Enrollment
1,386
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Gastonia, NC
Ashbrook High
Federal NCES profile for Ashbrook High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370162000663
👥 S:T ratio 1
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ashbrook High earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Gastonia · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 66.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ashbrook High has class sizes larger than 96% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ashbrook High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Gastonia, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162000663 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+57% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.2%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ashbrook High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ashbrook High
Ashbrook High is a higher-need, large high school in Gastonia, North Carolina, enrolling 1,386 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.8:1 is larger than about 96% of North Carolina schools and 57% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 66.2% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,386 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 84 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #78, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 343 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 553 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,386 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Gastonia's high schools, it stands alongside Hunter Huss High (1,165 students): Ashbrook High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.8:1 vs 25.3:1).
Gaston County Schools also operates Hunter Huss High (1,165 students) and Forestview High (1,133 students) alongside Ashbrook High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Ashbrook High compares
Ashbrook High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.8:1 | ▲ 57% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.2% | ▲ 0% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,386 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.8:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,386
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.8:1
students per teacher
- 57% above state mean
Top 96% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
60.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,409
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
252
in-school suspensions + 301 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 45.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
White 17.8%
Two or More 5.5%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 45.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Ashbrook High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gaston County Schools, which includes Ashbrook High.
$11,409
Per student
-5%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.3%
State 64.3%
Federal 19.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Ashbrook High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Huss High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Forestview High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cramerton Middle | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ashbrook High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,133
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,061
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 959
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Gastonia
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,386 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ashbrook High's federal record.
- Compare Ashbrook High against another school. Compare schools
- Gaston County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Ashbrook High
How many students attend Ashbrook High?
Ashbrook High has 1,386 students enrolled. It is a high school in Gastonia, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ashbrook High?
The student-teacher ratio at Ashbrook High is 24.8:1, which is 57% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 58% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ashbrook High?
66.2% of students at Ashbrook High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ashbrook High?
The largest demographic group at Ashbrook High is African American at 45.1% of enrollment, in Gastonia, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ashbrook High?
Ashbrook High has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ashbrook High rank among high schools in Gastonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Ashbrook High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Gastonia, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Gastonia on the city page.
Is Ashbrook High a good school?
Ashbrook High earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Gaston County Schools?
Besides Ashbrook High, Gaston County Schools also operates Hunter Huss High (1,165 students), Forestview High (1,133 students), and North Gaston High (1,061 students). See the Gaston County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.