Top Rankings
Gaston County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 23 public preschools serving 10,363 students in Gaston County Schools School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Gaston County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 45% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 39% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 58% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public preschool average of 59% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
58 Schools
994 Schools
# Students
30,403 Students
464,055 Students
# Teachers
1,816 Teachers
33,275 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1
District Rank
Gaston County Schools School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 320 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 88% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#181 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
49%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
61%
63%
Graduation Rate
85%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.68
0.72
# American Indian Students
67 Students
6,572 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
522 Students
18,458 Students
% Asian Students
2%
4%
# Hispanic Students
6,244 Students
105,943 Students
% Hispanic Students
20%
23%
# Black Students
7,475 Students
114,509 Students
% Black Students
25%
25%
# White Students
14,229 Students
189,147 Students
% White Students
47%
41%
# Hawaiian Students
32 Students
648 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,873 Students
28,778 Students
% of Two or more races Students
6%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
316
23,104
# Students in K Grade:
2,176
72,144
# Students in 1st Grade:
2,184
74,289
# Students in 2nd Grade:
2,370
75,942
# Students in 3rd Grade:
2,145
68,925
# Students in 4th Grade:
2,095
69,686
# Students in 5th Grade:
2,247
66,668
# Students in 6th Grade:
2,315
5,021
# Students in 7th Grade:
2,374
3,684
# Students in 8th Grade:
2,399
3,629
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,814
214
# Students in 10th Grade:
2,493
194
# Students in 11th Grade:
2,369
187
# Students in 12th Grade:
2,106
368
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,299 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,900 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$313 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$331 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,299
$11,187
Spending / Student
$10,900
$11,612
Best Gaston County Schools School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
North Belmont Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
210 School Street
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9135
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9135
Grades: PK-5
| 334 students
Rank: #22.
Cherryville Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
700 East Academy Street
Cherryville, NC 28021
(704) 836-9115
Cherryville, NC 28021
(704) 836-9115
Grades: PK-3
| 389 students
Rank: #33.
W A Bess Elementary School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4340 Beaty Road
Gastonia, NC 28056
(704) 866-6075
Gastonia, NC 28056
(704) 866-6075
Grades: PK-5
| 641 students
Rank: #44.
Pinewood Elementary School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1925 N Main Street
Mount Holly, NC 28120
(704) 836-9138
Mount Holly, NC 28120
(704) 836-9138
Grades: PK-5
| 477 students
Rank: #55.
Ida Rankin Elementary School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
301 W Central Avenue
Mount Holly, NC 28120
(704) 836-9136
Mount Holly, NC 28120
(704) 836-9136
Grades: PK-5
| 510 students
Rank: #66.
Catawba Heights Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
101 Ivey Street
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9119
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9119
Grades: PK-5
| 253 students
Rank: #77.
Costner Elementary School
(Math: 48% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
353 Old 277 Loop Hwy
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-3522
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-3522
Grades: PK-5
| 453 students
Rank: #88.
Robinson Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
3122 S Union Road
Gastonia, NC 28056
(704) 866-6607
Gastonia, NC 28056
(704) 866-6607
Grades: PK-5
| 434 students
Rank: #99.
Tryon Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2620 Tryon Courthouse Road
Bessemer City, NC 28016
(704) 836-9107
Bessemer City, NC 28016
(704) 836-9107
Grades: PK-5
| 334 students
Rank: #1010.
Carr Elementary School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
307 S Pine St
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-3636
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-3636
Grades: PK-5
| 617 students
Rank: #1111.
Chapel Grove Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
5201 Lewis Road
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 836-9113
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 836-9113
Grades: PK-5
| 391 students
Rank: #1212.
Brookside Elementary School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1925 Auten Rd.
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6283
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6283
Grades: PK-5
| 506 students
Rank: #1313.
Pleasant Ridge Elementary School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1260 Floyd Lane
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6096
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6096
Grades: PK-5
| 882 students
Rank: #1414.
Gardner Park Elementary School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
738 Armstrong Park Road
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6082
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6082
Grades: PK-5
| 549 students
Rank: #1515.
Edward D Sadler Jr Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
3950 West Franklin Boulevard
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 862-5895
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 862-5895
Grades: PK-5
| 360 students
Rank: #1616.
Sherwood Elementary School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1744 Dixon Road
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6609
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6609
Grades: PK-5
| 491 students
Rank: #1717.
Lingerfeldt Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1601 Madison Street
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6094
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6094
Grades: PK-5
| 411 students
Rank: #1818.
Woodhill Elementary School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 23%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1027 Woodhill Drive
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6295
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6295
Grades: PK-5
| 504 students
Rank: #1919.
H H Beam Elementary School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
200 Davis Park Road
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6618
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6618
Grades: PK-5
| 569 students
Rank: #2020.
Webb Street School
Special Education School
(Math: 11-19% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1623 N Webb Street
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 864-9667
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 864-9667
Grades: PK-12
| 161 students
Rank: n/an/a
1320 North 12th Street
Bessemer City, NC 28016
(704) 836-9109
Bessemer City, NC 28016
(704) 836-9109
Grades: PK-2
| 446 students
Rank: n/an/a
215 Ewing Drive
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9116
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9116
Grades: PK-1
| 338 students
Rank: n/an/a
900 S Main Street
Stanley, NC 28164
(704) 836-9106
Stanley, NC 28164
(704) 836-9106
Grades: PK-2
| 313 students
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