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Public high school · Cape Girardeau 63 · Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Central High

Central High rates 6.6, right at the middle of Cape Girardeau 63's high schools, whose rated median is 6.6.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.6this school

6.6 on a one-to-ten scale; the Cape Girardeau 63 median is 6.6.

#982 of 2,221 schools in Missouri · Cape Girardeau 63: 1 high schools rated, median 6.6

The brief

A Cape Girardeau 63 high school where students score 19 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 982 of 2,221 schools in Missouri and 5 of 8 in Cape Girardeau 63.

Central High is listed in Cape Girardeau 63, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math39%9 points below the Missouri average of 48%Grade 11 · 299 students tested · 2025 MAP
Reading48%9 points below the Missouri average of 57%Grade 11 · 288 students tested · 2025 MAP
Proficiency is down 6 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 44% recently.2025 MAP; 31 test records from MO state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.4
25% of the rating
Academics
7.8
25% of the rating
College Readiness
6.3
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
3.2
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 63703; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Central High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$36,909
Median home value
$127,300
Median rent
$843/mo
College educated
21.7%
Homeownership
40.7%
Poverty rate
33.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 63703; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
6
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
27
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,205/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Cape Girardeau. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Cape Girardeau), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
3 AP courses
21.7% participation · state average 2.3 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
18 sports
9 boys' · 9 girls' · 33 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
100%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Central Highthis school
    6.6
  2. 6.0Compare →
  3. not ratedCompare →
  4. not ratedCompare →
Three grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Central High among the rated peers.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Central High serve?

Central High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Central High?

Central High has an enrollment of approximately 1,315 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central High?

The student-teacher ratio at Central High is 14.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Central High rank in MO?

Central High ranks #982 of 2,221 schools in MO.

What is Central High's MySchoolScout rating?

Central High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Central High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Central High has 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Central High a charter school?

No, Central High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Central High a Title I school?

No, Central High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Central High?

100.0% of students at Central High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,315
Student-teacher ratio
14.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
89
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Small City
County
Cape Girardeau County
4-year graduation
85.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#5 of 8
Schools in district
9
District spending per student
$12,129
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
16.4%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 63703)
8,494
Area median age
41.4

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Missouri Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.