Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Summary:

Pleasant Ridge Elementary is a public elementary school in Gastonia, North Carolina, serving 866 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Gaston County Schools district, which is ranked 158 out of 242 districts in the state.

Pleasant Ridge Elementary has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (40.65%) and Hispanic (29.21%) students compared to nearby schools. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by state assessments, is generally lower than the district and state averages. For example, the school's 3rd grade math proficiency rate was 54.2%, compared to the district's 54.2% and the state's 62.7%. The school's African American, Hispanic, and English Language Learner students consistently perform in the bottom half of their respective statewide subgroups, indicating significant achievement gaps. Additionally, Pleasant Ridge Elementary has an extremely high percentage of students (over 99%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is much higher than the surrounding schools.

When comparing Pleasant Ridge Elementary to nearby schools, the differences become more apparent. For instance, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy, a magnet school just 3.47 miles away, consistently outperforms Pleasant Ridge Elementary across all grade levels and subject areas. The school's statewide ranking has also steadily declined over the past few years, from 890 out of 1,489 North Carolina elementary schools in 2020-2021 to 1,191 out of 1,505 in 2023-2024, suggesting that the school is not making sufficient progress in improving student outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1260 Floyd Lane
       Gastonia, NC  28052-5225


(704) 866-6096

District: Gaston County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1191st of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,924 Help


Students who attend Pleasant Ridge Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Southwest Middle
High:    Hunter Huss High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.3 Help
Number of students:  866

Racial breakdown:

African American:
40.6%
Hispanic:
29.2%
White:
22.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.7% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Pleasant Ridge Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Pleasant Ridge Elementary ranks worse than 79.1% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 17th among 26 ranked elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.04. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Pleasant Ridge Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Gaston County Schools District. Student population at Pleasant Ridge Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (40.6%), Hispanic (29.2%), White (22.7%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 99.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pleasant Ridge Elementary is 15.3. 15 elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Pleasant Ridge Elementary employs 56.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pleasant Ridge Elementary is $8,924. 17 elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pleasant Ridge Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Pleasant Ridge Elementary 1191st of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Pleasant Ridge Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented 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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Your rating for Pleasant Ridge Elementary?

Rank History for Pleasant Ridge Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 17.43 1148th 1276 10.0%
2007 22.75 1111th 1293 14.1%
2008 16.12 1175th 1324 11.3%
2009 17.89 1189th 1354 12.2%
2010 5.90 1327th 1363 2.6%
2011 19.10 1214th 1381 12.1%
2012 33.54 1038th 1388 25.2%
2013 7.21 1362nd 1403 2.9%
2014 10.07 1291st 1390 7.1%
2015 23.38 1174th 1440 18.5%
2016 6.01 1380th 1425 3.2%
2017 12.60 1299th 1429 9.1%
2018 36.72 977th 1434 31.9%
2019 31.56 1074th 1473 27.1%
2021 38.60 890th 1489 40.2%
2022 32.71 1043rd 1514 31.1%
2023 32.30 1051st 1502 30.0%
2024 25.04 1191st 1505 20.9%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 33.99 79th 103 23.3%
2022 40.39 83rd 133 37.6%
2024 58.84 66th 159 58.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.68 354th 421 15.9%
2019 37.42 321st 497 35.4%
2021 43.20 175th 385 54.5%
2022 33.18 348th 485 28.2%
2023 35.17 332nd 514 35.4%
2024 27.18 440th 533 17.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 16.17 769th 801 4.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.25 852nd 1332 36.0%
2019 31.46 1028th 1361 24.5%
2021 28.99 978th 1329 26.4%
2022 28.46 1066th 1366 22.0%
2023 30.85 1068th 1437 25.7%
2024 28.22 1163rd 1450 19.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.78 929th 1405 33.9%
2019 31.54 1050th 1424 26.3%
2021 46.11 734th 1440 49.0%
2022 35.94 965th 1458 33.8%
2023 29.71 1084th 1459 25.7%
2024 24.00 1176th 1455 19.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.30 846th 897 5.7%
2019 21.74 790th 878 10.0%
2021 12.25 645th 646 0.2%
2022 24.03 540th 634 14.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 44.83 500th 612 18.3%
2021 70.94 100th 494 79.8%
2022 57.89 266th 500 46.8%
2023 52.34 406th 582 30.2%
2024 57.95 342nd 669 48.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.67 995th 1413 29.6%
2019 33.22 1055th 1430 26.2%
2021 31.46 969th 1444 32.9%
2022 31.02 1047th 1464 28.5%
2023 35.90 986th 1461 32.5%
2024 27.33 1139th 1464 22.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.50 387th 927 58.3%
2019 26.41 783rd 949 17.5%
2021 48.57 376th 896 58.0%
2022 41.24 533rd 927 42.5%
2023 34.13 646th 933 30.8%
2024 27.74 738th 924 20.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.80 644th 851 24.3%
2019 36.86 582nd 865 32.7%
2021 37.80 516th 843 38.8%
2022 28.98 714th 893 20.0%
2023 32.61 649th 915 29.1%
2024 25.35 793rd 951 16.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.80 641st 1178 45.6%
2019 56.68 514th 1183 56.6%
2021 61.30 423rd 1172 63.9%
2022 64.38 385th 1194 67.8%
2023 58.84 483rd 1183 59.2%
2024 51.35 587th 1166 49.7%
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.

Pleasant Ridge 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: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Pleasant Ridge Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 184 108 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 292
1989 162 122 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 284
1990 162 116 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 278
1991 160 126 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 289
1992 167 147 1 3 0 n/a n/a 5 323
1993 154 147 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 304
1994 144 164 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 312
1995 118 172 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 291
1996 118 172 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 291
1997 129 139 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 271
1998 124 110 0 8 1 n/a n/a 12 255
1999 119 145 0 6 1 n/a n/a 0 271
2000 87 153 0 13 1 n/a n/a 0 254
2001 80 163 0 27 0 n/a n/a 0 270
2002 57 182 1 50 0 n/a n/a 0 290
2003 57 182 1 50 0 n/a n/a 0 290
2004 57 163 1 57 0 n/a n/a 0 278
2005 54 139 1 54 0 n/a n/a 0 248
2006 54 182 2 77 0 n/a n/a 0 315
2007 43 193 2 72 0 n/a n/a 11 321
2008 39 152 0 62 0 n/a n/a 12 265
2009 32 168 0 73 0 n/a n/a 0 273
2010 35 157 0 63 1 n/a n/a 0 256
2011 40 155 0 77 0 0 18 0 290
2012 37 127 0 80 0 0 13 0 257
2013 56 144 0 76 1 0 17 0 294
2014 39 119 0 84 0 0 14 0 256
2015 60 140 0 88 0 0 15 0 303
2016 81 247 1 107 4 0 23 0 463
2017 129 294 3 132 2 0 31 0 591
2018 243 359 11 174 2 0 52 0 841
2019 286 351 11 189 1 1 44 0 883
2020 272 346 8 208 0 0 82 0 916
2021 237 374 7 202 1 0 49 0 870
2022 188 344 5 217 0 2 54 0 810
2023 197 352 6 253 1 0 57 0 866

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 Pleasant Ridge Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 292 15.0 19.4 36
1989 284 18.0 15.7 35.2
1990 278 18.0 15.4 38.5
1991 289 17.0 17.0 37
1992 323 18.0 17.9 38.1
1993 304 17.0 17.9 58.9
1994 312 19.0 16.4 56.1
1995 291 21.0 13.9 58.4
1996 291 21.0 13.9 58.4
1997 271 20.0 13.6 53.5
1998 255 21.0 12.1 69.5
1999 271 21.0 12.9 69.7
2000 254 21.0 12.1 72.8
2001 270 21.0 12.9 67
2002 290 21.0 13.8 76.2
2003 290 21.0 13.8 76.2
2004 278 18.0 15.4 81.7
2005 248 18.0 13.8 98.4
2006 315 18.0 17.5 76.8
2007 321 n/a n/a 83.2
2008 265 22.5 11.8 9.9
2009 273 20.5 13.3 5.9
2010 256 19.0 13.5 99.2
2011 290 19.9 14.5 94.1
2012 257 18.7 13.7 95.3
2013 294 18.8 15.6 94.6
2014 256 19.5 13.1 98.8
2015 303 20.0 15.1 99
2016 463 26.0 17.8 99.4
2017 591 32.4 18.2 99.5
2018 841 49.0 17.1 99.6
2019 883 56.5 15.6 99.7
2020 916 58.0 15.7 99.7
2021 870 61.0 14.2 99.7
2022 810 57.8 14.0 99.6
2023 866 56.5 15.3 99.7

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 Pleasant Ridge Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 292 15.0 19.4 36
1989 284 18.0 15.7 35.2
1990 278 18.0 15.4 38.5
1991 289 17.0 17.0 37
1992 323 18.0 17.9 38.1
1993 304 17.0 17.9 58.9
1994 312 19.0 16.4 56.1
1995 291 21.0 13.9 58.4
1996 291 21.0 13.9 58.4
1997 271 20.0 13.6 53.5
1998 255 21.0 12.1 69.5
1999 271 21.0 12.9 69.7
2000 254 21.0 12.1 72.8
2001 270 21.0 12.9 67
2002 290 21.0 13.8 76.2
2003 290 21.0 13.8 76.2
2004 278 18.0 15.4 81.7
2005 248 18.0 13.8 98.4
2006 315 18.0 17.5 76.8
2007 321 n/a n/a 83.2
2008 265 22.5 11.8 9.9
2009 273 20.5 13.3 5.9
2010 256 19.0 13.5 99.2
2011 290 19.9 14.5 94.1
2012 257 18.7 13.7 95.3
2013 294 18.8 15.6 94.6
2014 256 19.5 13.1 98.8
2015 303 20.0 15.1 99
2016 463 26.0 17.8 99.4
2017 591 32.4 18.2 99.5
2018 841 49.0 17.1 99.6
2019 883 56.5 15.6 99.7
2020 916 58.0 15.7 99.7
2021 870 61.0 14.2 99.7
2022 810 57.8 14.0 99.6
2023 866 56.5 15.3 99.7

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 Pleasant Ridge Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,150 (12.9%) $7,774 (87.1%) $8,924

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Pleasant Ridge 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 1074th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 1051st of 1502 Elementary schools
 2.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pleasant Ridge Elementary)5060.8
 10.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)56.455.9
 0.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Pleasant Ridge Elementary)47.335.1
 12.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)51.840.6
 11.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pleasant Ridge Elementary)44.545.3
 0.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)49.547.5
 2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Pleasant Ridge Elementary)5943.4
 15.6%
   4th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)53.648.9
 4.7%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pleasant Ridge Elementary)4638
 8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)52.548.6
 3.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Pleasant Ridge Elementary)4639.9
 6.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)50.642.7
 7.9%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Pleasant Ridge Elementary)59.755
 4.7%
   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 Students883866
 1.9%
African American351352
 0.3%
American Indian11
Asian116
 45.5%
Hispanic189253
 33.9%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White286197
 31.1%
Two or More Races4457
 29.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.7%99.7%
 0%


Schools Near Pleasant Ridge Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Pleasant Ridge Elementary

Students at Pleasant Ridge Elementary are 41% African American, 29% Hispanic, 23% White, 7% Two or more races.

Pleasant Ridge Elementary ranks in the bottom 20.9% of North Carolina elementary schools.

Students who attend Pleasant Ridge Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Southwest Middle
High : Hunter Huss High

In the 2022-23 school year, 866 students attended Pleasant Ridge Elementary.


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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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