- Enrollment
- 1,386
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+4 students YoY
Hawks Nest Steam Academy held near 351 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 22.2 → 24.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+4 students YoY 370162003409 · Gastonia, NC Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
356 enr · 16.2:1 · 33.4% lunch · RII 54
Nearest enrollment peer: Ashbrook High (1,386 students)
Hawks Nest Steam Academy held near 351 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+4 headcount). Teacher FTE added 22.2 → 24.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Hawks Nest Steam Academy 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 356
Hawks Nest Steam Academy
356 students
What this shows Hawks Nest Steam Academy reports 356 students on the CCD universe file.
How Hawks Nest Steam Academy compares
Hawks Nest Steam Academy held steady on CCD headcount: 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 | 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 methodology
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
$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 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.
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
District finance for Gaston County Schools reports $12,190 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 1,165
- 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.
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 (~356 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 347 (2022-23) → 351 (2023-24), nearly flat (+4).
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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.