Is Central High a good school?

Central High ranks 151 st of 431 Wisconsin high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Central High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,008 students attended Central High.

What is the racial makeup of Central High?

Students at Central High are 72% White, 9% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 6% Hispanic, 5% African American.

What schools feed into Central High?

Central High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Hamilton Elementary School Elementary : Hintgen Elementary Elementary : Southern Bluffs Elementary Elementary : Spence Elementary Elementary : State Road Elementary Middle : Longfellow Middle

Central High

Summary:

Central High is a public high school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,008 students. It is part of the La Crosse School District, which is ranked 303 out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central High has seen a steady improvement in its four-year graduation rates, reaching 93.5% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the state average. However, the school has a higher chronic absenteeism rate compared to the state and district averages, with 35.5% of students chronically absent in the 2022-2023 school year. Central High's test scores in various subjects have been mixed, with the school performing well for White students but struggling with lower rankings for Asian, Multi-racial, and Low Socio-Economic Status students. When compared to nearby schools, Central High performs better than Logan High but lags behind the higher-performing Holmen High and Onalaska High.

The school's fluctuating ranking and performance suggest that there is room for improvement, and the La Crosse School District may need to address the underlying factors, such as socio-economic status, that contribute to the school's performance. Central High has a relatively high percentage of students from low socio-economic backgrounds, with 37.9% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year. The school's spending per student has increased over the years, reaching $14,463 in the 2020-2021 school year, but the impact on student outcomes is not yet clear.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1801 Losey Blvd S
La Crosse, WI 54601-6800

(608) 789-7900

District: La Crosse School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
151^st of 431 Wisconsin High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,463

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 1,008

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.0%

Two or more races:

8.8%

Asian:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.9%

See top rated Wisconsin high schools

Compare Central High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central High ranks better than 65% of high schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the La Crosse School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.99. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Central High 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 has the largest high school student body size in the La Crosse School District. Racial makeup is: White (72%), two or more races (8.8%), Asian (8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the La Crosse School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central High is 12.6. 1 high schools in the La Crosse School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Central High employs 79.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central High is $14,463, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the La Crosse School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central High:

SchoolDigger ranks Central High 151^st of 431 Wisconsin public high schools. (See Central High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

Asian students:

White students:

La Crosse School District:

SchoolDigger ranks La Crosse School District 303^rd of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Central High?

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Rank History for Central High

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Rank History for all students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2004	61.06	130^th	275	52.7%
2005	50.63	205^th	287	28.6%
2006	63.85	133^rd	292	54.5%
2007	54.57	191^st	281	32.0%
2008	46.98	318^th	437	27.2%
2009	59.34	217^th	438	50.5%
2010	65.90	173^rd	450	61.6%
2011	59.00	240^th	445	46.1%
2012	50.99	304^th	452	32.7%
2013	60.95	180^th	457	60.6%
2014	57.59	217^th	462	53.0%
2015	67.08	152^nd	466	67.4%
2016	54.21	170^th	408	58.3%
2017	49.49	199^th	410	51.5%
2018	47.47	215^th	410	47.6%
2019	31.59	298^th	400	25.5%
2021	45.32	206^th	390	47.2%
2022	29.09	301^st	391	23.0%
2023	58.43	160^th	415	61.4%
2024	61.99	151^st	431	65.0%

See the entire list of Wisconsin High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	18.10	32^nd	35	8.6%
2022	22.08	33^rd	41	19.5%
2024	27.74	54^th	71	23.9%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	33.94	186^th	255	27.1%
2019	29.84	188^th	251	25.1%
2021	23.71	192^nd	226	15.0%
2022	23.08	215^th	250	14.0%
2023	43.30	160^th	271	41.0%
2024	42.84	196^th	326	39.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	49.85	184^th	355	48.2%
2019	35.96	233^rd	343	32.1%
2021	30.71	250^th	332	24.7%
2022	24.67	290^th	343	15.5%
2023	58.50	133^rd	329	59.6%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	40.07	228^th	373	38.9%
2019	24.67	293^rd	354	17.2%
2021	52.97	147^th	334	56.0%
2022	31.44	255^th	347	26.5%
2023	54.74	150^th	359	58.2%
2024	57.48	146^th	365	60.0%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	26.11	39^th	51	23.5%
2019	19.00	38^th	44	13.6%
2022	22.64	38^th	48	20.8%
2024	22.87	42^nd	51	17.6%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	40.71	10^th	20	50.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	47.39	123^rd	261	52.9%
2019	28.81	196^th	266	26.3%
2021	41.66	141^st	266	47.0%
2022	25.24	221^st	269	17.8%
2023	59.91	93^rd	271	65.7%
2024	71.51	63^rd	300	79.0%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department 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.

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Central High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	1239	8	78	5	7	n/a	n/a	1337
1989	1149	8	76	3	10	n/a	n/a	1246
1990	1129	12	73	4	14	n/a	n/a	1232
1991	1111	11	77	5	23	n/a	n/a	1227
1992	1102	11	72	4	19	n/a	n/a	1208
1993	1132	17	83	6	22	n/a	n/a	1260
1994	1111	25	86	11	20	n/a	n/a	1253
1995	1159	53	76	7	20	n/a	n/a	1315
1996	1159	53	76	7	20	n/a	n/a	1315
1997	1137	39	89	6	19	n/a	n/a	1290
1998	1116	34	140	11	19	n/a	n/a	1320
1999	1202	35	169	14	15	n/a	n/a	1435
2000	1190	41	177	12	16	n/a	n/a	1436
2001	1186	46	165	13	16	n/a	n/a	1426
2002	1200	57	147	14	13	n/a	n/a	1431
2003	1200	57	147	14	13	n/a	n/a	1431
2004	1182	34	146	23	15	n/a	n/a	1400
2005	1157	39	153	16	13	n/a	n/a	1378
2006	1101	47	164	13	14	n/a	n/a	1339
2007	1078	47	169	17	11	n/a	n/a	1322
2008	1048	44	157	18	9	n/a	n/a	1276
2009	1054	55	149	15	18	n/a	n/a	1291
2010	1000	55	117	16	20	n/a	n/a	1208
2011	971	47	120	18	11	0	16	1183
2012	940	41	102	15	11	0	27	1136
2013	879	41	101	26	6	0	33	1086
2014	892	40	103	34	6	0	45	1120
2015	817	41	89	33	8	1	53	1042
2016	823	47	90	34	13	0	65	1072
2017	822	58	95	32	13	0	64	1084
2018	777	65	88	46	10	0	76	1062
2019	813	60	75	51	9	0	69	1077
2020	778	60	78	46	5	0	62	1029
2021	795	47	75	57	2	0	64	1040
2022	772	40	82	51	3	1	77	1026
2023	726	48	81	59	4	1	89	1008

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1337	89.9	14.8	28.1
1989	1246	76.4	16.3	13.6
1990	1232	79.9	15.4	13.9
1991	1227	82.4	14.8	27
1992	1208	80.1	15.0	26.1
1993	1260	81.1	15.5	29.2
1994	1253	80.6	15.5	30.6
1995	1315	80.2	16.4	31
1996	1315	80.2	16.4	31
1997	1290	80.7	16.0	31.3
1998	1320	84.1	15.7	29.1
1999	1435	84.7	16.9	37.6
2000	1436	84.6	17.0	36.3
2001	1426	85.4	16.7	35.4
2002	1431	87.5	16.4	24.9
2003	1431	87.5	16.4	24.9
2004	1400	86.6	16.2	23.8
2005	1378	84.6	16.3	n/a
2006	1339	85.5	15.7	n/a
2007	1322	84.4	15.7	28.3
2008	1276	84.4	15.1	32.3
2009	1291	83.9	15.4	34.3
2010	1208	82.1	14.7	35.3
2011	1183	74.8	15.8	36
2012	1136	72.6	15.6	38.3
2013	1086	70.1	15.4	37.5
2014	1120	69.9	16.0	39.5
2015	1042	n/a	n/a	40.9
2016	1072	68.0	15.7	39.7
2017	1084	70.5	15.3	38.5
2018	1062	71.5	14.8	34.1
2019	1077	71.7	15.0	39.4
2020	1029	72.9	14.0	39.7
2021	1040	77.4	13.4	45.9
2022	1026	81.4	12.5	43.8
2023	1008	79.7	12.6	37.9

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1337	89.9	14.8	28.1
1989	1246	76.4	16.3	13.6
1990	1232	79.9	15.4	13.9
1991	1227	82.4	14.8	27
1992	1208	80.1	15.0	26.1
1993	1260	81.1	15.5	29.2
1994	1253	80.6	15.5	30.6
1995	1315	80.2	16.4	31
1996	1315	80.2	16.4	31
1997	1290	80.7	16.0	31.3
1998	1320	84.1	15.7	29.1
1999	1435	84.7	16.9	37.6
2000	1436	84.6	17.0	36.3
2001	1426	85.4	16.7	35.4
2002	1431	87.5	16.4	24.9
2003	1431	87.5	16.4	24.9
2004	1400	86.6	16.2	23.8
2005	1378	84.6	16.3	n/a
2006	1339	85.5	15.7	n/a
2007	1322	84.4	15.7	28.3
2008	1276	84.4	15.1	32.3
2009	1291	83.9	15.4	34.3
2010	1208	82.1	14.7	35.3
2011	1183	74.8	15.8	36
2012	1136	72.6	15.6	38.3
2013	1086	70.1	15.4	37.5
2014	1120	69.9	16.0	39.5
2015	1042	n/a	n/a	40.9
2016	1072	68.0	15.7	39.7
2017	1084	70.5	15.3	38.5
2018	1062	71.5	14.8	34.1
2019	1077	71.7	15.0	39.4
2020	1029	72.9	14.0	39.7
2021	1040	77.4	13.4	45.9
2022	1026	81.4	12.5	43.8
2023	1008	79.7	12.6	37.9

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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$290 (2.3%)	$12,413 (97.7%)	$12,703
2020	$310 (2.4%)	$12,664 (97.6%)	$12,974
2021	$424 (2.9%)	$14,039 (97.1%)	$14,463

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 298^th of 400 High schools	Ranks 160^th of 415 High schools	35.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Social Studies (Central High)	42.3	51.9	9.6%
10th Grade Social Studies (La Crosse School District)	42	52.7	10.7%
10th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)	45.9	47.2	1.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Central High)	36.1	48.7	12.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (La Crosse School District)	36.9	45.6	8.7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	38.8	41.4	2.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Central High)	20.6	33.2	12.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (La Crosse School District)	23.2	30.9	7.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	30.8	29.4	1.3%
10th Grade Science (Central High)	26	32.6	6.6%
10th Grade Science (La Crosse School District)	28	31.2	3.2%
10th Grade Science (Wisconsin)	32.7	31.7	1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1077	1008	6.4%
African American	60	48	20%
American Indian	9	4	55.6%
Asian	75	81	8%
Hispanic	51	59	15.7%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	813	726	10.7%
Two or More Races	69	89	29%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39.4%	37.9%	1.5%

Schools Near Central High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ACT English Language Arts (2024)	ACT Mathematics (2024)	ACT Science (2024)	Forward Exam English Language Arts (2024)			Forward Exam Mathematics (2024)			Forward Exam Social Studies (2024)		Forward Exam Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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	ACT English Language Arts 10th Grade	ACT Mathematics 10th Grade	ACT Science 10th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 10th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central High	Public	9-12	1801 Losey Blvd S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7900	1,008	80	12.6	37.9%	726 (72.0%)	48 (4.8%)	59 (5.9%)	81 (8.0%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	89 (8.8%)	62	151^st of 431 public high schools	65.0%		58.4	160^th of 415 public high schools	61.4%	9	53.2	48.0	49.1								48.4		$14,463	$424	$14,039
La Crosse Polytechnic School	Public, Charter	6-12	228 5th Avenue South	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 789-5900	120	8	14.4	44.2%	99 (82.5%)	6 (5.0%)	3 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (10.0%)	47.8	233^rd of 431 public high schools	45.9%		71.4	94^th of 415 public high schools	77.3%	139	57.1	35.7	42.9	77.8	38.9	70.0	66.7	33.3	80.0	85.0	40.0	75.0	$15,240	$479	$14,761
Logan High	Public	9-12	1500 Ranger Dr	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7700	754	70	10.8	47.2%	486 (64.5%)	46 (6.1%)	42 (5.6%)	79 (10.5%)	8 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	93 (12.3%)	44.6	255^th of 431 public high schools	40.8%		48.1	213^th of 415 public high schools	48.7%	42	48.0	40.5	39.2								44.2		$16,323	$429	$15,894
Onalaska High	Public	9-12	700 Wilson St	Onalaska	54650	La Crosse County	Onalaska School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 783-4561	933	68	13.7	27.0%	669 (71.7%)	22 (2.4%)	57 (6.1%)	118 (12.6%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (6.1%)	76	75^th of 431 public high schools	82.6%		73.2	82^nd of 415 public high schools	80.2%	7	56.4	54.6	53.7								59.6		$12,848	$280	$12,568
West Salem High	Public	9-12	490 N Mark St	West Salem	54669	La Crosse County	West Salem School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 786-1220	605	45	13.5	18.2%	549 (90.7%)	3 (0.5%)	23 (3.8%)	9 (1.5%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.0%)	54.9	189^th of 431 public high schools	56.1%		58.8	158^th of 415 public high schools	61.9%	31	39.6	44.7	49.7								57.6		$13,361	$549	$12,812
Holmen High	Public	9-12	1001 McHugh Rd	Holmen	54636	La Crosse County	Holmen School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 526-3372	1,212	85	14.2	24.8%	1,025 (84.6%)	7 (0.6%)	32 (2.6%)	104 (8.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (3.5%)	59.7	163^rd of 431 public high schools	62.2%		59.5	153^rd of 415 public high schools	63.1%	10	49.8	45.8	47.5								53.3		$12,163	$264	$11,899
Bangor Middle/High	Public	6-12	700 10th Ave S	Bangor	54614	La Crosse County	Bangor School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 486-2331	346	29	12.0	26.3%	313 (90.5%)	2 (0.6%)	18 (5.2%)	7 (2.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.4%)	45.3	250^th of 431 public high schools	42.0%		61.6	141^st of 415 public high schools	66.0%	109	48.2	46.4	42.9	52.8	26.8	64.0	58.3	48.8	58.0	68.0	30.4	64.0	$12,656	$1,088	$11,568

Central High

Central High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

La Crosse School District:

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Rank History for Central High

Rank History for all students at Central High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Central High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central High

Rank History for Female students at Central High

Rank History for Male students at Central High

Rank History for Asian students at Central High

Rank History for African American students at Central High

Rank History for White students at Central High

Enrollment information for Central High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central High

Student/Teacher Ratio Central High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central High

Impact of COVID-19 on Central High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Central High

Central High

La Crosse Polytechnic School

Logan High

Onalaska High

West Salem High

Holmen High

Bangor Middle/High

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