Enrollment
356
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Gastonia, NC
Hawks Nest Steam Academy
Federal NCES profile for Hawks Nest Steam Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370162003409
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hawks Nest Steam Academy earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Gastonia · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 33.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Hawks Nest Steam Academy has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hawks Nest Steam Academy ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Gastonia, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162003409 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hawks Nest Steam Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hawks Nest Steam Academy
Hawks Nest Steam Academy is a mid-sized elementary school in Gastonia, North Carolina, enrolling 356 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 356 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 184 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #35.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 19.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Gastonia's elementary schools, it stands alongside New Hope Elementary (571 students): Hawks Nest Steam Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 19.7:1).
Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students) and Hunter Huss High (1,165 students) alongside Hawks Nest Steam Academy.
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 Hawks Nest Steam Academy compares
Hawks Nest Steam Academy 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.4% | ▼ 49% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 356 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
356
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 65% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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 57.3%
African American 23.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 4.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 57.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.4, Hawks Nest Steam Academy 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 Hawks Nest Steam Academy.
$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 Hawks Nest Steam Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashbrook High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hunter Huss High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forestview High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hawks Nest Steam Academy'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 elementary schools in Gastonia
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~356 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hawks Nest Steam Academy's federal record.
- Compare Hawks Nest Steam Academy 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 Hawks Nest Steam Academy
How many students attend Hawks Nest Steam Academy?
Hawks Nest Steam Academy has 356 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Gastonia, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hawks Nest Steam Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Hawks Nest Steam Academy is 16.2:1, which is 3% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hawks Nest Steam Academy?
33.4% of students at Hawks Nest Steam Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hawks Nest Steam Academy?
The largest demographic group at Hawks Nest Steam Academy is White at 57.3% of enrollment, in Gastonia, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hawks Nest Steam Academy?
Hawks Nest Steam Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Hawks Nest Steam Academy rank among elementary schools in Gastonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Hawks Nest Steam Academy ranks #1 of 3 elementary 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 elementary schools in Gastonia on the city page.
Is Hawks Nest Steam Academy a good school?
Hawks Nest Steam Academy earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Hawks Nest Steam Academy, 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.