Gaston County Schools

943 Osceola Street
Gastonia, NC 28054-1397
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Gaston County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 14 public high schools serving 10,210 students in Gaston County Schools. This district's average high testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Gaston County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 57% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 52% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Gaston County School have a Graduation Rate of 85%, which is less than the North Carolina average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Highland School Of Technology, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 55% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
56 Schools
760 Schools
# Students
30,959 Students
568,877 Students
# Teachers
1,932 Teachers
31,559 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Gaston County Schools, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 314 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 85% has decreased from 86% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#181 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
49%
51%
46%
50%
61%
63%
(21-22)
85%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.69
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
4%
% Hispanic
22%
21%
% Black
26%
25%
% White
44%
44%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $10,114 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,168. The school district revenue/student has grown by 6% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,705 is less than the state median of $11,592. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$313 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$331 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,114
$11,168
Spending / Student
$10,705
$11,592

Best Gaston County Schools Public High Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Highland School Of Technology
Magnet School
(Math: ≥95% | Reading: ≥95%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
1600 N Morris Street
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 810-8816
Gr: 9-12 | 538 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #22.
Gaston Early College High School
(Math: ≥90% | Reading: ≥90%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
201 Hwy 321 South, Gaston Coll
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-2405
Gr: 9-13 | 199 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 44%
Rank: #33.
South Point High School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 77%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
906 South Point Road
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9612
Gr: 9-12 | 989 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #44.
Stuart W Cramer High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
101 Lakewood Rd
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 866-5700
Gr: 9-12 | 953 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 45%
Rank: #55.
East Gaston High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1744 Lane Road
Mount Holly, NC 28120
(704) 836-9613
Gr: 9-12 | 917 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #66.
Forestview High School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
5545 Union Road
Gastonia, NC 28056
(704) 861-2625
Gr: 9-12 | 1,133 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #77.
Cherryville High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
313 Ridge Avenue
Cherryville, NC 28021
(704) 836-9605
Gr: 9-12 | 484 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #88.
North Gaston High School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1133 Ratchford Road
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-5285
Gr: 9-12 | 1,061 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #99.
Ashbrook High School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
2222 S New Hope Road
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6600
Gr: 9-12 | 1,386 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #1010.
Bessemer City High School
(Math: 40-49% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
119 Yellow Jacket Lane
Bessemer City, NC 28016
(704) 836-9601
Gr: 9-12 | 590 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #1111.
Hunter Huss High School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
1518 Edgefield Avenue
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6610
Gr: 9-12 | 1,165 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #1212.
Webb Street School
Special Education School
(Math: 11-19% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1623 N Webb Street
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 864-9667
Gr: PK-12 | 163 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 51%
Rank: #1313.
Warlick Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 15-19%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1316 Spencer Mountain Road
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 836-9608
Gr: 6-12 | 175 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 72%
Rank: n/an/a
300 Rhodes Perimeter Drive, Ga
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 923-8480
Gr: 9-12 | 174 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 50%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 56 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 30,959 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 56%
  • : 85% (Top 50% in NC)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 49% (Top 50%)
  • : 46% (Btm 50%)
  • : 61% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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