Gaston County Schools, North Carolina, elections
| Gaston County Schools |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 9 |
| Students: 30,253 (2023-2024) |
| Schools: 56 (2023-2024) |
| Website: Link |
Gaston County Schools is a school district in North Carolina (Gaston County). During the 2024 school year, 30,253 students attended one of the district's 56 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
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Gaston County Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, At-large
Brenda Eskridge, Tommy Johnson, and Jeff K. Ramsey ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
Brenda Eskridge (Nonpartisan)  | ||
| Tommy Johnson (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Jeff K. Ramsey (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Cherryville Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Cherryville Township
Beverly Lovelace ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Cherryville Township on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Beverly Lovelace (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Crowders Mountain Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Crowders Mountain Township
Brent Moore ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Crowders Mountain Township on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Brent Moore (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
Che'z Adams, Teresa A. Connor, Cheryl Littlejohn, Janna Smith, and Tim Taylor ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Che'z Adams (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Teresa A. Connor (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Cheryl Littlejohn (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Janna Smith (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Tim Taylor (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, At-large
Dot Cherry ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, At-large on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| Dot Cherry (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township
Glenn Bratton and Josh Crisp ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| Glenn Bratton (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Josh Crisp (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
Lee Dedmon ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| Lee Dedmon (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township
A.M. Stephens III ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| A.M. Stephens III (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, South Point Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, South Point Township
Joe Green, Michelle Hughes, Tod Kinlaw, Nate Seedorf, and Lisa Smith ran in the general election for Gaston County Schools, South Point Township on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| Joe Green (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Michelle Hughes (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Tod Kinlaw (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Nate Seedorf (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Lisa Smith (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, At-large
Incumbent Dot Cherry won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, At-large on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Dot Cherry (Nonpartisan) | 97.6 | 48,586 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.4 | 1,217 | ||
| Total votes: 49,803 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township
Steve Hall defeated Helen O'Daly in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Steve Hall (Nonpartisan) | 62.4 | 30,670 |
| Helen O'Daly (Nonpartisan) | 36.6 | 18,024 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 487 | ||
| Total votes: 49,181 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
Incumbent Lee Dedmon defeated Mike Stuart in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Lee Dedmon (Nonpartisan) | 57.8 | 31,904 | |
| Mike Stuart (Nonpartisan) | 41.1 | 22,705 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.1 | 591 | ||
| Total votes: 55,200 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township
Incumbent Kevin Collier won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kevin Collier (Nonpartisan) | 98.7 | 43,564 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.3 | 591 | ||
| Total votes: 44,155 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, South Point Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, South Point Township
Justin Davis defeated Scot Hughes in the general election for Gaston County Schools, South Point Township on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Justin Davis (Nonpartisan) | 62.6 | 29,610 |
| Scot Hughes (Nonpartisan) | 36.5 | 17,263 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 425 | ||
| Total votes: 47,298 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, At-large
Incumbent Jeff Ramsey won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, At-large on November 8, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Jeff Ramsey (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Crowders Mountain Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Crowders Mountain Township
Incumbent David Moore won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Crowders Mountain Township on November 8, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | David Moore (D) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
Incumbent Dot Guthrie won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township on November 8, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Dot Guthrie (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, At-large
Incumbent Dot Cherry and incumbent Chris Howell won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, At-large on November 4, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Dot Cherry (Nonpartisan) | |
| ✔ |  | Chris Howell (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township
Incumbent Catherine Bailey Roberts won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Dallas Township on November 4, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Catherine Bailey Roberts (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township
Incumbent Lee Dedmon won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Gastonia Township on November 4, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Lee Dedmon (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township
General election
General election for Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township
Incumbent Kevin Collier won election in the general election for Gaston County Schools, Riverbend Township on November 4, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Kevin Collier (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
About the district
School board
Gaston County Schools consists of nine members serving four-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Seat | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robbie Lovelace | Cherryville Township | 2028 | |
| Brent Moore | Crowders Mountain Township | 2028 | |
| Janna Smith | Gastonia Township | 2024 | 2028 |
| Jeff Ramsey | 2012 | 2028 | |
| Josh Crisp | Dallas Township | 2026 | |
| Tod Kinlaw | South Point Township | 2026 | |
| A.M. Stephens III | Riverbend Township | 2026 | |
| Dot Cherry | 2014 | 2026 | |
| Lee Dedmon | Gastonia Township | 2014 | 2026 |
Join the conversation about school board politics
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $76,107,000 | $2,533 | 19% |
| Local: | $63,869,000 | $2,126 | 16% |
| State: | $252,537,000 | $8,405 | 64% |
| Total: | $392,513,000 | $13,064 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $356,219,000 | $11,856 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $342,785,000 | $11,409 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $211,896,000 | $7,052 | 59% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $36,399,000 | $1,211 | 10% |
| Administration: | $34,935,000 | $1,162 | 10% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $59,555,000 | $1,982 | 17% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $6,209,000 | $206 | |
| Construction: | $5,975,000 | $198 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $17,000 | $0 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $4,917,000 | $163 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 44 | 65-69 | 25 | 41 | 40-59 | 40 | 54 |
| 2018-2019 | 40 | 65-69 | 23 | 34 | 30-39 | 35 | 47 |
| 2017-2018 | 39 | 65-69 | 24 | 36 | 20-29 | 39 | 45 |
| 2016-2017 | 41 | 70-74 | 24 | 36 | 30-39 | 38 | 48 |
| 2015-2016 | 40 | 70-74 | 23 | 33 | 30-39 | 36 | 47 |
| 2014-2015 | 36 | 65-69 | 18 | 30 | 40-49 | 32 | 43 |
| 2013-2014 | 34 | 65-69 | 16 | 28 | 30-39 | 31 | 41 |
| 2012-2013 | 36 | 60-64 | 20 | 29 | 40-49 | 31 | 42 |
| 2011-2012 | 80 | 90-94 | 67 | 78 | 80-89 | 79 | 84 |
| 2010-2011 | 81 | 90-94 | 66 | 77 | 80-89 | 80 | 85 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 42 | 55-59 | 26 | 33 | 40-59 | 40 | 52 |
| 2018-2019 | 41 | 60-64 | 25 | 30 | 40-49 | 41 | 50 |
| 2017-2018 | 42 | 60-64 | 26 | 32 | 40-49 | 42 | 50 |
| 2016-2017 | 40 | 55-59 | 23 | 29 | 40-49 | 39 | 48 |
| 2015-2016 | 41 | 55-59 | 24 | 29 | 30-39 | 36 | 49 |
| 2014-2015 | 40 | 55-59 | 22 | 29 | 50-59 | 37 | 47 |
| 2013-2014 | 40 | 55-59 | 22 | 27 | 40-49 | 39 | 47 |
| 2012-2013 | 40 | 55-59 | 23 | 28 | 40-49 | 36 | 48 |
| 2011-2012 | 71 | 75-79 | 55 | 61 | 60-69 | 70 | 78 |
| 2010-2011 | 69 | 75-79 | 51 | 60 | 60-69 | 71 | 75 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 88 | >=90 | 89 | 85-89 | >=50 | 85-89 | 88 |
| 2018-2019 | 85 | >=90 | 83 | 89 | >=50 | 80-84 | 85 |
| 2017-2018 | 86 | >=90 | 85 | 80-84 | >=50 | 85-89 | 86 |
| 2016-2017 | 88 | >=90 | 87 | 80-84 | PS | 80-84 | 90 |
| 2015-2016 | 88 | >=90 | 86 | 85-89 | >=50 | 85-89 | 89 |
| 2014-2015 | 86 | >=90 | 87 | 85-89 | PS | 85-89 | 86 |
| 2013-2014 | 84 | >=80 | 83 | 75-79 | <50 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2012-2013 | 81 | >=90 | 79 | 80-84 | PS | 80-89 | 82 |
| 2011-2012 | 78 | >=90 | 78 | 75-79 | >=50 | 70-79 | 78 |
| 2010-2011 | 75 | 80-89 | 72 | 80-84 | PS | 60-69 | 76 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 30,253 | -0.1 |
| 2022-2023 | 30,281 | 0.8 |
| 2021-2022 | 30,045 | 0.9 |
| 2020-2021 | 29,777 | -4.8 |
| 2019-2020 | 31,193 | -0.9 |
| 2018-2019 | 31,487 | -1.7 |
| 2017-2018 | 32,022 | 0.0 |
| 2016-2017 | 32,030 | -0.2 |
| 2015-2016 | 32,091 | 0.4 |
| 2014-2015 | 31,954 | 2.2 |
| 2013-2014 | 31,256 | -1.8 |
| 2012-2013 | 31,804 | 0.3 |
| 2011-2012 | 31,696 | -2.0 |
| 2010-2011 | 32,326 | -0.1 |
| 2009-2010 | 32,351 | -1.4 |
| 2008-2009 | 32,809 | 1.9 |
| 2007-2008 | 32,182 | -1.9 |
| 2006-2007 | 32,800 | 0.9 |
| 2005-2006 | 32,498 | 1.2 |
| 2004-2005 | 32,112 | 2.6 |
| 2003-2004 | 31,288 | 0.1 |
| 2002-2003 | 31,258 | 0.9 |
| 2001-2002 | 30,973 | 1.2 |
| 2000-2001 | 30,603 | -0.2 |
| 1999-2000 | 30,661 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Gaston County Schools (%) | North Carolina K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.2 | 1.0 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.7 | 4.2 |
| Black | 24.5 | 24.5 |
| Hispanic | 20.5 | 21.2 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 6.2 | 6.0 |
| White | 46.9 | 43.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Gaston County Schools had 1,834.27 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 16.49.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 30.49 |
| Kindergarten: | 127.94 |
| Elementary: | 1,090.03 |
| Secondary: | 574.25 |
| Total: | 1,834.27 |
Gaston County Schools employed 21.10 district administrators and 110.59 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 21.10 |
| District Administrative Support: | 123.27 |
| School Administrators: | 110.59 |
| School Administrative Support: | 143.22 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 417.52 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 13.49 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 100.93 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 41.56 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 57.37 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 49.50 |
| Library/Media Support: | 1.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 231.32 |
| Other Support Services: | 799.79 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
About school boards
Education legislation in North Carolina
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
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