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Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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

Gate City Charter School for the Arts ranks in the bottom 12.2% of New Hampshire elementary schools.

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

In the 2024-25 school year, 160 students attended Gate City Charter School for the Arts.

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

Students at Gate City Charter School for the Arts are 82% White, 8% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Public, Charter Grades K-8

202^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 230 New Hampshire Elementary Schools

Better than 12% of New Hampshire elementary schools

Summary

Gate City Charter School for the Arts is a small public charter school in Merrimack, NH, serving about 160 students in grades K–8 through an arts-centered program. Its K–8 structure is unusual locally, since most nearby public schools serve only elementary grades. The school’s small enrollment is spread across nine grade levels, which can lead to smaller grade cohorts and year-to-year results that vary more than those at larger schools.

Academically, Gate City currently performs below the state and most nearby schools. In 2025–26, 27% of students were proficient in math and 39% in reading, compared with statewide rates of 44% and 55%. Its ranking was in the 12th percentile statewide, although this was an improvement from the previous two years. Results differ significantly by grade: fifth grade reported 0% math proficiency and 13% reading proficiency, while eighth-grade reading reached 56%, above the state average. The latest results also showed improvement from the prior year in both math and reading, but the school’s longer-term ranking remains well below its 2015–16 position.

Nearby comparisons provide useful context. Thorntons Ferry School in Merrimack reported 52% proficiency in both math and reading, while Griffin Memorial School reported 71% in both subjects. Gate City performed better than some lower-ranked Nashua schools, including Ledge Street School, Mt. Pleasant School, and Amherst Street School, but trailed most other nearby comparisons. Parents may also want to note that its student-teacher ratio rose to 16:1, higher than nearby full elementary schools. Overall, the key questions are whether recent gains can continue and how the school plans to address especially weak fifth-grade and middle-school math results while maintaining its arts-focused identity.

160

Students ?

16.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

30.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

7 Henry Clay Dr
Merrimack, NH 03054-4847

(603) 943-5273

District: Gate City Charter School For the Arts

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.9%

Hispanic:

7.5%

Two or more races:

7.5%

See top rated New Hampshire elementary schools

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

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 46th percentile in 2015 → 12th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the New Hampshire average (33% vs 46% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (12th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 34 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school33%

District avg33%

New Hampshire avg46%

Elementary school

202^nd of 230

New Hampshire public elementary schools ?

Bottom 12%▼ down 48 pts since 2016

From top 39% (2016) to bottom 12% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of New Hampshire Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

101^st of 138

New Hampshire public middle schools ?

Bottom 27%▼ down 24 pts since 2016

From top 49% (2016) to bottom 27% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of New Hampshire Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

145^th of 166Gate City Charter School For the Arts among New Hampshire districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	19.3	202 of 230	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.6	211 of 223	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.6	212 of 234	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.2	188 of 237	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.8	158 of 233	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	28.3	176 of 231	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.2	156 of 231	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	50.8	118 of 229	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	59.7	96 of 244	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	49.7	112 of 206	45.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2019	30.2	152 of 192	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.5	127 of 190	33.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	17.0	207 of 229	9.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	10.3	213 of 222	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	30.1	175 of 233	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.9	160 of 229	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.9	191 of 229	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.9	169 of 227	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	28.8	101 of 138	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	6.7	128 of 133	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	46.3	63 of 130	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.0	64 of 134	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	23.8	105 of 130	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	69.5	35 of 128	72.7%	★★★★☆
2018	65.5	39 of 131	70.2%	★★★★☆
2017	55.0	57 of 125	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	51.6	66 of 134	50.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2019	62.0	36 of 114	68.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	29.4	99 of 136	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	59.5	44 of 132	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	68.2	34 of 126	73.0%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Female (2019)21st percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)10th percentile-3 vs school

Middle school

Female (2019)68th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)27th percentile~ school

By subject vs New Hampshire (2025-2026) ?

Reading39%-16 vs state

Mathematics27%-17 vs state

3.3

7 ratings · 5 written reviews

5★4

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★3

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What people are saying

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

Schools Near Gate City Charter School for the Arts

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NH SAS Mathematics (2026)							NH SAS Reading (2026)							NH SAS Science (2026)		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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NH SAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 4th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 5th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 6th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 7th 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 6th Grade	NH SAS Reading 7th Grade	NH SAS Reading 8th Grade	NH SAS Reading All Grades	NH SAS Science 5th 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	160	10	16.0	30.6%	131 (81.9%)	5 (3.1%)	12 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (7.5%)	19.3	202^nd of 230 public elementary schools	12.2%		11.6	211^th of 223 public elementary schools	5.4%	9	46.0	39.0	0.0	20.0	33.0	29.0	27.0	23.0	50.0	13.0	43.0	42.0	56.0	39.0	531.0	< 10%
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	504	42	12.1	12.3%	432 (85.7%)	3 (0.6%)	26 (5.2%)	6 (1.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.9%)	49.3	121^st of 230 public elementary schools	47.4%		49.5	117^th of 223 public elementary schools	47.5%	4	54.0	49.0					52.0	53.0	50.0					52.0			$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	362	31	11.6	27.1%	219 (60.5%)	7 (1.9%)	80 (22.1%)	23 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (9.1%)	56	101^st of 230 public elementary schools	56.1%		60.2	87^th of 223 public elementary schools	61.0%	14	48.0	60.0	43.0				51.0	50.0	65.0	70.0				61.0	33.0	33.0	$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	354	32	11.0	16.4%	280 (79.1%)	6 (1.7%)	26 (7.3%)	10 (2.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (8.8%)	55.1	103^rd of 230 public elementary schools	55.2%		49.7	115^th of 223 public elementary schools	48.4%	12	55.0	51.0	38.0				47.0	62.0	52.0	66.0				60.0	39.0	39.0	$15,984
Griffin Memorial School	Public	PK, KG-4	229 Charles Bancroft Hwy	Litchfield	03052	Hillsborough County	Litchfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 424-5931	428	35	12.0	14.3%	376 (87.9%)	2 (0.5%)	26 (6.1%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.4%)	85.4	25^th of 230 public elementary schools	89.1%		70.9	50^th of 223 public elementary schools	77.6%	25	70.0	71.0					71.0	72.0	70.0					71.0			$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	290	22	13.3	66.6%	107 (36.9%)	14 (4.8%)	130 (44.8%)	6 (2.1%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (10.3%)	9.6	223^rd of 230 public elementary schools	3.0%		9.6	216^th of 223 public elementary schools	3.1%	7	18.0	409.0	21.0				15.0	31.0	21.0	43.0				31.0	21.0	21.0	$21,318
Mt. Pleasant School	Public	K-5	10 Manchester St.	Nashua	03060	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 966-2400	250	25	9.9	68.0%	101 (40.4%)	7 (2.8%)	110 (44.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (12.0%)	10	222^nd of 230 public elementary schools	3.5%		6.5	220^th of 223 public elementary schools	1.3%	2	21.0	19.0	16.0				19.0	33.0	42.0	28.0				34.0	18.0	18.0	$16,311
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	332	26	12.7	33.7%	198 (59.6%)	11 (3.3%)	68 (20.5%)	20 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (10.5%)	30	170^th of 230 public elementary schools	26.1%		53.4	104^th of 223 public elementary schools	53.4%	66	37.0	59.0	25.0				41.0	27.0	58.0	40.0				41.0	28.0	28.0	$15,368
Ledge Street School	Public	K-5	139 Ledge St.	Nashua	03060	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 966-2120	454	41	10.9	72.9%	139 (30.6%)	13 (2.9%)	243 (53.5%)	11 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (10.6%)	6.7	226^th of 230 public elementary schools	1.7%		6.6	219^th of 223 public elementary schools	1.8%	7	20.0	16.0	27.0				21.0	17.0	27.0	28.0				24.0	17.0	17.0	$15,198
Broad Street Elementary School	Public	K-5	390 Broad St.	Nashua	03063	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 966-1880	256	21	12.1	27.3%	151 (59.0%)	8 (3.1%)	51 (19.9%)	15 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (12.1%)	54.8	106^th of 230 public elementary schools	53.9%		51.7	109^th of 223 public elementary schools	51.1%	3	54.0	56.0	51.0				54.0	48.0	45.0	74.0				56.0	38.0	38.0	$21,295

Frequently Asked Questions about Gate City Charter School for the Arts

What district is Gate City Charter School for the Arts in?

Gate City Charter School For the Arts

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

In the 2024-25 school year, 160 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 82% White, 8% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% African American.

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

Gate City Charter School for the Arts ranks in the bottom 12.2% of New Hampshire elementary schools.

Rate Gate City Charter School for the Arts!

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Latest New Hampshire data All new data »

2025–26 NH SAS & SAT test scoresSep 7, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 12, 2025

2024–25 NH SAS & SAT test scoresSep 6, 2025

2015–16 through 2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesJul 30, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Hampshire Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.