Best Public Schools in Gaston, IN

Gaston, Indiana is home to two public schools — Wes-Del Elementary School and Wes-Del Middle/Senior High School — both part of the Wes-Del Community Schools district and serving 862 students combined. The elementary school enrolls 427 students in grades K–5, while the high school enrolls 435 students in grades 6–12, meaning it functions as both a middle school and a high school. There are no alternative schools in the area. Both schools serve majority economically disadvantaged populations, with free or reduced lunch above 57% at each, and the district ranks 193 out of 374 Indiana districts, placing it in the 48th percentile with 2 stars.

The two schools have opposite academic strengths. Wes-Del Middle/Senior High School posts a 98.0% graduation rate, above the state's 89.7%, and rebounded in rankings to 171 out of 415 schools (59th percentile, 3 stars) in 2025–2026 after a 2-star year. Its Biology End of Course proficiency rose from 38.33% to 56.25%, and science is 39.34% versus the district's 36.64%. Wes-Del Elementary School is the math standout: 54.31% proficient across all grades versus the district's 38.92%, with 3rd grade math at 75.76% against the state's 51.9%. Its chronic absenteeism of 14.4% is better than the district's 18.0% and the state's 16.7%.

The challenges are equally clear. The high school's math is 24.4%, well below the district's 38.92%, and SAT ERW is 36.36% against the state's 51.9%. Its chronic absenteeism of 21.7% is worse than both district and state and drives the district rate. The elementary school is weaker in ELA, especially 4th grade at 24.29% against the state's 42.2%, and its math proficiency falls from 75.76% in 3rd grade to 55.71% in 4th and 29.51% in 5th. Notably, the high school spends more per student ($13,656 vs. $12,836) with a lower student-teacher ratio (13.5 vs. 15.8), yet shows lower math results and higher absenteeism — a pattern worth noting, not proof of cause.