Public schools in Gastonia, NC
24 open public schools with an address in Gastonia, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
24
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
15,602
24 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.3:1
North Carolina median 15.4:1
Charter schools
1
3 magnet · 1 virtual
An overview of Gastonia public schools
The federal directory lists 24 public schools in Gastonia, NC: 13 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. The 24 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 15,602 students, an average of 650 per school. The largest campus is Piedmont Community Charter School (1,963 students), and the largest elementary school is Pleasant Ridge Elementary (887).
Gaston County Schools operates the most schools here (23), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 15.3:1, similar to the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 3 magnet schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 8 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 6 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 8 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 92% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Gastonia
Elementary schools in Gastonia
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookside Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 512 | 15.2:1 | |
| Chapel Grove Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 382 | 15.1:1 | |
| Edward D Sadler Jr Elementary School Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 374 | 10.8:1 | |
| Gardner Park Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 560 | 14.5:1 | |
| H H Beam Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 591 | 15:1 | |
| Hawks Nest STEAM Academy Gaston County Schools · Magnet | KG–05 | 356 | 14.8:1 | |
| Lingerfeldt Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 450 | 16.5:1 | |
| New Hope Elementary Gaston County Schools | KG–05 | 571 | 16.7:1 | |
| Pleasant Ridge Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 887 | 16:1 | |
| Robinson Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 420 | 13.8:1 | |
| Sherwood Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 553 | 16.4:1 | |
| W A Bess Elementary School Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 674 | 17:1 | |
| Woodhill Elementary Gaston County Schools | PK–05 | 577 | 16.6:1 |
Middle schools in Gastonia
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Middle Gaston County Schools | 06–08 | 832 | 15.4:1 | |
| W P Grier Middle School Gaston County Schools | 06–08 | 659 | 15.8:1 | |
| York Chester Middle Gaston County Schools | 06–08 | 398 | 16:1 |
High schools in Gastonia
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashbrook High Gaston County Schools | 09–12 | 1,386 | 18:1 | |
| Forestview High Gaston County Schools | 09–12 | 1,133 | 18.2:1 | |
| Highland Sch of Technology Gaston County Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 538 | 13.9:1 | |
| Hunter Huss High Gaston County Schools | 09–12 | 1,165 | 18.9:1 | |
| Warlick Academy Gaston County Schools · Alternative School | 06–12 | 175 | 10.9:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Gastonia
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Virtual Academy Gaston County Schools · Magnet · Virtual | KG–12 | 283 | 13.7:1 | |
| Piedmont Community Charter School Piedmont Community Charter · Charter | KG–12 | 1,963 | 15.2:1 | |
| Webb Street School Gaston County Schools · Special Education School | PK–12 | 163 | 8.3:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White32.1%
- Hispanic26.5%
- Black33.2%
- Asian1.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial6%
Enrollment-weighted across 24 Gastonia schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (15,602 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Gastonia
How many public schools are in Gastonia, NC?
The current NCES directory lists 24 open public schools with a location address in Gastonia: 13 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 15,602 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Gastonia?
Schools with an address in Gastonia belong to 2 education agencies, led by Gaston County Schools (23 schools), Piedmont Community Charter (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Gastonia?
Ashbrook High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Gastonia, with 1,386 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Gastonia?
Yes. 1 of the 24 public schools in Gastonia are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Piedmont Community Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Gastonia schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Gastonia public schools is 15.3:1, similar to the North Carolina school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Gastonia guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby North Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All North Carolina cities