Enrollment
591
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gastonia, NC
H H Beam Elementary
Federal NCES profile for H H Beam Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370162000710
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
H H Beam Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of North Carolina schools.
- #10 of 15
- schools in Gastonia · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.9:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
H H Beam Elementary has class sizes larger than 93% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, H H Beam Elementary ranks #10 of 15 schools in Gastonia, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162000710 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How H H Beam Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at H H Beam Elementary
H H Beam Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gastonia, North Carolina, enrolling 591 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.9:1 is larger than about 93% of North Carolina schools and 39% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 99.4% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 591 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 544 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #283.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 296 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.5% 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: 182 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 591 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Gastonia's public schools, it stands alongside Piedmont Community Charter School (1,963 students): H H Beam Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.9:1 vs 16.9:1).
Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students) and Hunter Huss High (1,165 students) alongside H H Beam Elementary.
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 H H Beam Elementary compares
H H Beam Elementary 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 | 21.9:1 | ▲ 39% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 591 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.9:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
591
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.9:1
students per teacher
- 39% above state mean
Top 93% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.5%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 296 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
94
in-school suspensions + 88 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 43.1%
African American 29.4%
White 20.6%
Two or More 5.6%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.2, H H Beam Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gaston County Schools, which includes H H Beam Elementary.
$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 H H Beam Elementary 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to H H Beam Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,386
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- 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
Similar other schools in Gastonia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Piedmont Community Charter School
Standard public school
1,963 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Pleasant Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
W a Bess Elementary School
Standard public school
674 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Woodhill Elementary
Standard public school
577 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Gardner Park Elementary
Standard public school
560 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Sherwood Elementary
Standard public school
553 students 19.1:1 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 (~591 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on H H Beam Elementary's federal record.
- Compare H H Beam Elementary 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 H H Beam Elementary
How many students attend H H Beam Elementary?
H H Beam Elementary has 591 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gastonia, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at H H Beam Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at H H Beam Elementary is 21.9:1, which is 39% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at H H Beam Elementary?
99.4% of students at H H Beam Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of H H Beam Elementary?
The largest demographic group at H H Beam Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 43.1% of enrollment, in Gastonia, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for H H Beam Elementary?
H H Beam Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 H H Beam Elementary rank among schools in Gastonia?
By Resource Investment Index, H H Beam Elementary ranks #10 of 15 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 schools in Gastonia on the city page.
Is H H Beam Elementary a good school?
H H Beam Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of North Carolina 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 Gaston County Schools?
Besides H H Beam Elementary, 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.
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.