Is Central High School a good school?

Central High School ranks in the bottom 12.3% of Oregon high schools.

How many students attend Central High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,014 students attended Central High School.

What is the racial makeup of Central High School?

Students at Central High School are 50% Hispanic, 43% White, 4% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What schools feed into Central High School?

Central High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Ash Creek Elementary School Elementary : Independence Elementary School Elementary : Monmouth Elementary School Middle : Talmadge Middle School

Central High School

Summary:

Central High School is a public high school located in Independence, Oregon, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,100 students. The school is part of the Central School District 13J, which is ranked 126 out of 140 districts in Oregon and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central High School has consistently underperformed compared to the state average in standardized test scores for 11th grade students in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in 2023-2024, only 32.3% of 11th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 45.2%. The school's performance has declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 104 out of 283 high schools in 2017-2018 to 235 out of 268 high schools in 2023-2024. Central High School's performance is also lower than nearby schools like Jefferson High School and West Salem High School, which have higher proficiency rates and better statewide rankings.

Central High School has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 65.36% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. The school's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as White and Special Education students, who rank in the bottom quartile of Oregon high schools. In contrast, the school's Multi-racial student subgroup has performed relatively well, ranking in the top 10% of Oregon high schools in 2017-2018. Despite spending more per student than the state average, Central High School's academic performance remains low, indicating that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1530 Monmouth St
Independence, OR 97351-1097

(503) 838-0480

District: Central School District 13J

SchoolDigger Rank:
235^th of 268 Oregon High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,222

Feeder schools for Central High School:

Elementary:	Ash Creek Elementary School
	Independence Elementary School
	Monmouth Elementary School
Middle:	Talmadge Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 22.5

Number of students: 1,014

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.5%

White:

42.9%

Two or more races:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 70.1%

See top rated Oregon high schools

Compare Central High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central High School ranks worse than 87.7% of high schools in Oregon. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.1. (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.

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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.5%), White (42.9%), two or more races (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 70.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central High School is 22.5. (See more...)

Compare Central High School employs 45 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central High School is $18,222.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Central High School 235^th of 268 Oregon public high schools. (See Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Central School District 13J:

SchoolDigger ranks Central School District 13J 126^th of 140 Oregon school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Central High School?

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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	OR State Percentile
2004	26.54	184^th	225	18.2%
2005	31.76	178^th	231	22.9%
2006	27.12	192^nd	235	18.3%
2007	61.36	85^th	244	65.2%
2008	52.51	127^th	249	49.0%
2009	46.02	161^st	263	38.8%
2010	47.07	184^th	285	35.4%
2011	46.36	204^th	299	31.8%
2012	41.26	213^th	308	30.8%
2013	55.60	155^th	303	48.8%
2014	56.16	149^th	301	50.5%
2015	53.95	135^th	292	53.8%
2016	46.66	163^rd	292	44.2%
2017	45.00	168^th	283	40.6%
2018	60.71	104^th	283	63.3%
2019	37.60	175^th	266	34.2%
2022	38.01	149^th	241	38.2%
2023	23.80	209^th	258	19.0%
2024	17.10	235^th	268	12.3%

See the entire list of Oregon High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	94.92	2^nd	98	98.0%
2022	69.57	10^th	47	78.7%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	44.29	61^st	132	53.8%
2022	31.04	43^rd	53	18.9%
2023	25.77	67^th	80	16.3%

See the entire list of Best Oregon 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	OR State Percentile
2018	49.48	125^th	254	50.8%
2019	33.73	160^th	229	30.1%
2022	38.25	148^th	241	38.6%
2023	34.31	145^th	224	35.3%
2024	35.08	95^th	170	44.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	61.80	92^nd	251	63.3%
2019	48.43	108^th	199	45.7%
2022	40.07	118^th	194	39.2%
2023	22.90	165^th	200	17.5%
2024	15.17	194^th	213	8.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	57.45	97^th	250	61.2%
2019	25.75	172^nd	206	16.5%
2022	36.94	123^rd	200	38.5%
2023	25.38	160^th	214	25.2%
2024	19.79	188^th	216	13.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	54.67	58^th	156	62.8%
2019	23.77	124^th	144	13.9%
2022	40.55	67^th	123	45.5%
2023	28.55	99^th	134	26.1%
2024	27.28	94^th	132	28.8%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	64.01	96^th	266	63.9%
2019	58.99	97^th	245	60.4%
2022	42.38	131^st	228	42.5%
2023	34.40	164^th	237	30.8%
2024	17.45	216^th	244	11.5%

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

Data source: test scores: Oregon Department of 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: Oregon Department of 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
1988	580	5	8	81	2	n/a	n/a	0	676
1989	545	4	13	94	1	n/a	n/a	0	657
1990	547	2	14	93	2	n/a	n/a	0	658
1991	537	2	15	120	6	n/a	n/a	0	680
1992	555	4	20	145	1	n/a	n/a	0	725
1993	570	4	14	138	6	n/a	n/a	0	732
1994	579	2	12	144	6	n/a	n/a	0	743
1995	580	7	10	143	4	n/a	n/a	0	744
1996	580	7	10	143	4	n/a	n/a	0	744
1997	608	7	16	151	5	n/a	n/a	0	787
1998	588	8	16	160	6	n/a	n/a	0	778
1999	611	10	19	166	8	n/a	n/a	0	814
2000	620	10	23	179	5	n/a	n/a	0	837
2001	580	13	20	205	10	n/a	n/a	0	828
2002	529	9	16	206	7	n/a	n/a	10	777
2003	529	9	16	206	7	n/a	n/a	10	777
2004	552	7	16	242	10	n/a	n/a	7	834
2005	544	5	22	233	12	n/a	n/a	5	821
2006	538	7	26	264	18	n/a	n/a	0	853
2007	496	7	28	303	18	n/a	n/a	7	859
2008	501	6	23	309	21	n/a	n/a	10	870
2009	508	6	19	322	17	n/a	n/a	9	881
2010	462	6	14	321	15	n/a	n/a	10	828
2011	462	8	12	338	20	1	17	0	858
2012	475	7	13	361	10	0	23	0	889
2013	477	8	11	360	10	0	28	0	894
2014	503	4	11	373	9	5	32	0	937
2015	513	6	7	421	5	5	29	0	986
2016	517	5	11	425	4	3	38	0	1003
2017	513	5	8	417	7	3	44	0	997
2018	520	6	8	411	4	3	43	0	995
2019	510	6	8	408	4	1	45	0	982
2020	521	10	11	425	9	2	43	0	1021
2021	494	8	10	464	12	5	50	0	1043
2022	509	7	12	460	12	7	43	1	1051
2023	509	5	12	503	14	11	45	1	1100
2024	435	5	10	502	12	9	39	2	1014

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	676	38.5	17.5	12.4
1989	657	37.0	17.7	18.3
1990	658	33.9	19.4	15.2
1991	680	34.5	19.7	15
1992	725	28.5	25.4	20.3
1993	732	36.5	20.1	94.9
1994	743	33.5	22.2	15.9
1995	744	39.0	19.1	23.1
1996	744	39.0	19.1	23.1
1997	787	37.0	21.3	20.6
1998	778	41.0	19.0	26.5
1999	814	44.0	18.5	24.3
2000	837	44.0	19.0	36.8
2001	828	41.0	20.2	46
2002	777	35.8	21.7	45.6
2003	777	35.8	21.7	45.6
2004	834	34.5	24.2	48.5
2005	821	36.4	22.6	49.4
2006	853	38.0	22.4	49.2
2007	859	44.0	19.5	48.9
2008	870	45.1	19.3	47.4
2009	881	42.6	20.7	47.9
2010	828	38.2	21.6	53.7
2011	858	35.1	24.4	53.5
2012	889	35.2	25.1	54.2
2013	894	38.0	23.4	53.8
2014	937	35.2	26.5	54.7
2015	986	42.0	23.4	54
2016	1003	43.0	23.3	50.7
2017	997	43.9	22.6	52.4
2018	995	44.4	22.3	45.5
2019	982	46.7	21.0	45.2
2020	1021	44.3	23.0	43
2021	1043	44.3	23.5	n/a
2022	1051	45.3	23.2	n/a
2023	1100	49.6	22.1	65.4
2024	1014	45.0	22.5	70.1

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

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	676	38.5	17.5	12.4
1989	657	37.0	17.7	18.3
1990	658	33.9	19.4	15.2
1991	680	34.5	19.7	15
1992	725	28.5	25.4	20.3
1993	732	36.5	20.1	94.9
1994	743	33.5	22.2	15.9
1995	744	39.0	19.1	23.1
1996	744	39.0	19.1	23.1
1997	787	37.0	21.3	20.6
1998	778	41.0	19.0	26.5
1999	814	44.0	18.5	24.3
2000	837	44.0	19.0	36.8
2001	828	41.0	20.2	46
2002	777	35.8	21.7	45.6
2003	777	35.8	21.7	45.6
2004	834	34.5	24.2	48.5
2005	821	36.4	22.6	49.4
2006	853	38.0	22.4	49.2
2007	859	44.0	19.5	48.9
2008	870	45.1	19.3	47.4
2009	881	42.6	20.7	47.9
2010	828	38.2	21.6	53.7
2011	858	35.1	24.4	53.5
2012	889	35.2	25.1	54.2
2013	894	38.0	23.4	53.8
2014	937	35.2	26.5	54.7
2015	986	42.0	23.4	54
2016	1003	43.0	23.3	50.7
2017	997	43.9	22.6	52.4
2018	995	44.4	22.3	45.5
2019	982	46.7	21.0	45.2
2020	1021	44.3	23.0	43
2021	1043	44.3	23.5	n/a
2022	1051	45.3	23.2	n/a
2023	1100	49.6	22.1	65.4
2024	1014	45.0	22.5	70.1

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	n/a	n/a	$14,386
2020	n/a	n/a	$14,438
2021	n/a	n/a	$15,273
2022	$982 (5.8%)	$15,969 (94.2%)	$16,951
2023	$1,542 (8.5%)	$16,681 (91.5%)	$18,222

Data source: Oregon 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 175^th of 266 High schools	Ranks 209^th of 258 High schools	15.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Central High School)	69.3	41.1	28.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Central School District 13J)	67.6	40.9	26.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	66.5	46.2	20.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Central High School)	26.8	9.6	17.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (Central School District 13J)	26.2	9.6	16.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	32.1	20.4	11.7%
11th Grade Science (Central High School)	20.4	20.3	0.1%
11th Grade Science (Central School District 13J)	19.4	20.2	0.8%
11th Grade Science (Oregon)	39.5	32.7	6.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	982	1100	12%
African American	6	5	16.7%
American Indian	4	14	250%
Asian	8	12	50%
Hispanic	408	503	23.3%
Pacific Islander	1	11	1000%
White	510	509	0.2%
Two or More Races	45	45
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	45.2%	65.4%	20.1%

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)				OSAS English Language Arts (2024)			OSAS Mathematics (2024)	OSAS Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	OSAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 11th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 11th Grade	OSAS Science 8th Grade	OSAS Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central High School	Public	9-12	1530 Monmouth St	Independence	97351	Polk County	Central School District 13J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 838-0480	1,014	45	22.5	70.1%	435 (42.9%)	5 (0.5%)	502 (49.5%)	10 (1.0%)	12 (1.2%)	9 (0.9%)	39 (3.8%)	17.1	235^th of 268 public high schools	12.3%		23.8	209^th of 258 public high schools	19.0%	26			32.3	6.6		14.8	$18,222	$1,542	$16,681
Dallas High School	Public	9-12	1250 Holman Ave	Dallas	97338	Polk County	Dallas School District 2	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 623-8336	856	43	19.8	25.9%	668 (78.0%)	8 (0.9%)	107 (12.5%)	5 (0.6%)	26 (3.0%)	10 (1.2%)	31 (3.6%)	27.7	199^th of 268 public high schools	25.7%		49.5	111^th of 258 public high schools	57.0%	88			25.9	11.0		28.4	$18,508	$294	$18,214
Sprague High School	Public	9-12	2373 Kuebler Blvd S	Salem	97302	Marion County	Salem-Keizer School District 24J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 399-3261	1,765	72	24.4	66.9%	1,119 (63.4%)	40 (2.3%)	331 (18.8%)	56 (3.2%)	21 (1.2%)	36 (2.0%)	149 (8.4%)	28.1	196^th of 268 public high schools	26.9%		22.2	214^th of 258 public high schools	17.1%	18			48.9	7.9		11.5	$19,702	$1,390	$18,313
West Salem High School	Public	9-12	1776 Titan Way	Salem	97304	Polk County	Salem-Keizer School District 24J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 399-5533	1,666	70	23.7	66.7%	934 (56.1%)	34 (2.0%)	451 (27.1%)	39 (2.3%)	16 (1.0%)	22 (1.3%)	152 (9.1%)	24.9	210^th of 268 public high schools	21.6%		45	126^th of 258 public high schools	51.2%	84			38.7	9.2		16.5	$19,265	$1,366	$17,899
South Salem High School	Public	9-12	1910 Church St SE	Salem	97302	Marion County	Salem-Keizer School District 24J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 399-3252	2,310	99	23.3	66.8%	1,080 (46.8%)	45 (1.9%)	871 (37.7%)	60 (2.6%)	11 (0.5%)	66 (2.9%)	144 (6.2%)	30.4	187^th of 268 public high schools	30.2%		47.6	118^th of 258 public high schools	54.3%	69			36.7	13.5		23.8	$18,934	$1,385	$17,549
Falls City High School	Public	9-12	111 N Main St	Falls City	97344	Polk County	Falls City School District 57	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 787-3521	60	7	8.6	95.0%	54 (90.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.0%)								(n/a)						21.4	$43,985	$4,662	$39,322
North Salem High School	Public	9-12	765 14th St NE	Salem	97301	Marion County	Salem-Keizer School District 24J	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(503) 399-3241	2,176	107	20.3	67.7%	446 (20.5%)	49 (2.3%)	1,422 (65.3%)	38 (1.7%)	18 (0.8%)	81 (3.7%)	107 (4.9%)	18.9	230^th of 268 public high schools	14.2%		13.5	241^st of 258 public high schools	6.6%	11			23.4	12.8		17.3	$19,210	$1,412	$17,799
Roberts High School	Public	7-12	3620 State St SE	Salem	97317	Marion County	Salem-Keizer School District 24J	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(503) 391-4075	527	48	11.0	35.3%	208 (39.5%)	6 (1.1%)	239 (45.4%)	4 (0.8%)	8 (1.5%)	5 (0.9%)	45 (8.5%)	7.1	259^th of 268 public high schools	3.4%		5.7	254^th of 258 public high schools	1.6%	5	12.0	16.3	11.1	5.4	16.7	7.5	$33,612	$1,270	$32,342
Jefferson High School	Public	9-12	2200 Talbot Road SE	Jefferson	97352	Marion County	Jefferson School District 14J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(541) 327-3337	237	11	20.7	62.0%	148 (62.4%)	1 (0.4%)	73 (30.8%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.8%)	57.5	92^nd of 268 public high schools	65.7%		34	172^nd of 258 public high schools	33.3%	80			49.1	17.9		43.1	$23,461	$2,079	$21,382
Willamette Career Academy	Public	11-12	1200 Lancaster Dr NE	Salem	97301	Marion County	Willamette Education Service District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 588-5330	0	6	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Central High School

Central High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Central School District 13J:

What do you think?

Rank History for Central High School

Rank History for all students at Central High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Central High School

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Impact of COVID-19 on Central High School

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