Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 56 schools in district

Gaston Early College High School

201 Hwy 321 South, Dallas, NC 28034Gaston County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–13Non-Charter
230
Students
Total enrolled
93%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 7% vs nat'l
$11,856
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 17% vs nat'l
23.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 49% vs nat'l
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 34% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 230 students in grades 09–13 in Dallas, North Carolina.
17% below average funding
District spends $11,856 per pupil, 17% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 33th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Gaston Early College High School is a mid-sized high in Dallas, North Carolina, serving grades 09–13 with 230 students. The district invests $11,856 per student — 17% below the national average of $14,347, with a 23.0:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 41% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 33/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Gaston Early College High School

230
Total Students
23.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
41%
Free Lunch
10
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–13) are served by this school
Gender Distribution77 male · 153 female
33%
67%
Male 33%Female 67%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility41%
National avg 52% · 94 students
Student Composition
58%
21%
14%
Asian3%
White58%
Hispanic / Latino21%
Black14%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370162003217

Academic Outcomes at Gaston Early College High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE90
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
93%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
33
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 33th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 5th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 28034

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,856Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,856
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,217
Student Support$2,253
Administration$1,423
Operations$1,778
Other$1,186
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,856 spent per student, an estimated $5,252 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
64%
16%
State government
64.3%
Local (property tax)
16.3%
Federal programs
19.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 93% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 23.0:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (33/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Pleasant Ridge ElementaryBelmont Central ElementaryCarr ElementaryW A Bess Elementary School
+7 more
↓
Middle
Cramerton MiddleSouthwest MiddleHolbrook MiddleBelmont Middle
+5 more
↓
High School
Ashbrook HighNorth Gaston HighHunter Huss HighForestview High
+6 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 13
Location—
CountyGaston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictGaston County Schools →
Phone: (704)922-2405
NCES ID: 370162003217
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Dallas seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Gaston County Schools
High
Ashbrook High
1,303 students · 09–12
● 38 opp72% FRL
High
North Gaston High
1,134 students · 09–12
● 33 opp63% FRL
High
Hunter Huss High
1,120 students · 09–12
● 37 opp80% FRL
High
Forestview High
1,081 students · 09–12
● 35 opp47% FRL
High
Stuart W Cramer High
964 students · 09–12
45% FRL
High
South Point High
955 students · 09–12
32% FRL
Mid
Cramerton Middle
909 students · 06–08
● 41 opp39% FRL
High
East Gaston High
883 students · 09–12
48% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
201 Hwy 321 South, Dallas, NC 28034
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.