Top Rankings
Gates County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 4 public elementary schools serving 978 students in Gates County Schools. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in North Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Gates County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 46% (versus the North Carolina public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 40% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 37% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public elementary school average of 58% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
5 Schools
2,149 Schools
# Students
1,410 Students
1,095,543 Students
# Teachers
88 Teachers
71,743 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Gates 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 87% has decreased from 90-94% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#211 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)48%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
60%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)85-89%
86%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)34.5%
28.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.55
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
n/a
5%
% Hispanic
4%
22%
% Black
27%
24%
% White
61%
42%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
8%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $15,140 is higher than the state median of $11,170. The school district revenue/student has grown by 18% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,102 is higher than the state median of $11,594. The school district spending/student has grown by 18% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$21 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$21 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,140
$11,170
Spending / Student
$15,102
$11,594
Best Gates County Schools Public Elementary Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Gatesville Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
709 North Main Street
Gatesville, NC 27938
(252) 357-0613
Gatesville, NC 27938
(252) 357-0613
Gr: PK-5 | 252 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #22.
T S Cooper Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
237 Nc 32 South
Sunbury, NC 27979
(252) 465-4091
Sunbury, NC 27979
(252) 465-4091
Gr: K-5 | 170 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #33.
Central Middle School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
362 Us Hwy 158 W
Gatesville, NC 27938
(252) 357-0470
Gatesville, NC 27938
(252) 357-0470
Gr: 6-8 | 336 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #44.
Buckland Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
448 Nc 37 North
Gates, NC 27937
(252) 357-1611
Gates, NC 27937
(252) 357-1611
Gr: K-5 | 220 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
