Gardner Park Elementary

Summary:

Gardner Park Elementary is a public elementary school in Gastonia, North Carolina, serving 521 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. While the school has a relatively diverse student population, it faces significant academic challenges, consistently underperforming compared to the Gaston County Schools district and the state of North Carolina.

Gardner Park Elementary's academic performance, as measured by End-of-Grade (EOG) test scores, is lower than the district and state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd-grade math proficiency rate was 32.3%, compared to 54.2% for Gaston County and 62.7% for the state. The school has also consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of North Carolina elementary schools, earning a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. When compared to nearby schools like New Hope Elementary and Hawks Nest STEAM Academy, Gardner Park Elementary's academic performance is significantly lower.

One of the key factors contributing to Gardner Park Elementary's challenges is the high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 98.64% to 99.42% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch over the past three school years. This suggests that the school faces significant socioeconomic challenges that may be impacting academic achievement. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with lower rankings for African American and Hispanic students, indicating the need for targeted interventions and support to address these disparities.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 738 Armstrong Park Road
       Gastonia, NC  28054-7212


(704) 866-6082

District: Gaston County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1357th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,619 Help


Students who attend Gardner Park Elementary usually attend:

High:    Ashbrook High

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  521

Racial breakdown:

African American:
32.8%
White:
32.4%
Hispanic:
26.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.4% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Gardner Park Elementary ranks worse than 90.2% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 20th among 26 ranked elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.4. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Gardner Park Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (32.8%), White (32.4%), Hispanic (26.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gardner Park Elementary is 13.5, which is the 6th best among 26 elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Gardner Park Elementary employs 38.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gardner Park Elementary is $9,619, which is the 11th highest among 26 elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gardner Park Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Gardner Park Elementary 1357th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Gardner Park Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Gaston County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Gaston County Schools 158th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Gardner Park Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 56.76 588th 1276 53.9%
2007 56.03 625th 1293 51.7%
2008 52.03 679th 1324 48.7%
2009 54.13 710th 1354 47.6%
2010 42.38 896th 1363 34.3%
2011 42.52 888th 1381 35.7%
2012 54.97 690th 1388 50.3%
2013 32.82 983rd 1403 29.9%
2014 43.65 796th 1390 42.7%
2015 32.88 1039th 1440 27.8%
2016 33.32 1021st 1425 28.4%
2017 32.75 1036th 1429 27.5%
2018 30.65 1069th 1434 25.5%
2019 38.76 946th 1473 35.8%
2021 37.18 912th 1489 38.8%
2022 27.26 1134th 1514 25.1%
2023 21.28 1242nd 1502 17.3%
2024 15.40 1357th 1505 9.8%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 42.03 80th 133 39.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.51 281st 421 33.3%
2019 39.28 299th 497 39.8%
2021 40.17 204th 385 47.0%
2022 39.43 293rd 485 39.6%
2023 42.48 274th 514 46.7%
2024 28.36 430th 533 19.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.70 1017th 1332 23.6%
2019 43.93 811th 1361 40.4%
2021 37.55 825th 1329 37.9%
2022 39.71 854th 1366 37.5%
2023 29.68 1094th 1437 23.9%
2024 35.71 1003rd 1450 30.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.54 917th 1405 34.7%
2019 44.17 842nd 1424 40.9%
2021 31.52 980th 1440 31.9%
2022 19.41 1268th 1458 13.0%
2023 21.08 1235th 1459 15.4%
2024 11.43 1379th 1455 5.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.58 854th 897 4.8%
2019 44.02 465th 878 47.0%
2021 38.42 371st 646 42.6%
2022 21.25 579th 634 8.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 25.68 441st 494 10.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.12 1174th 1413 16.9%
2019 36.39 1000th 1430 30.1%
2021 43.23 800th 1444 44.6%
2022 37.93 934th 1464 36.2%
2023 24.03 1164th 1461 20.3%
2024 21.95 1222nd 1464 16.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.55 551st 927 40.6%
2019 59.74 310th 949 67.3%
2021 40.48 496th 896 44.6%
2022 27.45 735th 927 20.7%
2023 20.10 829th 933 11.1%
2024 17.20 856th 924 7.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.04 491st 851 42.3%
2019 47.84 448th 865 48.2%
2021 50.62 366th 843 56.6%
2022 39.57 548th 893 38.6%
2023 48.01 469th 915 48.7%
2024 28.81 738th 951 22.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Gardner Park Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.49 972nd 1178 17.5%
2019 33.67 882nd 1183 25.4%
2021 39.41 728th 1172 37.9%
2022 36.73 809th 1194 32.2%
2023 17.54 1076th 1183 9.0%
2024 26.91 943rd 1166 19.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Gardner Park Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Gardner Park Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 505 84 14 1 0 n/a n/a 0 604
1989 524 73 15 1 1 n/a n/a 0 614
1990 528 88 10 0 2 n/a n/a 0 628
1991 510 89 11 1 0 n/a n/a 0 611
1992 506 105 10 1 0 n/a n/a 1 623
1993 481 84 12 4 0 n/a n/a 0 581
1994 486 83 16 4 0 n/a n/a 0 589
1995 522 108 18 10 0 n/a n/a 0 658
1996 522 108 18 10 0 n/a n/a 0 658
1997 510 116 19 13 0 n/a n/a 0 658
1998 454 184 16 24 0 n/a n/a 0 678
1999 431 195 14 35 0 n/a n/a 0 675
2000 385 203 11 61 0 n/a n/a 0 660
2001 417 185 10 80 0 n/a n/a 0 692
2002 347 200 16 100 1 n/a n/a 0 664
2003 347 200 16 100 1 n/a n/a 0 664
2004 330 204 17 131 1 n/a n/a 0 683
2005 264 148 16 119 0 n/a n/a 0 547
2006 242 131 17 127 0 n/a n/a 0 517
2007 253 136 18 161 1 n/a n/a 13 582
2008 257 126 18 156 1 n/a n/a 12 570
2009 263 136 24 169 2 n/a n/a 0 594
2010 241 143 26 130 3 n/a n/a 0 543
2011 248 148 28 140 0 0 28 0 592
2012 228 152 25 136 0 0 29 0 570
2013 243 165 17 170 1 1 28 0 625
2014 221 170 17 171 0 1 21 0 601
2015 242 200 11 189 0 2 24 0 668
2016 217 207 14 203 0 0 30 0 671
2017 187 198 9 194 0 1 32 0 621
2018 191 195 8 201 0 2 30 0 627
2019 175 206 1 168 0 4 44 0 598
2020 177 172 2 188 0 4 43 0 586
2021 159 165 1 151 1 2 37 0 516
2022 155 178 1 136 0 1 43 0 514
2023 169 171 8 140 0 1 32 0 521

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gardner Park Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 604 29.0 20.8 7.5
1989 614 35.0 17.5 6.5
1990 628 35.0 17.9 6.4
1991 611 39.0 15.6 6.5
1992 623 35.0 17.8 5.8
1993 581 37.0 15.7 10
1994 589 38.0 15.5 8.8
1995 658 42.0 15.7 9.7
1996 658 42.0 15.7 9.7
1997 658 42.0 15.7 9.9
1998 678 39.0 17.4 12.2
1999 675 39.0 17.3 29.5
2000 660 39.0 16.9 33.5
2001 692 39.0 17.7 30.9
2002 664 39.0 17.0 38.6
2003 664 39.0 17.0 38.6
2004 683 37.0 18.5 40.1
2005 547 37.0 14.8 45.5
2006 517 37.0 14.0 47.4
2007 582 n/a n/a 47.6
2008 570 40.8 14.0 7.9
2009 594 35.3 16.8 8.9
2010 543 37.2 14.5 64.5
2011 592 38.9 15.2 68.1
2012 570 36.8 15.4 62.3
2013 625 36.8 16.9 74.2
2014 601 36.7 16.3 74.2
2015 668 37.0 18.0 99.6
2016 671 39.0 17.2 99.6
2017 621 37.8 16.4 99.5
2018 627 35.8 17.5 99.5
2019 598 38.1 15.6 99.5
2020 586 37.8 15.4 99.5
2021 516 38.6 13.3 99.2
2022 514 34.7 14.8 98.6
2023 521 38.5 13.5 99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Gardner Park Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 604 29.0 20.8 7.5
1989 614 35.0 17.5 6.5
1990 628 35.0 17.9 6.4
1991 611 39.0 15.6 6.5
1992 623 35.0 17.8 5.8
1993 581 37.0 15.7 10
1994 589 38.0 15.5 8.8
1995 658 42.0 15.7 9.7
1996 658 42.0 15.7 9.7
1997 658 42.0 15.7 9.9
1998 678 39.0 17.4 12.2
1999 675 39.0 17.3 29.5
2000 660 39.0 16.9 33.5
2001 692 39.0 17.7 30.9
2002 664 39.0 17.0 38.6
2003 664 39.0 17.0 38.6
2004 683 37.0 18.5 40.1
2005 547 37.0 14.8 45.5
2006 517 37.0 14.0 47.4
2007 582 n/a n/a 47.6
2008 570 40.8 14.0 7.9
2009 594 35.3 16.8 8.9
2010 543 37.2 14.5 64.5
2011 592 38.9 15.2 68.1
2012 570 36.8 15.4 62.3
2013 625 36.8 16.9 74.2
2014 601 36.7 16.3 74.2
2015 668 37.0 18.0 99.6
2016 671 39.0 17.2 99.6
2017 621 37.8 16.4 99.5
2018 627 35.8 17.5 99.5
2019 598 38.1 15.6 99.5
2020 586 37.8 15.4 99.5
2021 516 38.6 13.3 99.2
2022 514 34.7 14.8 98.6
2023 521 38.5 13.5 99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gardner Park Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,304 (13.6%) $8,314 (86.4%) $9,619

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gardner Park Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 946th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 1242nd of 1502 Elementary schools
 18.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gardner Park Elementary)46.334.7
 11.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)56.455.9
 0.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Gardner Park Elementary)57.426.4
 31%
   3rd Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)51.840.6
 11.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gardner Park Elementary)46.740.2
 6.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)49.547.5
 2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Gardner Park Elementary)5047.6
 2.4%
   4th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)53.648.9
 4.7%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Gardner Park Elementary)56.334.4
 21.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)52.548.6
 3.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Gardner Park Elementary)49.436.7
 12.7%
   5th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)50.642.7
 7.9%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Gardner Park Elementary)73.348.3
 25%
   5th Grade Science (Gaston County Schools)69.360
 9.3%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students598521
 12.9%
African American206171
 17%
American Indian00
Asian18
 700%
Hispanic168140
 16.7%
Pacific Islander41
 75%
White175169
 3.4%
Two or More Races4432
 27.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.5%99.4%
 0.1%


Schools Near Gardner Park Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Gardner Park Elementary

Students who attend Gardner Park Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Ashbrook High

Students at Gardner Park Elementary are 33% African American, 32% White, 27% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 521 students attended Gardner Park Elementary.

Gardner Park Elementary ranks in the bottom 9.8% of North Carolina elementary schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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