Enrollment
1,165
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Gastonia, NC
Hunter Huss High
Federal NCES profile for Hunter Huss High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370162000691
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hunter Huss High earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Gastonia · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.3:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 75.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hunter Huss High has class sizes larger than 96% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hunter Huss High ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Gastonia, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162000691 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+60% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hunter Huss High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hunter Huss High
Hunter Huss High is a high-poverty, large high school in Gastonia, North Carolina, enrolling 1,165 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.3:1 is larger than about 96% of North Carolina schools and 60% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,165 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 59 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #56, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 10 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 368 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.4% 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: 555 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,165 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Gastonia's high schools, it stands alongside Ashbrook High (1,386 students): Hunter Huss High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.3:1 vs 24.8:1).
Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students) and Forestview High (1,133 students) alongside Hunter Huss High.
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 Hunter Huss High compares
Hunter Huss High 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 | 25.3:1 | ▲ 60% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.3% | ▲ 14% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,165 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,165
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 60% above state mean
Top 96% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
50.4%
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
Counselors3.2 FTE
Per 368 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
362
in-school suspensions + 193 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 31.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 47.6 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
African American 41.9%
Hispanic or Latino 34.6%
White 18.4%
Two or More 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 41.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Hunter Huss High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gaston County Schools, which includes Hunter Huss High.
$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 Hunter Huss High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashbrook High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Forestview High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cramerton Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hunter Huss High'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
- 1,133
- 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
- Enrollment
- 959
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
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 (~1,165 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hunter Huss High's federal record.
- Compare Hunter Huss High 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 Hunter Huss High
How many students attend Hunter Huss High?
Hunter Huss High has 1,165 students enrolled. It is a high school in Gastonia, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hunter Huss High?
The student-teacher ratio at Hunter Huss High is 25.3:1, which is 60% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hunter Huss High?
75.3% of students at Hunter Huss High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hunter Huss High?
The largest demographic group at Hunter Huss High is African American at 41.9% of enrollment, in Gastonia, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hunter Huss High?
Hunter Huss High has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 Hunter Huss High rank among high schools in Gastonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Hunter Huss High ranks #4 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 Hunter Huss High a good school?
Hunter Huss High earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Hunter Huss High, Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students), Forestview High (1,133 students), and North Gaston High (1,061 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.