Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 56 schools in district

Hunter Huss High

1518 Edgefield Avenue, Gastonia, NC 28052Gaston County Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,120
Students
Total enrolled
79%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 9% vs nat'l
$11,856
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 17% vs nat'l
24.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 56% vs nat'l
37/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 26% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,120 students in grades 09–12 in Gastonia, 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 37th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Hunter Huss High is a very large high in Gastonia, North Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 1,120 students. The district invests $11,856 per student — 17% below the national average of $14,347, with a 24.1:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 80% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 37/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Hunter Huss High

1,120
Total Students
24.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
80%
Free Lunch
46
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution558 male · 562 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility80%
National avg 52% · 893 students
Student Composition
22%
31%
41%
White22%
Hispanic / Latino31%
Black41%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370162000691

Academic Outcomes at Hunter Huss High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
79
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
79%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
37
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 37th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 15th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 28052

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
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 79% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 24.1:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (37/100) — national median is 50
  • 80% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
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
+8 more
↓
Middle
Cramerton MiddleSouthwest MiddleHolbrook MiddleBelmont Middle
+5 more
↓
High School
Ashbrook HighNorth Gaston HighForestview HighStuart W Cramer High
+5 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyGaston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictGaston County Schools →
Phone: (704)866-6610
NCES ID: 370162000691
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Gastonia seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. 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
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
Elem
Pleasant Ridge Elementary
866 students · PK–05
● 37 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1518 Edgefield Avenue, Gastonia, NC 28052
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.