Is Highland School of Technology a good school?

Yes! Highland School of Technology is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 6 th of 640 North Carolina high schools.

How many students attend Highland School of Technology?

In the 2023-24 school year, 528 students attended Highland School of Technology.

What is the racial makeup of Highland School of Technology?

Students at Highland School of Technology are 62% White, 15% African American, 15% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

Highland School of Technology

Summary:

Highland School of Technology is a public magnet high school serving grades 9-12 in Gastonia, North Carolina, with a student population of 514. The school is part of the Gaston County Schools district, which is ranked 158 out of 242 districts in the state.

Highland School of Technology consistently ranks among the top high schools in North Carolina, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for over a decade. Students significantly outperform district and state averages on End-of-Course exams, with 100% proficiency in English II, Math I, and Math III. The school has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with higher percentages of White, Asian, and Hispanic students. Highland School of Technology also ranks among the top schools in the state for various student subgroups, including female, male, African American, Hispanic, White, low socioeconomic status, and gifted and talented students, indicating a strong commitment to equity and excellence.

The school's relatively low student-to-teacher ratio, ranging from 12.5 to 14.7 over the past three years, and higher per-student spending of $10,033 in the 2018-2019 school year suggest a focus on personalized attention and adequate resources to support student learning. This investment in resources and small class sizes may contribute to the school's exceptional academic outcomes and its ability to serve a diverse student population effectively, making it a model of excellence in the Gaston County Schools district and the state of North Carolina.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

1600 N Morris Street
Gastonia, NC 28052

(704) 810-8816

District: Gaston County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
6^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,033

Student/teacher ratio: 13.3

Number of students: 528

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.6%

African American:

15.3%

Hispanic:

14.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.9%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Highland School of Technology to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland School of Technology ranks better than 99.1% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks first among 11 ranked high schools in the Gaston County Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.57. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Highland School of Technology is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (61.6%), African American (15.3%), Hispanic (14.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 26.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland School of Technology is 13.3, which is the lowest among 12 high schools in the Gaston County Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Highland School of Technology employs 39.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland School of Technology is $10,033, which is the 4^th highest among 11 high schools in the Gaston County Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland School of Technology:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland School of Technology 6^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Highland School of Technology in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Gaston County Schools:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Highland School of Technology.

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Rank History for Highland School of Technology

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Rank History for all students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2006	85.97	11^th	431	97.4%
2007	86.67	10^th	453	97.8%
2008	84.47	8^th	477	98.3%
2009	85.23	11^th	490	97.8%
2010	83.21	4^th	499	99.2%
2011	83.61	6^th	506	98.8%
2012	79.72	4^th	502	99.2%
2013	71.94	39^th	505	92.3%
2014	94.30	2^nd	451	99.6%
2015	91.18	8^th	531	98.5%
2016	91.65	1^st	507	99.8%
2019	97.15	3^rd	514	99.4%
2021	98.28	3^rd	594	99.5%
2022	96.43	11^th	621	98.2%
2024	96.57	6^th	640	99.1%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	99.08	2^nd	446	99.6%
2021	99.68	1^st	432	99.8%
2022	98.80	18^th	544	96.7%
2024	98.74	2^nd	613	99.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	98.07	1^st	475	99.8%
2021	98.12	1^st	475	99.8%
2022	96.26	9^th	594	98.5%
2024	96.05	8^th	602	98.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	80.24	22^nd	325	93.2%
2021	87.09	2^nd	337	99.4%
2023	81.63	9^th	403	97.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	97.45	4^th	488	99.2%
2021	98.42	3^rd	481	99.4%
2022	97.12	10^th	585	98.3%
2023	97.41	3^rd	602	99.5%
2024	97.04	1^st	607	99.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	99.65	1^st	369	99.7%
2021	99.91	1^st	364	99.7%
2022	99.45	4^th	430	99.1%
2023	99.55	1^st	434	99.8%
2024	99.38	1^st	437	99.8%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	99.68	1^st	370	99.7%
2022	98.67	7^th	436	98.4%
2023	98.71	4^th	449	99.1%
2024	98.98	3^rd	454	99.3%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland School of Technology

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2019	96.29	1^st	444	99.8%
2021	97.23	3^rd	439	99.3%
2022	95.01	11^th	534	97.9%
2024	94.87	9^th	553	98.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High 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.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student on FaceBook
Saturday, October 8, 2011

This is the best school that I have seen or went to in my life Close Quote

Enrollment information for Highland School of Technology

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2001	168	63	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	235
2002	349	126	7	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	488
2003	349	126	7	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	488
2004	389	128	9	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	534
2005	395	129	13	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	547
2006	402	121	12	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	550
2007	399	119	11	15	1	n/a	n/a	5	550
2008	415	111	9	16	0	n/a	n/a	4	555
2009	421	118	11	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	568
2010	420	111	13	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	570
2011	413	91	11	31	1	1	13	0	561
2012	405	91	14	33	2	1	16	0	562
2013	416	81	9	32	2	0	21	0	561
2014	402	82	15	33	2	0	25	0	559
2015	398	67	19	38	3	1	29	0	555
2016	400	56	16	45	2	1	30	0	550
2017	392	57	21	55	2	1	29	0	557
2018	394	55	21	49	2	2	31	0	554
2019	377	63	23	59	0	2	26	0	550
2020	378	66	24	57	0	1	27	0	553
2021	368	67	26	66	0	1	27	0	555
2022	339	73	30	70	0	0	21	0	533
2023	323	71	30	72	0	0	18	0	514
2024	325	81	28	78	0	0	16	0	528

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 Highland School of Technology

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	235	20.0	11.8	n/a
2002	488	39.0	12.5	17.6
2003	488	39.0	12.5	17.6
2004	534	45.0	11.9	17.6
2005	547	45.0	12.2	19.7
2006	550	45.0	12.2	20.4
2007	550	45.2	12.2	24.8
2008	555	43.7	12.7	5.4
2009	568	42.4	13.4	7.4
2010	570	41.1	13.8	26.7
2011	561	40.5	13.8	26.7
2012	562	40.3	13.9	27.8
2013	561	40.4	13.8	27.6
2014	559	40.0	13.9	30.2
2015	555	40.0	13.8	30.1
2016	550	40.0	13.7	28
2017	557	40.0	13.9	27.1
2018	554	40.0	13.8	21.5
2019	550	37.8	14.5	24
2020	553	38.8	14.2	24.8
2021	555	37.5	14.7	20.7
2022	533	39.5	13.4	19.9
2023	514	41.0	12.5	28
2024	528	39.4	13.3	26.9

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 Highland School of Technology

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	235	20.0	11.8	n/a
2002	488	39.0	12.5	17.6
2003	488	39.0	12.5	17.6
2004	534	45.0	11.9	17.6
2005	547	45.0	12.2	19.7
2006	550	45.0	12.2	20.4
2007	550	45.2	12.2	24.8
2008	555	43.7	12.7	5.4
2009	568	42.4	13.4	7.4
2010	570	41.1	13.8	26.7
2011	561	40.5	13.8	26.7
2012	562	40.3	13.9	27.8
2013	561	40.4	13.8	27.6
2014	559	40.0	13.9	30.2
2015	555	40.0	13.8	30.1
2016	550	40.0	13.7	28
2017	557	40.0	13.9	27.1
2018	554	40.0	13.8	21.5
2019	550	37.8	14.5	24
2020	553	38.8	14.2	24.8
2021	555	37.5	14.7	20.7
2022	533	39.5	13.4	19.9
2023	514	41.0	12.5	28
2024	528	39.4	13.3	26.9

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 Highland School of Technology

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$715 (7.1%)	$9,318 (92.9%)	$10,033

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland School of Technology

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 3^rd of 514 High schools	Ranks 11^th of 621 High schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course English II (Highland School of Technology)	100	98.5	1.5%
End of Course English II (Gaston County Schools)	59.2	53.6	5.6%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.1	1.6%
End of Course Math III (Highland School of Technology)	98.5	99.3	0.8%
End of Course Math III (Gaston County Schools)	43.5	49.8	6.3%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	53.4	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	550	514	6.5%
African American	63	71	12.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	23	30	30.4%
Hispanic	59	72	22%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	377	323	14.3%
Two or More Races	26	18	30.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	24%	28%	4%

Schools Near Highland School of Technology

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	EOG Mathematics (2024)	EOG Reading (2024)	EOG Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland School of Technology	Public, Magnet	9-12	1600 N Morris Street	Gastonia	28052	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(704) 810-8816	528	39	13.3	26.9%	325 (61.6%)	81 (15.3%)	78 (14.8%)	28 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.0%)	96.6	6^th of 640 public high schools	99.1%					(n/a)		100.0	100.0	100.0				$10,033	$715	$9,318
Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences	Public	9-12	300 Rhodes Perimeter Drive	Dallas	28034	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 923-8480	155	9	17.5	54.8%	73 (47.1%)	29 (18.7%)	28 (18.1%)	11 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.0%)	95.5	23^rd of 640 public high schools	96.4%		96	10^th of 626 public high schools	98.4%	13	91.5	94.7	96.5	100.0
Gaston Early College High School	Public	9-13	201 Hwy 321 South	Dallas	28034	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 922-2405	234	10	23.4	39.3%	133 (56.8%)	32 (13.7%)	48 (20.5%)	8 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.6%)								(n/a)				100.0				$7,351	$466	$6,886
Hunter Huss High	Public	9-12	1518 Edgefield Avenue	Gastonia	28052	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 866-6610	1,134	53	21.2	98.9%	225 (19.8%)	492 (43.4%)	352 (31.0%)	2 (0.2%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	56 (4.9%)	17.8	532^nd of 640 public high schools	16.9%		19.6	510^th of 626 public high schools	18.5%	22	32.1	29.2	34.0	31.0				$9,702	$791	$8,910
Warlick Academy	Public	6-12	1316 Spencer Mountain Road	Gastonia	28054	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(704) 836-9608	153	9	16.4	98.0%	39 (25.5%)	90 (58.8%)	13 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (7.2%)	2	633^rd of 640 public high schools	1.1%					(n/a)	5.9	15.8			6.9	10.3	8.3	$18,894	$2,248	$16,646
North Gaston High	Public	9-12	1133 Ratchford Road	Dallas	28034	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 922-5285	1,083	62	17.5	99.3%	504 (46.5%)	266 (24.6%)	236 (21.8%)	10 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	63 (5.8%)	32.5	424^th of 640 public high schools	33.8%		34.4	401^st of 626 public high schools	35.9%	23	52.3	42.4	33.5	48.4				$8,686	$748	$7,938
Ashbrook High	Public	9-12	2222 S New Hope Road	Gastonia	28054	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 866-6600	1,341	51	26.3	99.4%	287 (21.4%)	576 (43.0%)	377 (28.1%)	20 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	79 (5.9%)	15.5	550^th of 640 public high schools	14.1%		23	495^th of 626 public high schools	20.9%	55	30.2	38.2	22.8	31.8				$8,726	$738	$7,988
Bessemer City High	Public	9-12	119 Yellow Jacket Lane	Bessemer City	28016	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 836-9601	548	32	17.3	99.5%	229 (41.8%)	163 (29.7%)	124 (22.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.3%)	23.9	491^st of 640 public high schools	23.3%		32.2	416^th of 626 public high schools	33.5%	75	31.9	37.2	40.4	40.7				$9,616	$754	$8,862
East Gaston High	Public	9-12	1744 Lane Road	Mount Holly	28120	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 836-9613	908	47	19.1	50.2%	590 (65.0%)	114 (12.6%)	144 (15.9%)	9 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (5.4%)	53.1	281^st of 640 public high schools	56.1%		49.3	294^th of 626 public high schools	53.0%	13	56.9	54.3	56.3	59.5				$10,078	$870	$9,208
Forestview High	Public	9-12	5545 Union Road	Gastonia	28056	Gaston County	Gaston County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 861-2625	1,116	52	21.2	49.2%	551 (49.4%)	249 (22.3%)	230 (20.6%)	25 (2.2%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	57 (5.1%)	47.6	314^th of 640 public high schools	50.9%		46.6	311^th of 626 public high schools	50.3%	3	61.2	54.3	43.5	54.9				$8,409	$693	$7,716

Highland School of Technology

Highland School of Technology:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Gaston County Schools:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Highland School of Technology

Rank History for all students at Highland School of Technology

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland School of Technology

Rank History for Female students at Highland School of Technology

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Highland School of Technology

Rank History for Male students at Highland School of Technology

Rank History for African American students at Highland School of Technology

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland School of Technology

Rank History for White students at Highland School of Technology

Review counts

Enrollment information for Highland School of Technology

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Highland School of Technology

Student/Teacher Ratio Highland School of Technology

Per Pupil Expenditures for Highland School of Technology

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland School of Technology

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Highland School of Technology

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland School of Technology

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