Enrollment
553
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gastonia, NC
Sherwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sherwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370162000709
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sherwood Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools.
- #14 of 15
- schools in Gastonia · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.1:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 77.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Sherwood Elementary has class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sherwood Elementary ranks #14 of 15 schools in Gastonia, NC.
School address
District: Gaston County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370162000709 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sherwood Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sherwood Elementary
Sherwood Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gastonia, North Carolina, enrolling 553 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.1:1 is larger than about 87% of North Carolina schools and 21% 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 77.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 553 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 235 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #223, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 553 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
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.
Among Gastonia's public schools, it stands alongside Piedmont Community Charter School (1,963 students): Sherwood Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.1:1 vs 16.9:1).
Gaston County Schools also operates Ashbrook High (1,386 students) and Hunter Huss High (1,165 students) alongside Sherwood 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 Sherwood Elementary compares
Sherwood 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.6% | ▲ 18% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 553 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
553
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 87% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 553 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 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 43.2%
Hispanic or Latino 29.7%
White 15.6%
Two or More 9.2%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 43.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.2, Sherwood 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 Sherwood 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 Sherwood 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forestview High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Gaston High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Point High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sherwood 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
H H Beam Elementary
Standard public school
591 students 21.9:1 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
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 (~553 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sherwood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sherwood 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 Sherwood Elementary
How many students attend Sherwood Elementary?
Sherwood Elementary has 553 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gastonia, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sherwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sherwood Elementary is 19.1:1, which is 21% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sherwood Elementary?
77.6% of students at Sherwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sherwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sherwood Elementary is African American at 43.2% of enrollment, in Gastonia, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sherwood Elementary?
Sherwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Sherwood Elementary rank among schools in Gastonia?
By Resource Investment Index, Sherwood Elementary ranks #14 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 Sherwood Elementary a good school?
Sherwood Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Sherwood 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.