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 24 public preschools serving 11,162 students in Gaston County Schools. 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 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 61% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is more than the North Carolina public preschool average of 60% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
56 Schools
1,007 Schools
# Students
30,959 Students
477,947 Students
# Teachers
1,932 Teachers
32,759 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%
(2022-23)
28.7%
28.7%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.69
0.73
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
2%
4%
% Hispanic
22%
24%
% Black
26%
25%
% White
44%
40%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $10,114 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,170. 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 $11,594. 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
$11,170
Spending / Student
$10,705
$11,594

Best Gaston County Schools Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
North Belmont Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
210 School Street
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9135
Gr: PK-5 | 371 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #22.
Cherryville Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
700 East Academy Street
Cherryville, NC 28021
(704) 836-9115
Gr: PK-3 | 378 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #33.
W A Bess Elementary School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
4340 Beaty Road
Gastonia, NC 28056
(704) 866-6075
Gr: PK-5 | 674 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 49%
Rank: #44.
Pinewood Elementary School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1925 N Main Street
Mount Holly, NC 28120
(704) 836-9138
Gr: PK-5 | 508 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 47%
Rank: #55.
Ida Rankin Elementary School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
301 W Central Avenue
Mount Holly, NC 28120
(704) 836-9136
Gr: PK-5 | 533 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #66.
Catawba Heights Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
101 Ivey Street
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9119
Gr: PK-5 | 238 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #77.
Lowell Elementary School
(Math: 55% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1500 Power Drive
Lowell, NC 28098
(704) 836-9118
Gr: PK-5 | 367 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 52%
Rank: #88.
Costner Elementary School
(Math: 48% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
353 Old 277 Loop Hwy
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-3522
Gr: PK-5 | 430 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #99.
Robinson Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
3122 S Union Road
Gastonia, NC 28056
(704) 866-6607
Gr: PK-5 | 420 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #1010.
Tryon Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
2620 Tryon Courthouse Road
Bessemer City, NC 28016
(704) 836-9107
Gr: PK-5 | 336 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #1111.
Carr Elementary School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
307 S Pine St
Dallas, NC 28034
(704) 922-3636
Gr: PK-5 | 665 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #1212.
Chapel Grove Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
5201 Lewis Road
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 836-9113
Gr: PK-5 | 382 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 47%
Rank: #1313.
Brookside Elementary School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1925 Auten Rd.
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6283
Gr: PK-5 | 512 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #1414.
Pleasant Ridge Elementary School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1260 Floyd Lane
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6096
Gr: PK-5 | 887 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 83%
Rank: #1515.
Gardner Park Elementary School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
738 Armstrong Park Road
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6082
Gr: PK-5 | 560 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #1616.
Edward D Sadler Jr Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
3950 West Franklin Boulevard
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 862-5895
Gr: PK-5 | 374 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 85%
Rank: #1717.
Sherwood Elementary School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
1744 Dixon Road
Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 866-6609
Gr: PK-5 | 553 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #1818.
Lingerfeldt Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
1601 Madison Street
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6094
Gr: PK-5 | 450 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 89%
Rank: #1919.
Woodhill Elementary School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 23%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1027 Woodhill Drive
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6295
Gr: PK-5 | 577 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 92%
Rank: #2020.
H H Beam Elementary School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
200 Davis Park Road
Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 866-6618
Gr: PK-5 | 591 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 79%
Rank: #2121.
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: n/an/a
Bessemer City Primary
1320 North 12th Street
Bessemer City, NC 28016
(704) 836-9109
Gr: PK-2 | 445 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: n/an/a
215 Ewing Drive
Belmont, NC 28012
(704) 836-9116
Gr: PK-1 | 396 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: n/an/a
Springfield Primary
900 S Main Street
Stanley, NC 28164
(704) 836-9106
Gr: PK-2 | 352 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 45%

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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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