Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Central High School

Q: Is Central High School a good school?

Central High School ranks 129 th of 291 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

129^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 291 Arkansas High Schools

Better than 56% of Arkansas high schools

Summary

Central High School is a public high school located in Little Rock, Arkansas, serving grades 8-12 with a total enrollment of 2,260 students. It is part of the Little Rock School District, which is ranked 179 out of 250 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Despite these district-level challenges, Central High School has consistently ranked in the top 100 high schools in Arkansas over the past 10 years, currently ranking 129 out of 305 high schools and earning a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

One of the key strengths of Central High School is its academic performance. The school consistently outperforms the Little Rock School District and the state of Arkansas in proficiency rates across various subjects and grade levels, including English Language Arts, Algebra, and Biology. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 36.3% of 10th-grade students at Central High School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 23.3% for the district and 34.2% for the state.

Another notable aspect of Central High School is its socioeconomic diversity, with 53.89% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in the 2023-2024 school year. Despite this, the school is still able to outperform nearby schools, such as Graduate Arkansas Charter High and Little Rock Hall Steam Magnet High School, in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels. This suggests that Central High School has effective teaching practices, resources, and support systems in place to help students succeed academically, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

2,371

Students ?

14.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,165

Per pupil spending ?

56%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1500 Little Rock Nine Way
Little Rock, AR 72202

(501) 447-1400

District: Little Rock School District

Feeder schools for Central High School:

Elementary:	Brady Elementary School
	Dr Martin Luther King Junior Leadership & Language Magnet Academy
	Forest Park Elementary School
	Jefferson Elementary School
	More...
	McDermott Elementary School
	Pulaski Heights Elementary School
	Stephens Elementary
	Washington Elementary School
Middle:	Dunbar Magnet Middle School
	Pulaski Heights Middle School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

46.3%

White:

29.0%

Asian:

11.2%

See top rated Arkansas high schools

Compare Central High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 76th percentile in 2015 → 56th in 2025

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Little Rock School District

✓Above the Arkansas median (56th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2015

!Algebra scores 23 pts below the Arkansas average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school31%

District avg25%

Arkansas avg34%

129^th of 291

Arkansas public high schools ?

Top 44%▼ down 20 pts since 2015

From top 24% (2015) to top 44% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4High Schools in the Little Rock School District

179^th of 250Little Rock School District among Arkansas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arkansas percentile	Rating
2025	51.7	129 of 291	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.9	129 of 305	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.2	92 of 295	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.8	62 of 282	78.0%	★★★★☆
2021	75.1	47 of 290	83.8%	★★★★☆
2019	71.8	46 of 282	83.7%	★★★★☆
2018	70.0	54 of 263	79.5%	★★★★☆
2017	67.9	65 of 264	75.4%	★★★★☆
2016	69.7	68 of 269	74.7%	★★★★☆
2015	60.5	64 of 267	76.0%	★★★★☆
2014	50.5	134 of 268	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	52.8	114 of 271	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2012	54.6	120 of 266	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	49.8	136 of 266	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2010	42.8	155 of 262	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	45.4	142 of 261	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2008	31.2	192 of 256	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	46.1	126 of 258	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2006	39.3	144 of 232	37.9%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2024-2025) ?

Reading38%+3 vs state

Biology36%~ state avg

English Language Arts35%~ state avg

Geometry19%-3 vs state

Algebra8%-23 vs state

4.0

1 rating

5★0

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Central High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Central High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2025)			ATLAS Reading (2025)			ATLAS Mathematics (2025)	ATLAS Algebra (2025)			ATLAS Geometry (2025)					ATLAS Science (2025)	ATLAS Biology (2025)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 10th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 11th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 12th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science All Grades	ATLAS Biology 9th Grade	ATLAS Biology 10th Grade	ATLAS Biology 11th Grade	ATLAS Biology 12th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central High School	Public	9-12	1500 Little Rock Nine Way	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 447-1400	2,371	161	14.6	56.0%	687 (29.0%)	1,097 (46.3%)	255 (10.8%)	266 (11.2%)	15 (0.6%)	3 (0.1%)	48 (2.0%)	51.7	129^th of 291 public high schools	55.7%		52.9	129^th of 305 public high schools	57.7%		33.2	36.3	34.7	35.5	41.1	38.1		8.0		7.8	42.5	6.8	4.8		18.7		59.9	19.4	27.8	54.6	35.7	$16,165	$1,690	$14,476
Premier High School Of Little Rock	Public, Charter	9-12	1621 Martin Luther King Dr	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 246-3161	78	14	5.6	44.9%	0 (0.0%)	78 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1.1	291^st of 291 public high schools	0.0%		4.8	305^th of 305 public high schools	0.0%	14		0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0																$19,142	$9,520	$9,622
Premier High School Online	Public, Charter	7-12	400 Hardin Rd Suite 120	Little Rock	72202	Pulaski County	Premier High Schools Of Arkansas	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(479) 282-9971	292	13	22.1	21.6%	79 (27.1%)	134 (45.9%)	47 (16.1%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	3 (1.0%)	24 (8.2%)	35	204^th of 291 public high schools	29.9%		23.7	253^rd of 305 public high schools	17.0%	49	19.4	18.7	19.0	28.5	25.3	26.9		47.3		50.0		15.0			17.2		20.0	36.4			32.3
Arkansas School For The Blind High School	Public	7-12	2600 W Markham	Little Rock	72205	Pulaski County	Arkansas School For The Blind	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 296-1810	32	12	2.7	40.6%	19 (59.4%)	9 (28.1%)	2 (6.3%)	2 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)			10.0			10.0	0.0									9.1
Arkansas Virtual Academy High School	Public, Virtual, Charter	9-12	717 West 7th Street	Little Rock	72201	Pulaski County	Arkansas Virtual Academy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(501) 664-4225	2,567	210	12.1	53.0%	1,811 (70.5%)	396 (15.4%)	168 (6.5%)	21 (0.8%)	26 (1.0%)	2 (0.1%)	143 (5.6%)	46.3	153^rd of 291 public high schools	47.4%		43.9	172^nd of 305 public high schools	43.6%	19	21.9	28.4	25.0	29.2	33.7	31.4		21.7		21.6	24.3	17.6	19.2		18.8		44.8	28.1	38.5		31.0
Estem High School	Public, Charter	9-12	112 W 3rd St	Little Rock	72201	Pulaski County	Estem Public Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 478-2800	676	69	9.8	61.7%	108 (16.0%)	424 (62.7%)	93 (13.8%)	7 (1.0%)	4 (0.6%)	3 (0.4%)	37 (5.5%)	59.9	88^th of 291 public high schools	69.8%		60.5	102^nd of 305 public high schools	66.6%	14	33.4	46.2	39.6	34.6	46.1	40.3		17.8		17.8	92.8	16.4			22.9		41.1	17.3			33.1	$12,219	$1,018	$11,201
Lisa Academy West High School	Public, Charter	9-12	6711 W. Markham St	Little Rock	72205	Pulaski County	Lisa Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 500-5051	394	32	12.4	76.1%	42 (10.7%)	169 (42.9%)	162 (41.1%)	11 (2.8%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.3%)	57	109^th of 291 public high schools	62.5%		49.6	148^th of 305 public high schools	51.5%	39	29.7	38.5	34.1	34.2	41.3	37.7		28.0		28.0		5.9			7.9			27.1			28.4	$12,595	$1,077	$11,518
North Little Rock High School	Public	9-12	201 West 22nd Street	North Little Rock	72114	Pulaski County	North Little Rock School District	No	No	No	Yes	(501) 771-8100	1,652	141	11.7	99.9%	330 (20.0%)	976 (59.1%)	250 (15.1%)	23 (1.4%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	66 (4.0%)	14.1	268^th of 291 public high schools	7.9%		18.9	267^th of 305 public high schools	12.5%	1	18.7	12.7	15.8	15.2	15.4	15.3		5.0		5.0	8.6	1.0			1.7		30.4	7.2			11.3	$16,410	$2,508	$13,902
North Little Rock Center Of Excellence	Public, Charter	9-12	201 West 22nd Street	North Little Rock	72114	Pulaski County	North Little Rock School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 975-3895	472	32	14.6	100.0%	139 (29.4%)	236 (50.0%)	70 (14.8%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.2%)	37	195^th of 291 public high schools	33.0%		51.4	134^th of 305 public high schools	56.1%	61	30.1	31.1	30.6	30.9	33.1	32.1		8.9		8.9	0.0	0.0			0.0		47.7	12.7			22.6	$10,273	$1,721	$8,552
Graduate Arkansas Charter High	Public, Charter	9-12	6724 Interstate 30	Little Rock	72209	Pulaski County	Graduate Arkansas Charter	Yes	No	No	Yes	(501) 500-9270	557	10	53.1	99.1%	203 (36.4%)	251 (45.1%)	63 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.0%)	20	253^rd of 291 public high schools	13.1%		10.7	293^rd of 305 public high schools	3.9%	40	6.1	9.9	8.0	13.3	16.6	15.0		23.0	35.3	26.0	20.6	13.8	14.3	7.7	14.7		0.0	9.6	13.4	0.0	7.1	$8,304	$1,803	$6,501

Frequently Asked Questions about Central High School

Is Central High School a good school?

Central High School ranks 129^th of 291 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Central High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,371 students attended Central High School.

What schools feed into Central High School?

Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Brady Elementary School
Elementary : Dr Martin Luther King Junior Leadership & Language Magnet Academy
Elementary : Forest Park Elementary School
Elementary : Jefferson Elementary School
Elementary : McDermott Elementary School
Elementary : Pulaski Heights Elementary School
Elementary : Stephens Elementary
Elementary : Washington Elementary School
Middle : Dunbar Magnet Middle School
Middle : Pulaski Heights Middle School

What district is Central High School in?

Little Rock School District

What is the racial makeup of Central High School?

Students at Central High School are 46% African American, 29% White, 11% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Rate Central High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

ARArkansas High School Rankings

ARArkansas District Rankings

Schools in Little Rock, AR

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Central High School!

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