Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 11 schools in district

CENTRAL HIGH

5000 Warrior Drive, Norton, VA 24273Wise County Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
674
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 13% vs nat'l
$13,544
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 6% vs nat'l
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
39/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 22% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 674 students in grades 09–12 in Norton, Virginia.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,544 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 39th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

CENTRAL HIGH is a large high in Norton, Virginia, serving grades 09–12 with 674 students. The district invests $13,544 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 81% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 39/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at CENTRAL HIGH

674
Total Students
16.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
81%
Free Lunch
42
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution364 male · 310 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility81%
National avg 52% · 544 students
Student Composition
94%
Asian1%
White94%
Hispanic / Latino1%
Black1%
Multiracial2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 510408001789

Academic Outcomes at CENTRAL HIGH

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
87%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
39
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 39th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 24th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 24273

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,544Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,544
State avg
$16,302
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,959
Student Support$2,573
Administration$1,625
Operations$2,032
Other$1,354
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,544 spent per student, an estimated $6,000 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
57%
23%
State government
57.1%
Local (property tax)
23.2%
Federal programs
19.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 81% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
UNION PRIMARYWISE PRIMARYJ.W. ADAMS COMBINEDSt. Paul Elementary
+1 more
↓
Middle
UNION MIDDLEL.F. ADDINGTON MIDDLECOEBURN MIDDLE
↓
High School
UNION HIGHEASTSIDE HIGH
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyWise County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWise County Public Schools →
Phone: (276)328-8015
NCES ID: 510408001789
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Norton seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Wise County Public Schools
Elem
UNION PRIMARY
861 students · PK–04
● 39 opp84% FRL
Elem
WISE PRIMARY
607 students · PK–04
● 46 opp84% FRL
High
UNION HIGH
601 students · 09–12
● 39 opp86% FRL
Mid
UNION MIDDLE
583 students · 05–08
● 39 opp89% FRL
Elem
J.W. ADAMS COMBINED
504 students · PK–08
● 44 opp83% FRL
Elem
St. Paul Elementary
469 students · PK–08
● 42 opp81% FRL
Elem
COEBURN PRIMARY
466 students · PK–04
● 40 opp80% FRL
Mid
L.F. ADDINGTON MIDDLE
451 students · 05–08
● 46 opp101% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
5000 Warrior Drive, Norton, VA 24273
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.