Nikole Hanna-Jones of ProPublica stated that the consolidated school "emerged as a powerhouse that snatched up National Merit Scholarships and math-competition victories just as readily as it won trophies in football, track, golf.

In August 2000 the district board voted to establish two new high schools, and to reduce Central's attendance boundary to a majority black area.

That same year the population of white students at Central dropped to three people, ample evidence of said re-segregation.

[citation needed] Central High declined academically after the opening of new schools.

[4] For a five year-period in the post-2000 era, no Advanced Placement (AP) classes were offered at Central High.