Enrollment
380
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gadsden, AL
Gaston High School
Federal NCES profile for Gaston High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010138000496
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gaston High School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools.
- #11 of 11
- schools in Gadsden · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 69.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Gaston High School has class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gaston High School ranks #11 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL.
School address
District: Etowah County · Alabama
NCES ID 010138000496 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gaston High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gaston High School
Gaston High School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gadsden, Alabama, enrolling 380 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.1:1 is larger than about 91% of Alabama schools and 19% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 380 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 1,365 Alabama schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 366 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Alabama schools statewide, it ranks #333, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 380 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Gadsden's public schools, it stands alongside Adams Elementary School (433 students): Gaston High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.1:1 vs 17.3:1).
Etowah County also operates Southside High School (825 students) and John S Jones Elementary School (745 students) alongside Gaston High School.
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 Gaston High School compares
Gaston High School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▲ 19% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.8% | ▲ 19% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 380 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
380
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 91% in Alabama - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
25.5%
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
$10,738
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
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 380 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
37
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
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
White 80.0%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 80.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.8, Gaston High School is less mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Etowah County, which includes Gaston High School.
$10,738
Per student
-14%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.7%
State 64.9%
Federal 18.3%
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 Gaston High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southside High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John S Jones Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rainbow Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hokes Bluff Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southside Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gaston High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 825
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 745
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 610
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Gadsden
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Adams Elementary School
Standard public school
433 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
W E Striplin Elementary School
Standard public school
400 students 20:1 students per teacher
Floyd Elementary School
Standard public school
384 students 24:1 students per teacher
Eura Brown Elementary School
Standard public school
340 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Gaston Elementary School
Standard public school
290 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Thompson Elementary School
Standard public school
288 students 26.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~380 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gaston High School's federal record.
- Compare Gaston High School against another school. Compare schools
- Etowah County'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 Gaston High School
How many students attend Gaston High School?
Gaston High School has 380 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gadsden, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gaston High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gaston High School is 21.1:1, which is 19% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gaston High School?
69.8% of students at Gaston High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gaston High School?
The largest demographic group at Gaston High School is White at 80.0% of enrollment, in Gadsden, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gaston High School?
Gaston High School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Gaston High School rank among schools in Gadsden?
By Resource Investment Index, Gaston High School ranks #11 of 11 schools in Gadsden, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gadsden on the city page.
Is Gaston High School a good school?
Gaston High School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools. 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 Etowah County?
Besides Gaston High School, Etowah County also operates Southside High School (825 students), John S Jones Elementary School (745 students), and Rainbow Middle School (634 students). See the Etowah County 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.