Gaston County Schools Report Card for 2023-2024: District Performance Outlined

2:56 PM EST |March 13, 2025|Wise News Network|Education, News Articles

By: Wise News Network Staff

Gaston County, NC (WNN) — North Carolina’s annual school report cards assign A- F letter grades to districts and charter schools. These letter grades are computed on a 15-point scale and are based on a system where 80% is determined by the school’s achievement score and 20% by students’ academic growth.

This is different from the 10-point grading scale used for students in grades 3-12: A (90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), and F (below 60). While the 10-point scale is required by the state for high schools, Gaston County Schools also uses it for grades 3-8 to ensure consistency.

High School Performance

A Grade: Gaston Early College High, Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences, and Highland School of Technology all received an A.

B Grade: Cherryville High, East Gaston High School, South Point High School, and Stuart W. Cramer High School.

The Outside of Cherryville High School. March 4th, 2024, By: Mason Beam (WNN)

C Grade: Bessemer City High School and Forestview High School

D Grade: Ashbrook High and Hunter Huss High.

Middle School Performance

B Grade: Cramerton Middle School.

C Grade: Belmont Middle School, John Chavis Middle School, Mount Holly Middle School, and Stanley Middle School.

D Grade: Bessemer City Middle School, Holbrook Middle School, W.C Friday Middle School, and York Chester Middle School.

F Grade: Southwest Middle School and W.P. Grier Middle School.

Elementary School Outcome

B Grade: Hawks Nest STEAM Academy, New Hope Elementary, and North Belmont Elementary School.

C Grade: Belmont Central Elementary, Carr Elementary, Catawba Heights Elementary, Chapel Grove Elementary, Cherryville Elementary, Costner Elementary, Ida Rankin Elementary, McAdenville Elementary, Pinewood Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Elementary, Robinson Elementary, Tryon Elementary, W.A. Bess Elementary School, and W.B. Beam Intermediate, J.B. Page Primary and Virtual Academy.

D Grade: Brookside Elementary.

F Grade: Bessemer City Central Elementary, Edward D. Sadler Jr. Elementary, H.H. Beam Elementary, Lingerfeldt Elementary, Lowell Elementary, Sherwood Elementary, and Bessemer City Primary School.

County-Wide Educational Attainment

These school report card grades are positioned within a county striving to increase overall educational attainment. In 2023, 49.7% of Gaston County residents aged 25-44 had a degree or credential, while 50.3% did not. This reflects growth in attainment, with increases from 2019 to 2023. The county has set a 2030 attainment goal of 35,691 residents holding a degree or credential.

Gaston County Educational Attainment Data, 2023.

Educational Attainment Breakdown

In 2023, the breakdown of educational attainment among Gaston County residents aged 25 and older was as follows: 8.9% held a graduate or professional degree, 21.9% had a bachelor’s degree, 11.4% had an associate degree, and 7.5% had a short-term credential. Additionally, 15.6% had some college but no degree, 26.5% were high school graduates (including GED), and 8.1% had less than a high school education.

Gaston County Educational Level Data, 2023.

Demographic and Economic Factors

Gaston County’s estimated population in 2023 was 237,242, marking a 4.1% growth rate since the 2020 Census. The county’s demographic makeup includes 67.8% White, 17.3% Black, 9.3% Hispanic, 3.4% Multiracial, 1.6% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 0.2% American Indian. The median household income in Gaston County in 2023 is $67,076, compared to the state median of $70,838. The county also has a higher percentage of single-parent households (8.2%) compared to the state (7.1%).

Gaston County Estimated Population Data, 2023.

Challenges and Opportunities

Approximately 15% of Gaston County youth ages 16-24 are classified as “Opportunity Youth” (not working and not in school), exceeding the suburban county average of 12%. In terms of academic readiness, 31% of Gaston County’s 3rd through 8th graders earn college-and-career-ready scores in Math, below the suburban county average of 38%. 24.5% of 3rd through 8th graders earned college-and-career-ready scores in reading. Student attendance remains a concern, with 26.7% of students being absent in 2023. The high school dropout rate is 3.0%, compared to the state rate of 2.1%

Postsecondary Enrollment and Success

51.1% of graduates enrolled in a postsecondary institution within 12 months. 58% of Gaston County high school graduates who enroll in postsecondary education earn a degree or credential within 6 years, below the suburban county average of 61%.

Additional Data Points from NC Reports

Gaston County Schools has a student-to-school counselor ratio of 292:1, compared to 328:1 in peer counties.
86.7% of 9th graders graduated within four years.
47.4% of high school seniors complete the FAFSA

Career and Technical Education

Students in traditional public schools completed 7,720 Career & Technical Education (CTE) credentials and 1,793 concentrations. In 2023, 41.4% of these credentials were industry-valued.

The results of the 2023-2024 report card year, combined with data on educational attainment, demographics, and post-secondary success, paints a detailed picture of where Gaston County Schools stand and the work that remains.

If you would like to view the data, you can do so by clicking here.

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