Enrollment
538
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Gastonia, NC
Highland Sch of Technology
Federal NCES profile for Highland Sch of Technology, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370162002521
👥 S:T ratio 48
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Sch of Technology earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 4
- high schools in Gastonia · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.1:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 23.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Sch of Technology has class sizes smaller than 77% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Sch of Technology ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Gastonia, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162002521 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Sch of Technology compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Sch of Technology
Highland Sch of Technology is a mid-sized high school in Gastonia, North Carolina, enrolling 538 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.5% free-meal eligibility runs 64% below the North Carolina average.
With 538 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 228 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #14, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 58/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 269 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
16.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
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 high schools, it stands alongside Ashbrook High (1,386 students): Highland Sch of Technology is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 24.8:1).
Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students) and Hunter Huss High (1,165 students) alongside Highland Sch of Technology.
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 Highland Sch of Technology compares
Highland Sch of Technology 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 17% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.5% | ▼ 64% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 538 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
538
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 23% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 269 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 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 60.8%
African American 15.1%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
Asian 5.8%
Two or More 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 60.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Highland Sch of Technology is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gaston County Schools, which includes Highland Sch of Technology.
$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 Highland Sch of Technology 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 | Higher 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 Highland Sch of Technology'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 high schools in Gastonia
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~538 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Sch of Technology's federal record.
- Compare Highland Sch of Technology 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 Highland Sch of Technology
How many students attend Highland Sch of Technology?
Highland Sch of Technology has 538 students enrolled. It is a high school in Gastonia, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Sch of Technology?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Sch of Technology is 13.1:1, which is 17% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% 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 Highland Sch of Technology?
23.5% of students at Highland Sch of Technology are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Sch of Technology?
The largest demographic group at Highland Sch of Technology is White at 60.8% of enrollment, in Gastonia, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Sch of Technology?
Highland Sch of Technology has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highland Sch of Technology rank among high schools in Gastonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Sch of Technology ranks #1 of 4 high 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 high schools in Gastonia on the city page.
Is Highland Sch of Technology a good school?
Highland Sch of Technology earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% 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 Highland Sch of Technology, 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.