- Enrollment
- 1,386
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bessemer City, NC
Bessemer City Central Elem
Federal NCES profile for Bessemer City Central Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370162000667
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bessemer City Central Elem earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Bessemer City · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 99.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bessemer City Central Elem has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bessemer City Central Elem ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Bessemer City, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162000667 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-52 students YoY
Bessemer City Central Elem shrank from 407 students in 2022-23 to 355 in 2023-24 (-12.8%).
Teacher FTE lost 25.0 → 23.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-52 students YoY 370162000667 · Bessemer City, NC Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
392 enr · 15.7:1 · 99.3% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Ashbrook High (1,386 students)
Bessemer City Central Elem shrank from 407 students in 2022-23 to 355 in 2023-24 (-12.8%). Teacher FTE lost 25.0 → 23.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Bessemer City Central Elem in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Ashbrook High
Ashbrook High
1,386 students
- Hunter Huss Hi
Hunter Huss High
1,165 students
- Forestview Hig
Forestview High
1,133 students
- North Gaston H
North Gaston High
1,061 students
- South Point Hi
South Point High
989 students
- This school 392
Bessemer City Central Elem
392 students
What this shows Bessemer City Central Elem reports 392 students on the CCD universe file.
How Bessemer City Central Elem compares
Bessemer City Central Elem is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.7:1 | ▼ 1% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.3% | ▲ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 392 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
392
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 59% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
36.0%
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
$12,190
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,294
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 392 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
127
in-school suspensions + 40 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 32.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 40.6%
Hispanic or Latino 25.0%
African American 23.7%
Two or More 10.2%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 40.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.6, Bessemer City Central Elem is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Gaston County Schools reports $12,190 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Bessemer City Central Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashbrook High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hunter Huss High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forestview High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bessemer City Central Elem'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
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~392 students)
Frequently asked questions about Bessemer City Central Elem
How many students attend Bessemer City Central Elem?
Bessemer City Central Elem has 392 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bessemer City, NC. CCD year-over-year: 407 (2022-23) → 355 (2023-24), down 52.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bessemer City Central Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Bessemer City Central Elem is 15.7:1, which is 1% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bessemer City Central Elem?
99.3% of students at Bessemer City Central Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bessemer City Central Elem?
The largest demographic group at Bessemer City Central Elem is White at 40.6% of enrollment, in Bessemer City, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bessemer City Central Elem?
Bessemer City Central Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bessemer City Central Elem rank among public schools in Bessemer City?
By Resource Investment Index, Bessemer City Central Elem ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Bessemer City, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Bessemer City on the city page.
What other schools are in Gaston County Schools?
Besides Bessemer City Central Elem, Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students), Hunter Huss High (1,165 students), and Forestview High (1,133 students). See the Gaston County Schools district page for the complete list.