Central Elementary is located in west Hillsborough, approximately one mile from the historic downtown area. It is easily accessible from either Highway 70, and Interstates 40, or 85.

Central is one of seven Pre-K through 5 elementary schools in the Orange County Schools district. Central has 280 students. The certified staff includes 16 classroom teachers, 5 reading teachers, 3 exceptional child teachers, art, music, physical education, media, technology, counselor, psychologist, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, and a full-time nurse.

The AfterSchool program is available to students of working parents on a fee basis. Children participate in a variety of activities supervised by caring adults.

Many forms of technology are prominent in the school. Central Elementary has one of the longest running daily student news programs in the state. Each week a different classroom produces the live morning program. Each program begins with the Pledge of Allegiance and features a weather report, perfect attendance report, word of the day, and special events around the school. A program may include previously taped video clips of classroom activities. Students serve as camerapersons and directors as well as reporters.

Central's Nature Trail began as an Eagle Scout project for a former Central Student. Teachers assisted in the design of the trail while the scout built one of the two bridges along the paths. A Central parent wrote a Trail Guide to help teachers design lessons using the many features found on the trail.

Classes especially enjoy looking at the changing of the seasons in the fall and spring of the year and the plentiful flora and fauna that can be found in the area. Central is fortunate to have this very well defined and planned area for study