W P Grier Middle School

Summary:

W P Grier Middle School is a public middle school in Gastonia, North Carolina, serving 610 students in grades 6-8 and part of the Gaston County Schools district.

W P Grier Middle School faces significant challenges, with a diverse student population that is majority African American (52.13%) and Hispanic (26.07%), and an extremely high percentage (over 99%) of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools, with a 0-1 star rating from SchoolDigger, and its academic performance is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in EOG/Mathematics ranged from 19.1% to 27.4%, compared to 43.4% to 54.3% at the state level.

When comparing W P Grier Middle School to other nearby middle schools in the Gaston County district, such as Cramerton Middle and Mount Holly Middle, it consistently underperforms, with significantly higher academic achievement and state rankings. This suggests potential racial and socioeconomic segregation within the district, as the racial makeup of W P Grier Middle School is notably different from some of the other nearby schools, which have a higher percentage of White students and lower percentages of African American and Hispanic students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1622 E Garrison Boulevard
       Gastonia, NC  28054-5176


(704) 836-9604

District: Gaston County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
720th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,330 Help


Students who attend W P Grier Middle School usually attend:

High:    Ashbrook High

Feeder schools for W P Grier Middle School:

Elementary:    Sherwood Elementary
    Woodhill Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  610

Racial breakdown:

African American:
52.1%
Hispanic:
26.1%
White:
13.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.5% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare W P Grier Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details W P Grier Middle School ranks worse than 90.8% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 11 ranked middle schools in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.38. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at W P Grier Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (52.1%), Hispanic (26.1%), White (13.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 99.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at W P Grier Middle School is 16.8, which is the 4th best among 11 middle schools in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare W P Grier Middle School employs 36.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at W P Grier Middle School is $8,330, which is the 5th highest among 11 middle schools in the Gaston County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

W P Grier Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks W P Grier Middle School 720th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See W P Grier Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education 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 W P Grier Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 53.15 331st 598 44.6%
2007 46.32 390th 606 35.6%
2008 55.88 298th 620 51.9%
2009 47.99 387th 630 38.6%
2010 37.17 466th 640 27.2%
2011 30.97 501st 648 22.7%
2012 28.68 526th 662 20.5%
2013 23.49 519th 673 22.9%
2014 12.99 557th 627 11.2%
2015 24.72 548th 705 22.3%
2016 30.33 500th 692 27.7%
2017 41.70 430th 694 38.0%
2018 40.71 438th 691 36.6%
2019 25.63 585th 737 20.6%
2021 19.50 612th 741 17.4%
2022 13.85 704th 786 10.4%
2023 12.64 709th 784 9.6%
2024 12.38 720th 793 9.2%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.84 64th 221 71.0%
2019 41.54 142nd 237 40.1%
2021 28.41 195th 248 21.4%
2022 32.48 197th 283 30.4%
2023 9.90 297th 302 1.7%
2024 17.04 281st 306 8.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.39 53rd 151 64.9%
2019 49.96 74th 211 64.9%
2021 42.55 112th 236 52.5%
2022 40.17 169th 312 45.8%
2023 39.71 179th 318 43.7%
2024 22.83 315th 356 11.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 19.00 450th 473 4.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.41 336th 604 44.4%
2019 31.57 477th 639 25.4%
2021 24.05 507th 633 19.9%
2022 16.96 623rd 689 9.6%
2023 15.23 677th 735 7.9%
2024 17.51 670th 743 9.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.30 473rd 656 27.9%
2019 23.67 565th 684 17.4%
2021 18.67 597th 706 15.4%
2022 14.71 662nd 733 9.7%
2023 9.32 694th 731 5.1%
2024 12.54 679th 738 8.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.38 240th 475 49.5%
2019 37.80 316th 504 37.3%
2021 36.96 306th 478 36.0%
2022 25.43 371st 449 17.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.37 387th 665 41.8%
2019 24.88 559th 697 19.8%
2021 20.13 585th 711 17.7%
2022 12.20 690th 748 7.8%
2023 15.49 663rd 747 11.2%
2024 11.50 696th 751 7.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.76 246th 494 50.2%
2019 36.74 352nd 519 32.2%
2021 33.75 357th 533 33.0%
2022 26.13 449th 550 18.4%
2023 15.93 524th 559 6.3%
2024 19.19 497th 560 11.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.10 150th 472 68.2%
2019 37.99 334th 493 32.3%
2021 38.83 332nd 522 36.4%
2022 21.13 468th 541 13.5%
2023 35.66 387th 553 30.0%
2024 22.42 484th 564 14.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at W P Grier Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.84 262nd 596 56.0%
2019 28.44 501st 624 19.7%
2021 21.77 535th 632 15.3%
2022 11.74 631st 658 4.1%
2023 17.48 591st 656 9.9%
2024 24.23 525th 652 19.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle 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.

W P Grier Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for W P Grier Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 816 139 13 1 1 n/a n/a 0 970
1989 782 153 15 2 1 n/a n/a 0 953
1990 794 143 12 2 1 n/a n/a 0 952
1991 702 141 8 3 0 n/a n/a 0 854
1992 639 140 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 790
1993 587 173 10 4 2 n/a n/a 0 776
1994 579 188 8 5 0 n/a n/a 0 780
1995 674 182 17 9 0 n/a n/a 0 882
1996 674 182 17 9 0 n/a n/a 0 882
1997 636 223 19 9 0 n/a n/a 0 887
1998 678 324 21 23 0 n/a n/a 0 1046
1999 366 235 20 24 2 n/a n/a 0 647
2000 372 278 14 42 0 n/a n/a 0 706
2001 360 309 10 44 0 n/a n/a 0 723
2002 374 324 6 37 3 n/a n/a 0 744
2003 374 324 6 37 3 n/a n/a 0 744
2004 345 348 7 38 0 n/a n/a 0 738
2005 335 349 2 52 0 n/a n/a 0 738
2006 377 371 8 66 0 n/a n/a 0 822
2007 406 327 12 71 0 n/a n/a 20 836
2008 442 319 20 97 2 n/a n/a 16 896
2009 349 342 16 89 2 n/a n/a 0 798
2010 275 350 15 76 2 n/a n/a 0 718
2011 221 311 7 84 0 0 31 0 654
2012 216 321 10 95 0 0 29 0 671
2013 205 382 5 93 1 1 34 0 721
2014 196 363 7 103 2 1 27 0 699
2015 187 362 7 98 1 0 24 0 679
2016 159 333 10 125 0 0 35 0 662
2017 153 351 10 132 1 0 37 0 684
2018 148 324 7 146 2 0 42 0 669
2019 146 347 5 141 3 0 49 0 691
2020 119 377 3 161 2 0 71 0 733
2021 103 394 1 188 1 0 32 0 719
2022 93 335 4 168 0 0 36 0 636
2023 82 318 6 159 1 0 44 0 610

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 W P Grier Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 970 56.0 17.3 8.5
1989 953 58.0 16.4 8.8
1990 952 58.0 16.4 9.8
1991 854 59.0 14.4 10.9
1992 790 55.0 14.3 6.3
1993 776 44.0 17.6 11.5
1994 780 47.0 16.6 11.5
1995 882 57.0 15.5 12.4
1996 882 57.0 15.5 12.4
1997 887 58.0 15.3 11.8
1998 1046 69.0 15.2 12
1999 647 69.0 9.4 40.8
2000 706 69.0 10.2 36.1
2001 723 69.0 10.5 33.2
2002 744 69.0 10.8 52.3
2003 744 69.0 10.8 52.3
2004 738 49.0 15.1 51.1
2005 738 49.0 15.1 61
2006 822 49.0 16.8 50.2
2007 836 48.9 17.1 47.3
2008 896 51.0 17.6 7.7
2009 798 47.5 16.8 9
2010 718 44.6 16.1 60.4
2011 654 39.6 16.5 69.9
2012 671 38.5 17.4 72.7
2013 721 39.6 18.2 76.4
2014 699 39.5 17.6 77.8
2015 679 38.0 17.8 99.6
2016 662 41.0 16.1 97.6
2017 684 44.4 15.3 95.6
2018 669 39.4 16.9 99.6
2019 691 43.1 16.0 99.6
2020 733 43.4 16.8 99.6
2021 719 42.6 16.8 99.6
2022 636 40.7 15.6 99.5
2023 610 36.1 16.8 99.5

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 W P Grier Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 970 56.0 17.3 8.5
1989 953 58.0 16.4 8.8
1990 952 58.0 16.4 9.8
1991 854 59.0 14.4 10.9
1992 790 55.0 14.3 6.3
1993 776 44.0 17.6 11.5
1994 780 47.0 16.6 11.5
1995 882 57.0 15.5 12.4
1996 882 57.0 15.5 12.4
1997 887 58.0 15.3 11.8
1998 1046 69.0 15.2 12
1999 647 69.0 9.4 40.8
2000 706 69.0 10.2 36.1
2001 723 69.0 10.5 33.2
2002 744 69.0 10.8 52.3
2003 744 69.0 10.8 52.3
2004 738 49.0 15.1 51.1
2005 738 49.0 15.1 61
2006 822 49.0 16.8 50.2
2007 836 48.9 17.1 47.3
2008 896 51.0 17.6 7.7
2009 798 47.5 16.8 9
2010 718 44.6 16.1 60.4
2011 654 39.6 16.5 69.9
2012 671 38.5 17.4 72.7
2013 721 39.6 18.2 76.4
2014 699 39.5 17.6 77.8
2015 679 38.0 17.8 99.6
2016 662 41.0 16.1 97.6
2017 684 44.4 15.3 95.6
2018 669 39.4 16.9 99.6
2019 691 43.1 16.0 99.6
2020 733 43.4 16.8 99.6
2021 719 42.6 16.8 99.6
2022 636 40.7 15.6 99.5
2023 610 36.1 16.8 99.5

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 W P Grier Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,260 (15.1%) $7,070 (84.9%) $8,330

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

Impact of COVID-19 on W P Grier Middle School

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 585th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 709th of 784 Middle schools
 11.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (W P Grier Middle School)44.526.9
 17.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)62.450.2
 12.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (W P Grier Middle School)38.827.8
 11%
   6th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)57.147.1
 10%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (W P Grier Middle School)44.525.8
 18.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)58.446.1
 12.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (W P Grier Middle School)48.231.8
 16.4%
   7th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)55.348.3
 7%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (W P Grier Middle School)30.819.7
 11.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)54.343.3
 11%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (W P Grier Middle School)41.226.3
 14.9%
   8th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)51.151.2
 0.1%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (W P Grier Middle School)73.147.4
 25.7%
   8th Grade Science (Gaston County Schools)78.667.7
 10.9%
   8th Grade Science (North Carolina)78.670.3
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students691610
 11.7%
African American347318
 8.4%
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian56
 20%
Hispanic141159
 12.8%
Pacific Islander00
White14682
 43.8%
Two or More Races4944
 10.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.6%99.5%
 0.1%


Schools Near W P Grier Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about W P Grier Middle School

W P Grier Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.2% of North Carolina middle schools.

Students who attend W P Grier Middle School usually go on to attend Ashbrook High

In the 2022-23 school year, 610 students attended W P Grier Middle School.

Students at W P Grier Middle School are 52% African American, 26% Hispanic, 13% White, 7% Two or more races.


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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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