KIPP Gaston College Preparatory

As an expansive combined-grade school in Gaston, North Carolina, KIPP Gaston College Preparatory works with 1,143 students from grades K through 12, operated by KIPP Gaston College Preparatory. Enrollment runs roughly 56% larger than the state mean of about 731.

KIPP Gaston College Preparatory is the operating authority for KIPP Gaston College Preparatory, handling staffing, calendars, and reporting to the state department of education.

In terms of who attends, KIPP Gaston College Preparatory shows that 82% of students identify as Black, making the school strongly Black-majority. The remainder breaks down as 8% Hispanic, 4% White, 4% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 55% Black, putting the school's mix visibly more Black than the area baseline.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, KIPP Gaston College Preparatory has 75 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.3:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 16.1:1 average. An estimated 99% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

Around the school, census data for Northampton County shows the typical household earns roughly $50,086 per year, about 18% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 16% of residents live below the federal poverty line. KIPP Gaston College Preparatory is one of 6 public schools in Northampton County (combined enrollment of about 2,246 students).

Gaston STEM Leadership Academy is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.6 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 7 other public schools.

The campus sits in a small-town setting. KIPP Gaston College Preparatory operates as a public charter school, meaning it is publicly funded but governed independently of the surrounding district's traditional schools.

Trend over the last 7 years. KIPP Gaston College Preparatory's enrollment has ticked down 8% since 2018, when it stood at 1,236 (now 1,143). White enrollment moved from 12% to 4% across the same window. Class-load math has widened: from 14.0:1 in 2018 to 15.3:1 in 2025.

On the community side, members of the KIPP Gaston College Preparatory community share and discuss open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.