Enrollment
53
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Granite Falls, NC
Gateway School
Federal NCES profile for Gateway School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 81/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370058001010
👥 S:T ratio 82
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 89
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gateway School earns 81/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in North Carolina.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Granite Falls · Resource Index
- 81
- Resource Index · Higher
- 4.4:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 94.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Gateway School has class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gateway School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Granite Falls, NC.
School address
District: Caldwell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370058001010 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
4.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-72% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
94.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gateway School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gateway School
Gateway School is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Granite Falls, North Carolina, enrolling 53 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 4.4:1, Gateway School is leaner than roughly 99% of North Carolina schools and 72% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 94.8% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 98% of North Carolina schools, with 53 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 100% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 35 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 53 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 33 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 53 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Granite Falls's public schools, it stands alongside Granite Falls Elementary (647 students): Gateway School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (4.4:1 vs 17:1).
Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students) and Hibriten High (818 students) alongside Gateway 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 Gateway School compares
Gateway School 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 | 4.4:1 | ▼ 72% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 94.8% | ▲ 44% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 53 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
4.4:1
Leaner classes than 99% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
53
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
94.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
4.4:1
students per teacher
- 72% below state mean
Top 1% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$11,644
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 53 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 22.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 62.3 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
White 62.3%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%
Two or More 15.1%
African American 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.9%
Largest group: White at 62.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.8, Gateway School is about as mixed as the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Caldwell County Schools, which includes Gateway School.
$11,644
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.4%
Federal 26.1%
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 Gateway School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Caldwell High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hibriten High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hudson Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Caldwell High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gateway School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Granite Falls
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Granite Falls Elementary
Standard public school
647 students 17:1 students per teacher
Dudley Shoals Elementary
Standard public school
433 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Baton Elementary
Standard public school
357 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Sawmills Elementary
Standard public school
351 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~53 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~4.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gateway School's federal record.
- Compare Gateway School against another school. Compare schools
- Caldwell 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 Gateway School
How many students attend Gateway School?
Gateway School has 53 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Granite Falls, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gateway School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gateway School is 4.4:1, which is 72% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 72% lower 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 Gateway School?
94.8% of students at Gateway School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gateway School?
The largest demographic group at Gateway School is White at 62.3% of enrollment, in Granite Falls, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gateway School?
Gateway School has a Resource Investment Index of 81/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Gateway School rank among schools in Granite Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Gateway School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Granite Falls, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Granite Falls on the city page.
Is Gateway School a good school?
Gateway School earns 81/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest 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 Caldwell County Schools?
Besides Gateway School, Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students), Hibriten High (818 students), and Hudson Elementary (665 students). See the Caldwell 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.