Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 47 schools in district

Central High School

3130 E1/2 ROAD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO 81504Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,613
Students
Total enrolled
83%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$13,239
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 8% vs nat'l
19.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 25% vs nat'l
49/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,613 students in grades 09–12 in GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,239 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 49th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Central High School is a very large high in GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado, serving grades 09–12 with 1,613 students. The district invests $13,239 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 19.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 45% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Central High School

1,613
Total Students
19.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
45%
Free Lunch
84
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 Distribution858 male · 755 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility45%
National avg 52% · 723 students
Student Composition
60%
33%
Asian1%
White60%
Hispanic / Latino33%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 080435000600

Academic Outcomes at Central High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
83
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
83%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
49
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 49th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 75th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 81504

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,239Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,239
State avg
$22,657
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,825
Student Support$2,515
Administration$1,589
Operations$1,986
Other$1,324
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,239 spent per student, an estimated $5,865 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
46%
39%
State government
46.3%
Local (property tax)
38.9%
Federal programs
14.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 83% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Independence AcademyRocky Mountain Elementary SchoolAppleton Elementary SchoolThunder Mountain Elementary School
+14 more
↓
Middle
Mount Garfield Middle SchoolRedlands Middle SchoolGrand Mesa Middle SchoolFruita Middle School
+3 more
↓
High School
Grand Junction High SchoolFruita Monument High SchoolPalisade High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyMesa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMesa County Valley School District No. 51 →
Phone: (970)254-6200
NCES ID: 080435000600
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in GRAND JUNCTION seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Mesa County Valley School District No. 51
High
Grand Junction High School
1,522 students · 09–12
36% FRL
High
Fruita Monument High School
1,304 students · 10–12
● 47 opp18% FRL
High
Palisade High School
1,125 students · 09–12
● 47 opp42% FRL
Other
Fruita 8/9 School
704 students · 08–09
● 47 opp24% FRL
Mid
Mount Garfield Middle School
581 students · 06–08
● 47 opp64% FRL
Mid
Redlands Middle School
538 students · 06–08
● 47 opp17% FRL
Mid
Grand Mesa Middle School
511 students · 06–08
● 49 opp59% FRL
Other
Grand River Academy
508 students · KG–12
District School Rankings
Location
3130 E1/2 ROAD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO 81504
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.