Wilkes Central High School

Summary:

Wilkes Central High School is a public high school in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, serving 752 students in grades 9-12. While the school is part of the Wilkes County Schools district, which is ranked 81 out of 242 districts in the state, Wilkes Central High School faces several challenges compared to its nearby counterparts.

Wilkes Central High School has a more diverse student population, with a significant Hispanic (25.93%) and African American (10.64%) representation, but its academic performance, as measured by End-of-Course exam proficiency rates, is generally lower than the district and state averages. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools, placing it in the 2-star rating category by SchoolDigger. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with African American students performing relatively well, but Hispanic and White students lagging behind.

Compared to nearby high schools, such as East Wilkes High School, North Wilkes High School, and West Wilkes High School, Wilkes Central High School generally underperforms. However, the nearby Wilkes Early College High School stands out with exceptional academic performance, ranking 72 out of 640 North Carolina high schools. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Wilkes Central High School, coupled with the school's relatively low academic performance, suggests that socioeconomic factors may play a significant role in the school's outcomes, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support programs.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1179 Moravian Falls Rd
       Wilkesboro, NC  28697-9443


(336) 667-5277

District: Wilkes County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
442nd of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,054 Help


Feeder schools for Wilkes Central High School:

Elementary:    Boomer-Ferguson Elementary School
    C C Wright Elementary School
    Moravian Falls Elementary School
    North Wilkesboro Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Central Wilkes Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.0 Help
Number of students:  737

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.2%
Hispanic:
26.9%
African American:
9.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.6% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

 Compare Wilkes Central High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Wilkes Central High School ranks worse than 69.1% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 5 ranked high schools in the Wilkes County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.94. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Wilkes Central High School has the largest high school student body size in the Wilkes County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (55.2%), Hispanic (26.9%), African American (9.1%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 99.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Wilkes County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wilkes Central High School is 15, which is the 2nd best among 5 high schools in the Wilkes County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Wilkes Central High School employs 48.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wilkes Central High School is $9,054. 3 high schools in the Wilkes County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Wilkes Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Wilkes Central High School 442nd of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Wilkes Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Wilkes County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wilkes County Schools 81st of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Wilkes Central High School

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Rank History for all students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 69.16 79th 431 81.7%
2007 59.83 143rd 453 68.4%
2008 71.65 59th 477 87.6%
2009 70.54 69th 490 85.9%
2010 63.83 147th 499 70.5%
2011 62.10 154th 506 69.6%
2012 62.30 131st 502 73.9%
2013 36.84 260th 505 48.5%
2014 29.11 282nd 451 37.5%
2015 32.74 323rd 531 39.2%
2016 27.02 337th 507 33.5%
2017 31.58 305th 476 35.9%
2018 37.80 281st 469 40.1%
2019 31.56 336th 514 34.6%
2021 44.12 310th 594 47.8%
2022 39.08 361st 621 41.9%
2023 37.96 371st 626 40.7%
2024 30.94 442nd 640 30.9%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.02 149th 185 19.5%
2019 25.31 159th 195 18.5%
2021 49.63 96th 199 51.8%
2022 24.60 189th 226 16.4%
2023 27.16 196th 249 21.3%
2024 22.90 224th 261 14.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 96.83 5th 124 96.0%
2022 54.09 50th 156 67.9%
2023 21.50 207th 226 8.4%
2024 34.92 170th 262 35.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 44.08 159th 349 54.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.95 183rd 424 56.8%
2019 25.24 329th 446 26.2%
2021 41.07 184th 432 57.4%
2022 36.00 333rd 544 38.8%
2023 33.18 383rd 597 35.8%
2024 38.42 348th 613 43.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.36 305th 449 32.1%
2019 28.79 342nd 475 28.0%
2021 44.58 217th 475 54.3%
2022 39.36 352nd 594 40.7%
2023 41.04 342nd 588 41.8%
2024 31.81 420th 602 30.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.16 294th 349 15.8%
2019 47.81 147th 364 59.6%
2021 60.56 73rd 334 78.1%
2022 32.61 208th 330 37.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 30.29 271st 325 16.6%
2021 63.78 127th 337 62.3%
2022 70.14 113th 398 71.6%
2023 81.07 47th 403 88.3%
2024 41.86 302nd 403 25.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.19 283rd 463 38.9%
2019 31.27 317th 488 35.0%
2021 43.62 213th 481 55.7%
2022 37.61 351st 585 40.0%
2023 33.23 396th 602 34.2%
2024 29.35 435th 607 28.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.70 144th 359 59.9%
2019 35.46 211th 369 42.8%
2021 31.78 219th 364 39.8%
2022 42.55 208th 430 51.6%
2023 29.66 305th 434 29.7%
2024 53.51 145th 437 66.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.89 290th 340 14.7%
2019 13.34 337th 354 4.8%
2021 39.29 183rd 370 50.5%
2022 29.46 322nd 436 26.1%
2023 27.42 340th 449 24.3%
2024 19.28 398th 454 12.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Wilkes Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.06 319th 427 25.3%
2019 28.19 330th 444 25.7%
2021 44.88 200th 439 54.4%
2022 40.41 313th 534 41.4%
2023 37.35 349th 537 35.0%
2024 29.06 425th 553 23.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, 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.

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



Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Wilkes 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 723 204 5 0 0 n/a n/a 1 933
1989 685 148 6 0 0 n/a n/a 4 843
1990 652 129 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 786
1991 597 121 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 720
1992 586 113 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 701
1993 747 169 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 920
1994 757 153 2 7 1 n/a n/a 0 920
1995 732 131 5 27 2 n/a n/a 0 897
1996 732 131 5 27 2 n/a n/a 0 897
1997 761 142 7 39 1 n/a n/a 0 950
1998 728 146 11 44 0 n/a n/a 0 929
1999 708 145 8 35 0 n/a n/a 0 896
2000 719 139 12 40 1 n/a n/a 0 911
2001 755 148 10 43 1 n/a n/a 0 957
2002 743 141 5 69 1 n/a n/a 0 959
2003 743 141 5 69 1 n/a n/a 0 959
2004 748 147 13 84 1 n/a n/a 0 993
2005 756 129 16 88 0 n/a n/a 0 989
2006 735 125 12 88 0 n/a n/a 0 960
2007 674 116 13 94 0 n/a n/a 15 912
2008 609 119 12 94 1 n/a n/a 20 855
2009 625 145 11 78 1 n/a n/a 0 860
2010 628 150 13 86 0 n/a n/a 0 877
2011 617 118 11 107 4 1 17 0 875
2012 604 110 10 100 3 0 25 0 852
2013 586 101 7 120 2 0 34 0 850
2014 545 89 6 144 1 0 42 0 827
2015 574 92 4 146 2 0 47 0 865
2016 583 97 6 170 2 1 52 0 911
2017 575 92 6 163 3 0 52 0 891
2018 556 96 8 180 1 0 57 0 898
2019 510 92 12 160 0 0 70 0 844
2020 444 82 8 166 0 0 71 0 771
2021 425 80 8 173 0 0 57 0 743
2022 413 84 6 182 0 0 55 0 740
2023 414 80 5 195 1 0 57 0 752
2024 407 67 7 198 3 0 55 0 737

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 Wilkes Central High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 933 46.0 20.2 12.1
1989 843 46.0 18.3 36.1
1990 786 46.0 17.0 44.3
1991 720 53.0 13.5 48.3
1992 701 53.0 13.2 7.1
1993 920 55.0 16.7 8.6
1994 920 58.0 15.9 13.7
1995 897 55.0 16.3 13.6
1996 897 55.0 16.3 13.6
1997 950 57.0 16.7 16.3
1998 929 62.0 15.0 17.7
1999 896 62.0 14.5 20.3
2000 911 62.0 14.7 22.2
2001 957 62.0 15.4 22.5
2002 959 62.0 15.5 32.1
2003 959 62.0 15.5 32.1
2004 993 62.0 16.0 36.3
2005 989 62.0 16.0 35.2
2006 960 62.0 15.5 36.8
2007 912 54.5 16.7 40.8
2008 855 53.8 15.9 43.6
2009 860 53.1 16.2 39.8
2010 877 50.7 17.2 n/a
2011 875 50.6 17.2 47.5
2012 852 50.5 16.8 48.2
2013 850 55.6 15.2 49.6
2014 827 51.7 15.9 55.4
2015 865 55.0 15.7 99.7
2016 911 56.0 16.2 97.8
2017 891 54.7 16.2 95.6
2018 898 53.2 16.8 46.4
2019 844 52.4 16.0 45
2020 771 50.7 15.1 41.9
2021 743 50.9 14.5 34.2
2022 740 50.7 14.5 29.9
2023 752 49.9 15.0 53.7
2024 737 48.9 15.0 99.6

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 Wilkes Central High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 933 46.0 20.2 12.1
1989 843 46.0 18.3 36.1
1990 786 46.0 17.0 44.3
1991 720 53.0 13.5 48.3
1992 701 53.0 13.2 7.1
1993 920 55.0 16.7 8.6
1994 920 58.0 15.9 13.7
1995 897 55.0 16.3 13.6
1996 897 55.0 16.3 13.6
1997 950 57.0 16.7 16.3
1998 929 62.0 15.0 17.7
1999 896 62.0 14.5 20.3
2000 911 62.0 14.7 22.2
2001 957 62.0 15.4 22.5
2002 959 62.0 15.5 32.1
2003 959 62.0 15.5 32.1
2004 993 62.0 16.0 36.3
2005 989 62.0 16.0 35.2
2006 960 62.0 15.5 36.8
2007 912 54.5 16.7 40.8
2008 855 53.8 15.9 43.6
2009 860 53.1 16.2 39.8
2010 877 50.7 17.2 n/a
2011 875 50.6 17.2 47.5
2012 852 50.5 16.8 48.2
2013 850 55.6 15.2 49.6
2014 827 51.7 15.9 55.4
2015 865 55.0 15.7 99.7
2016 911 56.0 16.2 97.8
2017 891 54.7 16.2 95.6
2018 898 53.2 16.8 46.4
2019 844 52.4 16.0 45
2020 771 50.7 15.1 41.9
2021 743 50.9 14.5 34.2
2022 740 50.7 14.5 29.9
2023 752 49.9 15.0 53.7
2024 737 48.9 15.0 99.6

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 Wilkes Central High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $938 (10.4%) $8,116 (89.6%) $9,054

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wilkes 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 336th of 514 High schoolsRanks 371st of 626 High schools
 6.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Wilkes Central High School)50.750.5
 0.2%
   End of Course Biology (Wilkes County Schools)63.158.5
 4.6%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Wilkes Central High School)53.944.7
 9.2%
   End of Course English II (Wilkes County Schools)55.559.4
 3.9%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Wilkes Central High School)3233.7
 1.7%
   End of Course Math I (Wilkes County Schools)54.654.1
 0.5%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Wilkes Central High School)25.957.5
 31.6%
   End of Course Math III (Wilkes County Schools)43.363
 19.7%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students844752
 10.9%
African American9280
 13%
American Indian01
Asian125
 58.3%
Hispanic160195
 21.9%
Pacific Islander00
White510414
 18.8%
Two or More Races7057
 18.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients45%53.7%
 8.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Wilkes Central High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 737 students attended Wilkes Central High School.

Wilkes Central High School ranks 442nd of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Wilkes Central High School are 55% White, 27% Hispanic, 9% African American, 7% 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 North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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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