.8%
2024	14.82	253^rd	274	7.7%

See the entire list of Best Missouri High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	12.50	94^th	103	8.7%

See the entire list of Best Missouri High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for African American students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	8.02	108^th	111	2.7%
2019	11.63	98^th	106	7.5%
2021	23.81	88^th	96	8.3%
2022	36.18	74^th	105	29.5%
2023	23.77	87^th	99	12.1%
2024	26.76	90^th	105	14.3%

See the entire list of Best Missouri High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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.

Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	925	925
1992	189	945	3	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	1144
1993	207	868	3	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	1088
1994	222	884	3	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	1121
1995	181	869	1	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	1069
1996	181	869	1	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	1069
1997	146	1009	2	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	1173
1998	121	1081	1	17	3	n/a	n/a	0	1223
1999	84	1140	3	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	1242
2000	66	1156	4	14	2	n/a	n/a	0	1242
2001	44	1174	1	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	1233
2002	21	955	4	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	998
2003	21	955	4	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	998
2004	13	962	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	986
2005	15	989	1	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	1013
2006	12	1000	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	1018
2007	15	974	1	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	1002
2008	12	950	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	966
2009	6	738	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	751
2010	8	602	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	619
2011	10	630	0	8	1	0	0	0	649
2012	23	774	1	12	2	0	0	0	812
2013	19	816	1	24	3	2	2	0	867
2014	17	679	2	22	1	1	2	0	724
2015	14	692	3	17	0	1	7	0	734
2016	12	570	3	17	0	1	2	0	605
2017	18	446	2	12	0	1	7	0	486
2018	23	450	0	19	1	1	5	0	499
2019	25	461	0	25	0	1	6	0	518
2020	26	432	0	28	0	5	6	0	497
2021	33	429	2	36	0	5	10	0	515
2022	17	399	1	47	1	1	6	0	472
2023	33	428	0	60	4	3	7	0	535

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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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	925	66.5	13.9	n/a
1992	1144	85.1	13.4	n/a
1993	1088	92.6	11.7	18.8
1994	1121	94.0	11.9	26.4
1995	1069	78.7	13.6	51.4
1996	1069	78.7	13.6	51.4
1997	1173	65.0	18.0	42.3
1998	1223	71.1	17.2	39
1999	1242	60.2	20.6	40
2000	1242	59.3	20.9	50.4
2001	1233	63.0	19.6	47.4
2002	998	65.7	15.2	56.9
2003	998	65.7	15.2	56.9
2004	986	70.5	14.0	73.7
2005	1013	65.1	15.6	73.5
2006	1018	59.3	17.2	65.7
2007	1002	59.2	16.9	65.5
2008	966	64.2	15.0	75.4
2009	751	61.7	12.2	67.5
2010	619	49.2	12.5	69.1
2011	649	59.6	10.8	84
2012	812	54.3	14.9	85.7
2013	867	49.0	17.6	0
2014	724	49.8	14.5	75.7
2015	734	38.0	19.3	100
2016	605	38.0	15.9	99.5
2017	486	38.7	12.5	100
2018	499	32.2	15.4	99.8
2019	518	33.6	15.4	99.4
2020	497	36.2	13.7	99.4
2021	515	38.8	13.2	99.4
2022	472	32.5	14.5	99.4
2023	535	36.9	14.4	99.4

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
1991	925	66.5	13.9	n/a
1992	1144	85.1	13.4	n/a
1993	1088	92.6	11.7	18.8
1994	1121	94.0	11.9	26.4
1995	1069	78.7	13.6	51.4
1996	1069	78.7	13.6	51.4
1997	1173	65.0	18.0	42.3
1998	1223	71.1	17.2	39
1999	1242	60.2	20.6	40
2000	1242	59.3	20.9	50.4
2001	1233	63.0	19.6	47.4
2002	998	65.7	15.2	56.9
2003	998	65.7	15.2	56.9
2004	986	70.5	14.0	73.7
2005	1013	65.1	15.6	73.5
2006	1018	59.3	17.2	65.7
2007	1002	59.2	16.9	65.5
2008	966	64.2	15.0	75.4
2009	751	61.7	12.2	67.5
2010	619	49.2	12.5	69.1
2011	649	59.6	10.8	84
2012	812	54.3	14.9	85.7
2013	867	49.0	17.6	0
2014	724	49.8	14.5	75.7
2015	734	38.0	19.3	100
2016	605	38.0	15.9	99.5
2017	486	38.7	12.5	100
2018	499	32.2	15.4	99.8
2019	518	33.6	15.4	99.4
2020	497	36.2	13.7	99.4
2021	515	38.8	13.2	99.4
2022	472	32.5	14.5	99.4
2023	535	36.9	14.4	99.4

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)
2019	$1,721 (11.5%)	$13,262 (88.5%)	$14,983
2020	$1,586 (10.4%)	$13,690 (89.6%)	$15,276
2021	$1,818 (12.2%)	$13,085 (87.8%)	$14,903
2022	$3,762 (21.5%)	$13,719 (78.5%)	$17,481

Data source: Missouri 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 458^th of 460 High schools	Ranks 338^th of 352 High schools	3.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology I (Central High School)	6.2	4.6	1.6%
End of Course Biology I (Kansas City 33)	9.2	18.1	8.9%
End of Course Biology I (Missouri)	39.2	38.5	0.7%
End of Course English II (Central High School)	11.3	19.5	8.2%
End of Course English II (Kansas City 33)	32.4	28.4	4%
End of Course English II (Missouri)	59	54.4	4.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	518	535	3.3%
African American	461	428	7.2%
American Indian	0	4
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	25	60	140%
Pacific Islander	1	3	200%
White	25	33	32%
Two or More Races	6	7	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.4%	99.4%	0%

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)				MAP Mathematics (2024)		MAP Science (2024)	MAP English Language Arts (2024)		MAP Algebra I (2024)	MAP Biology I (2024)	MAP English II (2024)	MAP Algebra II (2024)	MAP English I (2024)	MAP Government (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	MAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MAP Science 8th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MAP Algebra I End of Course	MAP Biology I End of Course	MAP English II End of Course	MAP Algebra II End of Course	MAP English I End of Course	MAP Government End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central High School	Public	9-12	3221 Indiana	Kansas City	64128	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-2005	535	37	14.4	99.4%	33 (6.2%)	428 (80.0%)	60 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.6%)	7 (1.3%)	5.1	368^th of 378 public high schools	2.6%		4.1	338^th of 352 public high schools	4.0%	30						7.0	5.6	20.1		10.2	6.7	$17,481	$3,762	$13,719
DeLaSalle Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	3737 Troost Ave	Kansas City	64109	Jackson County	Delasalle Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 561-4445	187	14	13.2	98.4%	4 (2.1%)	172 (92.0%)	8 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	3.4	377^th of 378 public high schools	0.3%		2.1	352^nd of 352 public high schools	0.0%	25								11.4			6.1	$18,060	$4,252	$13,808
Lincoln College Prep.	Public, Magnet	9-12	2111 Woodland	Kansas City	64108	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	Yes	No	No	(816) 418-3000	897	56	15.8	99.7%	209 (23.3%)	367 (40.9%)	247 (27.5%)	45 (5.0%)	3 (0.3%)	13 (1.4%)	13 (1.4%)	74.7	41^st of 378 public high schools	89.2%		70.4	49^th of 352 public high schools	86.1%	8						30.5	54.5	77.5	43.6	78.1		$17,082	$3,384	$13,698
East High School	Public	9-12	1924 Van Brunt Blvd	Kansas City	64127	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-3125	1,112	78	14.2	99.7%	48 (4.3%)	462 (41.5%)	518 (46.6%)	66 (5.9%)	2 (0.2%)	7 (0.6%)	9 (0.8%)	6.4	358^th of 378 public high schools	5.3%		3.5	343^rd of 352 public high schools	2.6%	15						2.5	8.2	19.6			9.8	$18,091	$3,702	$14,389
Kintsugi Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	625 E 26th St	Kansas City	64108	Jackson County	Delasalle Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(816) 561-4445	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Academie Lafayette Armour Ihs	Public, Charter	9-12	201 East Armour Boulevard	Kansas City	64113	Jackson County	Academie Lafayette	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(816) 800-8771	71	8	8.3	33.8%	36 (50.7%)	18 (25.4%)	10 (14.1%)	1 (1.4%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (7.0%)	74.7	40^th of 378 public high schools	89.4%		74.7	35^th of 352 public high schools	90.1%	5						53.4	52.5					$19,625	$4,049	$15,576
Guadalupe Centers High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1524 The Paseo	Kansas City	64108	Jackson County	Guadalupe Centers Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 471-2582	444	36	12.3	95.3%	10 (2.3%)	4 (0.9%)	430 (96.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27.2	275^th of 378 public high schools	27.2%		17.9	287^th of 352 public high schools	18.5%	12						39.6	14.5					$17,169	$1,929	$15,240
Paseo Acad. Of Performing Arts	Public, Magnet	7-12	4747 Flora Ave	Kansas City	64110	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	Yes	No	Yes	(816) 418-3525	649	57	11.4	99.5%	61 (9.4%)	316 (48.7%)	232 (35.7%)	17 (2.6%)	3 (0.5%)	9 (1.4%)	11 (1.7%)	16	324^th of 378 public high schools	14.3%		13.3	312^th of 352 public high schools	11.4%	12	20.4	16.9	15.3	11.3	30.4	16.6	16.0			42.0		$18,946	$3,790	$15,156
Manual Career Technical Center	Public	9-12	1215 Truman Rd	Kansas City	64106	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	No	(816) 418-5205	0	13	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Alternative Resource Center	Public	6-12	3100 Main St Ste 206	Kansas City	64111	Jackson County	Division Of Youth Service	No	No	No	No	(816) 759-4662	9	2	4.5	66.7%	1 (11.1%)	8 (88.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Central High School

What is the racial makeup of Central High School?

Students at Central High School are 80% African American, 11% Hispanic, 6% White, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Central High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 535 students attended Central High School.

What schools feed into Central High School?

Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Faxon Elementary
Elementary : George Melcher Elementary
Elementary : M. L. King Elementary

Is Central High School a good school?

Central High School ranks in the bottom 2.6% of Missouri high schools.

What district is Central High School in?

Kansas City 33

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