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Central Senior High

Q: Is Central Senior High a good school?

Central Senior High ranks 208 th of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

208^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 473 Minnesota High Schools

Better than 56% of Minnesota high schools

Summary

Central Senior High is a small rural public high school serving about 337 students in grades 9–12 in Norwood Young America, roughly an hour west of the Twin Cities, and it is the only high school in the Central Public School District. With about 85 students per grade, essentially the entire 11th grade takes the state math test and the entire 10th grade takes the reading test, so yearly results can swing widely. The district ranks 125th of 458 Minnesota districts (73rd percentile, 4 stars); the high school ranked 208th of 473 (56th percentile, 3 stars) in 2025-2026.

Graduation is the school's clearest strength. Across five reported years the rate never fell below 92.8% and reached 97.2% — a five-year average of about 94.5% against a state average of about 83.8%. Dropout averaged about 2.1% versus roughly 4.3% statewide, including 0.0% in 2023-2024. On 2025-26 grade-level tests, Central was slightly above the state in 11th-grade math (36.1% vs. 35.3%) and above in 10th-grade reading (46.6% vs. 42.5%). Science is the outlier: end-of-course proficiency was 24.7%, about 10 points below the state's 35.0%, and it has swung from 23.5% to 44.6% to 39.2% to 24.7% over four years.

Among nearby comprehensive high schools, Belle Plaine Senior High scored higher than Central in all three subjects. Waconia High School, much larger and part of a higher-ranked district, scored below the state in math and reading but posted 61.8% in science — more than double Central's. Central's statewide rank has ranged from the 37th to the 90th percentile over ten years, including a rise to 90th in 2024-25 and a drop to 56th the following year; that pattern points to small-cohort volatility rather than a sudden change in quality. The most persistent areas worth a closer look are science and special education students, who have never reached the state's upper half.

337

Students ?

17.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,632

Per pupil spending ?

18.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Minnesota receive free school meals.

531 Morse St
Norwood Young America, MN 55368-0247

(952) 467-7100

District: Central Public School District

Feeder schools for Central Senior High:

Elementary:	Central Elementary
Middle:	Central Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.4%

Hispanic:

7.7%

Two or more races:

7.1%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare Central Senior High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 45th percentile in 2016 → 56th in 2026

Strengths

✓94% graduate in 4 years — above the Minnesota average (85%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 11 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Minnesota median (56th percentile)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (36% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school36%

District avg46%

Minnesota avg43%

208^th of 473

Minnesota public high schools ?

Top 44%▲ up 11 pts since 2016

From bottom 45% (2016) to top 44% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

125^th of 458Central Public School District among Minnesota 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	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	58.2	208 of 473	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	86.8	45 of 450	90.0%	★★★★★
2024	71.1	133 of 480	72.3%	★★★★☆
2023	53.3	233 of 476	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.3	255 of 472	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.6	206 of 428	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	43.7	312 of 492	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.7	272 of 494	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	56.7	253 of 489	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	53.5	268 of 489	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	49.1	303 of 504	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	58.8	236 of 483	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	77.8	76 of 534	85.8%	★★★★☆
2012	73.4	132 of 539	75.5%	★★★★☆
2011	79.2	68 of 545	87.5%	★★★★☆
2010	80.0	58 of 540	89.3%	★★★★☆
2009	65.7	100 of 234	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	71.3	155 of 460	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2007	61.4	211 of 463	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	56.2	254 of 450	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	55.8	303 of 452	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2004	52.8	303 of 433	30.0%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	50.3	208 of 398	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	87.0	28 of 358	92.2%	★★★★★
2024	66.9	121 of 403	70.0%	★★★★☆
2023	53.2	196 of 396	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.8	163 of 388	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.0	119 of 339	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.8	268 of 401	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.5	218 of 395	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	80.9	40 of 333	88.0%	★★★★☆
2024	36.0	264 of 389	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	49.8	196 of 393	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.5	98 of 270	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.3	80 of 374	78.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	58.1	154 of 395	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	77.2	64 of 377	83.0%	★★★★☆
2024	64.3	133 of 405	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.4	243 of 398	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.6	311 of 403	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	35.4	258 of 351	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.6	313 of 411	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	39.3	282 of 398	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	35.3	147 of 224	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.7	110 of 216	49.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.4	119 of 214	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.2	123 of 173	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	8.4	213 of 220	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	41.1	261 of 394	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	82.2	42 of 376	88.8%	★★★★☆
2024	63.6	141 of 402	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	42.3	252 of 398	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.2	281 of 401	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.9	217 of 364	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	27.1	332 of 412	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.4	325 of 414	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)88th percentile~ school

Male (2026)61st percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)48th percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2026)34th percentile-22 vs school

White (2026)34th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Reading47%~ state avg

Math36%-9 vs state

Science25%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Central Senior High

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCA-IV Reading (2026)				MCA-IV Science (2026)			MCA-III Math (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-IV Reading 7th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 8th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 10th Grade	MCA-IV Reading All Grades	MCA-IV Science 8th Grade	MCA-IV Science End of Course	MCA-IV Science All Grades	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	Total
Central Senior High	Public	9-12	531 Morse St	Norwood Young America	55368	Carver County	Central Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 467-7100	337	19	17.3	18.1%	281 (83.4%)	2 (0.6%)	26 (7.7%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.1%)	58.2	208^th of 473 public high schools	56.0%		86.8	45^th of 450 public high schools	90.0%	163			46.6	46.6		24.7	24.7			36.1	36.1	$13,632
Waconia Learning Center Ss/As	Public	9-12	1800 Community Dr	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 442-0690	4	0		—	3 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$4,905
Waconia Learning Center	Public	9-12	1800 Community Dr	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 442-0670	25	4	6.0	40.0%	21 (84.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$10,730
Waconia High School	Public	9-12	1650 Community Dr	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 442-0670	1,335	80	16.7	8.6%	1,196 (89.6%)	8 (0.6%)	67 (5.0%)	22 (1.6%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (2.9%)	68.7	138^th of 473 public high schools	70.8%		74.2	107^th of 450 public high schools	76.2%	31			37.0	37.0		61.8	61.8			31.1	31.1	$13,875
Transitions 110	Public	12	225 4th St W	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 442-0600	11	2	6.6	63.6%	8 (72.7%)	1 (9.1%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (9.1%)								(n/a)												$41,138
Lester Prairie Secondary	Public	7-12	131 Hickory St N	Lester Prairie	55354	McLeod County	Lester Prairie Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 395-2521	222	13	17.4	27.5%	171 (77.0%)	2 (0.9%)	42 (18.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.7%)	38.2	299^th of 473 public high schools	36.8%		71.7	127^th of 450 public high schools	71.8%	172	34.1	31.0	17.1	27.6	6.9	22.9	15.6	41.5	20.7	37.8	34.6	$11,799
Glencoe-Silver Lake Senior High	Public	9-12	1825 16th St E	Glencoe	55336	McLeod County	Glencoe-Silver Lake School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 864-2401	468	24	19.8	28.8%	355 (75.9%)	2 (0.4%)	95 (20.3%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	26.4	362^nd of 473 public high schools	23.5%		60.2	198^th of 450 public high schools	56.0%	164			23.0	23.0		17.3	17.3			23.9	23.9	$11,981
SWWC Alternative Learning Center -	Public	9-12	2389 Hennepin Ave N	Glencoe	55336	McLeod County	Region 6 and 8-SW/Wc Service Coop	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(507) 360-1876	19	2	9.4	63.2%	10 (52.6%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (47.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Belle Plaine Transitions/Work Exper	Public	9-12	130 S Willow Street	Belle Plaine	56011	Scott County	Belle Plaine Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 873-2402	10	0		40.0%	9 (90.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (10.0%)								(n/a)												$2,717
Belle Plaine Senior High	Public	9-12	220 S Market St	Belle Plaine	56011	Scott County	Belle Plaine Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 873-2403	475	22	21.2	19.4%	407 (85.7%)	9 (1.9%)	33 (6.9%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.2%)	82.1	64^th of 473 public high schools	86.5%		86.6	48^th of 450 public high schools	89.3%	16			57.8	57.8		42.2	42.2			43.4	43.4	$10,786

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Senior High

How many students attend Central Senior High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 337 students attended Central Senior High.

What is the racial makeup of Central Senior High?

Students at Central Senior High are 83% White, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

Is Central Senior High a good school?

Central Senior High ranks 208^th of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Central Senior High in?

Central Public School District

What schools feed into Central Senior High?

Central Senior High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Central Elementary
Middle : Central Middle

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »

2022–23 dropout ratesNewNov 13, 2026

2019–20 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresSep 30, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

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