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Excellent

#18 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 1% in state

Highland Sch of Technology

High School · Gaston County Schools · Gastonia, NC

A Gaston County Schools high school where students score 31 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1600 N Morris Street, Gastonia, NC 28052

  • Math 99% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 100% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 95%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.3Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change+0.4 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.9Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency99.2% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency99.9% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+43.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+46.3 pts
Overall Proficiency100% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)69% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+30.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile98th
College Readiness8.6Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate95%+
AP Participation30.9%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment9.7Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.5:1
District spending per student$12,190
Chronic Absenteeism7.8%

Students at Highland Sch of Technology score 100% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 69%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency99%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency100%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency has held near 100% across the 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
98%
ELA
92%
2010
Math
98%
ELA
92%
2011
Math
98%
ELA
98%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
82%
2013
Math
62%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
72%
ELA
87%
2015
Math
98%
ELA
98%
2016
Math
92%
ELA
98%
2017
Math
3%
ELA
98%
2018
Math
92%
ELA
98%
2019
Math
92%
ELA
98%
2020*
Math
98%
ELA
98%
2021*
Math
98%
ELA
98%
2025
Math
99%
ELA
100%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 84% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 94% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

26.9%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Highland Sch of Technology sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Charlotte map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 37Car-Dependent
  • Bike 37Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,390/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Gastonia), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$46,015

Median home value

$173,500

Median rent

$1,058/mo

College educated

16.3%

Homeownership

52.8%

Poverty rate

22.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28052; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
30.9% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics4sports offered
2 boys'·2 girls'·3 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Webb Street SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.0PK–121.7 mi161Compare →
Gaston Early College of Medical SciencesEnrollment path unverified6.09–122.1 mi155Compare →
Victory Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.1privatePK–122.7 mi126Compare →
Hunter Huss HighEnrollment path unverified3.09–122.9 mi1,134Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Gaston County Schools

Schools in district
56
Rank in district
#2 of 56
District spending per student
$12,190NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Highland Sch of Technology is listed in Gaston County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highland Sch of Technology

Highland Sch of Technology is a public high school in Gastonia, NC, part of Gaston County Schools, serving approximately 528 students in grades 9th-12th with a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.3 out of 10 and ranks #18 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 84% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 94% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highland Sch of Technology

What grades does Highland Sch of Technology serve?

Highland Sch of Technology serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Highland Sch of Technology?

Highland Sch of Technology has an enrollment of approximately 528 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Sch of Technology?

The student-teacher ratio at Highland Sch of Technology is 13.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highland Sch of Technology rank in NC?

Highland Sch of Technology ranks #18 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Highland Sch of Technology's MySchoolScout rating?

Highland Sch of Technology has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Highland Sch of Technology?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highland Sch of Technology has 84% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 94% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Highland Sch of Technology a charter school?

No, Highland Sch of Technology is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Highland Sch of Technology a Title I school?

No, Highland Sch of Technology is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Highland Sch of Technology?

26.9% of students at Highland Sch of Technology qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
528
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
39
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Gaston County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
7.8%
4-Year Graduation
95%+
Area population (ZIP 28052)
36,896
Area average commute
25.9 min
Area median age
34.6
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28052; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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