Is Gate City Charter School for the Arts a good school?

Gate City Charter School for the Arts ranks in the bottom 9.4% of New Hampshire elementary schools.

How many students attend Gate City Charter School for the Arts?

In the 2023-24 school year, 143 students attended Gate City Charter School for the Arts.

What is the racial makeup of Gate City Charter School for the Arts?

Students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts are 78% White, 13% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 1% African American.

Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Summary:

Gate City Charter School for the Arts is an elementary school located in Merrimack, New Hampshire, serving grades K-8 with a total enrollment of 151 students. The school is a public charter school and is part of the Merrimack School District, which is ranked 127 out of 163 districts in New Hampshire and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Gate City Charter School for the Arts has a significantly higher percentage of white students (79.47%) compared to nearby public schools like Broad Street Elementary School (63.45%) and Amherst Street School (43.34%), the school has consistently underperformed in academic assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in mathematics (21%), reading (42%), and science (26%) were all significantly lower than the state averages (41%, 53%, and 36%, respectively). This trend has been consistent over the past few years, despite the school's relatively low student-teacher ratio ranging from 13.7 to 15.5.

The school's performance is further reflected in its ranking, which has consistently placed it in the bottom half of New Hampshire elementary schools, with a ranking between 96 and 212 out of 229 to 244 schools over the past eight school years. The school's rating has also fluctuated between 0 and 3 stars out of 5 from SchoolDigger, suggesting inconsistent and unstable performance. While the school serves a population with a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (23.23% to 29.14%) compared to some nearby schools, this does not appear to be translating into strong academic outcomes for the students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

7 Henry Clay Dr
Merrimack, NH 03054-4847

(603) 943-5273

District: Gate City Charter School For the Arts

SchoolDigger Rank:
212^th of 234 New Hampshire Elementary Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 143

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.6%

Two or more races:

12.6%

Hispanic:

8.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.9%

See top rated New Hampshire elementary schools

Compare Gate City Charter School for the Arts to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gate City Charter School for the Arts ranks worse than 90.6% of elementary schools in New Hampshire. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.6. (See more...)

Compare Details Gate City Charter School for the Arts ranks better than 51.5% of middle schools in New Hampshire. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.29. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (77.6%), two or more races (12.6%), Hispanic (8.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gate City Charter School for the Arts is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Gate City Charter School for the Arts employs 10 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Gate City Charter School for the Arts was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Gate City Charter School for the Arts 63^rd of 130 New Hampshire public middle schools. (See Gate City Charter School for the Arts in the ranking list.)

Gate City Charter School For the Arts:

SchoolDigger ranks Gate City Charter School For the Arts 127^th of 163 New Hampshire school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile
2015	49.72	112^th	206	45.6%
2016	59.74	96^th	244	60.7%
2017	50.78	118^th	229	48.5%
2018	38.24	156^th	231	32.5%
2019	28.26	176^th	231	23.8%
2022	33.79	158^th	233	32.2%
2023	25.18	188^th	237	20.7%
2024	12.60	212^th	234	9.4%

See the entire list of New Hampshire Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	40.53	127^th	190	33.2%
2019	30.19	152^nd	192	20.8%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile
2018	32.93	169^th	227	25.6%
2019	23.90	191^st	229	16.6%
2022	33.90	160^th	229	30.1%
2023	30.06	175^th	233	24.9%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Hampshire Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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Rank History for all middle school students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NH State Percentile
2016	51.56	66^th	134	50.7%
2017	54.96	57^th	125	54.4%
2018	65.55	39^th	131	70.2%
2019	69.49	35^th	128	72.7%
2022	23.80	105^th	130	19.2%
2023	49.02	64^th	134	52.2%
2024	46.29	63^rd	130	51.5%

See the entire list of New Hampshire Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	62.05	36^th	114	68.4%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	68.18	34^th	126	73.0%
2023	59.51	44^th	132	66.7%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Hampshire Department of Education, 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: New Hampshire Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.3)

57%

43%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Terrible place what a waste of time . Do your children a favor and do not send them here ! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Horrible out of control school director husband is board member so nothing will change if the kids speak up abot being bulling they throw out the victims Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, July 20, 2017

We were extremely disappointed in this school!! We have it two years and it wasted our children's time! They left years behind and spent a year catching up. The school lacked consistency, discipline, and academic drive. The students that required special services were not adequately taught and became a distraction to themselves and others. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, February 9, 2017

We are very happy with our first graders progress there. His teachers so far have been great. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Gate City Charter School for the Arts has provided my family the opportunity to attend a school of community, kindness, respect and academic challenges while studying the arts and not losing site of children’s imagination and creativity. We have been traveling 25 minutes (a lot of days longer with traffic) each morning to get to GCCSA for over a year now. I feel it is well worth the travel to come to a school that offers my children the ability to find and excel with their strengths and challenges them to overcome their weaknesses. This school provides an environment that allows teachers to teach to each student’s strengths and moves them academically to keep them engaged as opposed to standard testing and teaching to the lower middle and bottom of the class only. My children are happy to go to school each morning and see what adventure is in store for their classroom. They feel valued by the teachers and staff at GCCSA who are helping to shape them into amazing individuals. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2015	122	0	8	3	0	5	138
2016	150	1	0	4	0	1	156
2017	143	3	3	17	0	8	174
2018	128	1	2	13	1	9	154
2019	127	7	2	13	1	13	163
2020	134	1	3	16	0	10	164
2021	112	3	3	12	1	9	140
2022	119	1	1	16	0	18	155
2023	120	4	0	9	0	18	151
2024	111	2	0	12	0	18	143

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 Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	138	7.0	19.7	13
2016	156	8.0	19.5	16
2017	174	11.0	15.8	29.3
2018	154	9.5	16.2	25.3
2019	163	12.0	13.5	28.8
2020	164	10.0	16.4	29.3
2021	140	10.0	14.0	27.1
2022	155	10.0	15.5	23.2
2023	151	11.0	13.7	29.1
2024	143	10.0	14.3	39.9

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 Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	138	7.0	19.7	13
2016	156	8.0	19.5	16
2017	174	11.0	15.8	29.3
2018	154	9.5	16.2	25.3
2019	163	12.0	13.5	28.8
2020	164	10.0	16.4	29.3
2021	140	10.0	14.0	27.1
2022	155	10.0	15.5	23.2
2023	151	11.0	13.7	29.1
2024	143	10.0	14.3	39.9

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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 176^th of 231 Elementary schools	Ranks 188^th of 237 Elementary schools	3.1%
Ranks 35^th of 128 Middle schools	Ranks 64^th of 134 Middle schools	20.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	22	53	31%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	22	53	31%
3rd Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)	57	52	5%
3rd Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	50	18	32%
3rd Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	50	18	32%
3rd Grade Reading (New Hampshire)	52	46	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	27	25	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	27	25	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)	52	48	4%
4th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	27	44	17%
4th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	27	44	17%
4th Grade Reading (New Hampshire)	55	48	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	12	11	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	12	11	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)	44	39	5%
5th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	59	20	39%
5th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	59	20	39%
5th Grade Reading (New Hampshire)	57	54	3%
5th Grade Science (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	53	25	28%
5th Grade Science (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	53	25	28%
5th Grade Science (New Hampshire)	38	36	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	41	29	12%
6th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	41	23	18%
6th Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)	47	39	8%
6th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	47	62	15%
6th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	47	62	15%
6th Grade Reading (New Hampshire)	56	53	3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	53	27	26%
7th Grade Mathematics (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	53	27	26%
7th Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)	47	39	8%
7th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	76	60	16%
7th Grade Reading (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	76	60	16%
7th Grade Reading (New Hampshire)	56	54	2%
All Grades Mathematics (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	36	23	13%
All Grades Mathematics (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	36	23	13%
All Grades Mathematics (New Hampshire)	48	42	6%
All Grades Reading (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	58	42	16%
All Grades Reading (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	58	42	16%
All Grades Reading (New Hampshire)	56	52	4%
All Grades Science (Gate City Charter School for the Arts)	66	31	35%
All Grades Science (Gate City Charter School For the Arts)	66	31	35%
All Grades Science (New Hampshire)	40	37	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	163	151	7.4%
African American	7	4	42.9%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	13	9	30.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	127	120	5.5%
Two or More Races	13	18	38.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	28.8%	29.1%	0.3%

Schools Near Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NH SAS Mathematics (2024)					NH SAS Reading (2024)					NH SAS 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	NH SAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 4th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 5th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 8th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics All Grades	NH SAS Reading 3rd Grade	NH SAS Reading 4th Grade	NH SAS Reading 5th Grade	NH SAS Reading 8th Grade	NH SAS Reading All Grades	NH SAS Science 5th Grade	NH SAS Science 8th Grade	NH SAS Science All Grades	Total
Gate City Charter School for the Arts	Public, Charter	K-8	7 Henry Clay Dr	Merrimack	03054	Hillsborough County	Gate City Charter School For the Arts	Yes	No	No	Yes	(603) 943-5273	143	10	14.3	39.9%	111 (77.6%)	2 (1.4%)	12 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (12.6%)	12.6	212^th of 234 public elementary schools	9.4%		25.2	188^th of 237 public elementary schools	20.7%	24	23.0	29.0		17.0	21.0	31.0	31.0		67.0	42.0		33.0	26.0
Thorntons Ferry School	Public	PK, KG-4	134 Camp Sargent Rd.	Merrimack	03054	Hillsborough County	Merrimack School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 889-1577	535	41	13.0	9.5%	463 (86.5%)	5 (0.9%)	19 (3.6%)	8 (1.5%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (6.9%)	57.1	97^th of 234 public elementary schools	58.5%		44.3	140^th of 237 public elementary schools	40.9%	43	58.0	40.0			48.0	63.0	51.0			57.0				$17,791
Charlotte Ave Elementary School	Public	K-5	48 Charlotte Ave.	Nashua	03064	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 966-1940	375	32	11.7	25.3%	243 (64.8%)	8 (2.1%)	71 (18.9%)	23 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (8.0%)	50.8	119^th of 234 public elementary schools	49.1%		55	99^th of 237 public elementary schools	58.2%	20	53.0	57.0	43.0		50.0	54.0	49.0	55.0		53.0	28.0		28.0	$14,479
Hills Garrison Elementary School	Public	2-5	190 Derry Rd.	Hudson	03051	Hillsborough County	Hudson School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 881-3930	368	21	17.5	17.4%	282 (76.6%)	7 (1.9%)	30 (8.2%)	13 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (9.5%)	60.6	83^rd of 234 public elementary schools	64.5%		53.1	110^th of 237 public elementary schools	53.6%	27	50.0	54.0	52.0		52.0	55.0	54.0	62.0		57.0	43.0		43.0	$15,984
Griffin Memorial School	Public	PK, KG-4	229 Chs Bancroft Hwy.	Litchfield	03052	Hillsborough County	Litchfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 424-5931	441	33	13.2	11.8%	382 (86.6%)	3 (0.7%)	27 (6.1%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.2%)	68.6	63^rd of 234 public elementary schools	73.1%		59.8	85^th of 237 public elementary schools	64.1%	22	60.0	57.0			59.0	62.0	56.0			59.0				$17,512
Amherst Street School	Public	K-5	71 Amherst St.	Nashua	03064	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 966-1700	286	30	9.4	69.2%	111 (38.8%)	12 (4.2%)	123 (43.0%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (12.6%)	10.5	222^nd of 234 public elementary schools	5.1%		10.2	225^th of 237 public elementary schools	5.1%	3	21.0	13.0	17.0		17.0	33.0	31.0	37.0		34.0				$21,318
Mt. Pleasant School	Public	PK, KG-5	10 Manchester St.	Nashua	03060	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 966-2400	257	29	8.9	73.5%	104 (40.5%)	9 (3.5%)	117 (45.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.1%)	11.9	216^th of 234 public elementary schools	7.7%		16.2	213^th of 237 public elementary schools	10.1%	3	15.0	28.0			15.0	20.0	42.0	25.0		27.0				$16,311
Nashua Title I Preschool	Public	PK	One Concord St	Nashua	03064	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 966-1510	57	4	14.2	26.3%	13 (22.8%)	1 (1.8%)	34 (59.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (15.8%)								(n/a)
Franklin Street School	Public	PK	55 Franklin St	Nashua	03064	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 966-1066	213	14	15.2	35.7%	90 (42.3%)	8 (3.8%)	73 (34.3%)	28 (13.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.6%)								(n/a)
Birch Hill Elementary School	Public	K-5	17 Birch Hill Dr.	Nashua	03063	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 966-1820	316	32	9.8	31.6%	196 (62.0%)	11 (3.5%)	72 (22.8%)	16 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.6%)	55.2	108^th of 234 public elementary schools	53.8%		53.8	107^th of 237 public elementary schools	54.9%	1	68.0	45.0	48.0		52.0	51.0	48.0	58.0		52.0	37.0		37.0	$15,368

Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Gate City Charter School For the Arts:

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Rank History for Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rank History for all elementary school students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rank History for elementary school White students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rank History for Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rank History for all middle school students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rank History for middle school Female students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rank History for middle school White students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Review counts

Enrollment information for Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Student/Teacher Ratio Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Impact of COVID-19 on Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Gate City Charter School for the Arts