Total enrollment
2,992
+39 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
13 schools in Cherokee County Schools
North Carolina · 2,992 students · 2 cities
Cherokee County Schools's public schools total 13 across the district, with enrollment of about 2,992 and an average school size near 230.
4-year change in Cherokee County Schools
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
13
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Cherokee County Schools ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In North Carolina | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 54.3% | #38 of 112 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,992 | #81 of 116 | #3,226 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 13 | #57 of 116 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.8:1 | #28 of 116 | #5,245 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 98.2% | #60 of 114 | #416 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 30.3% | #106 of 111 | #4,794 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Inside Cherokee County Schools
State test results across the district's 12 scored schools run from Tri-County Early College High at 74.0% proficient to Andrews High at 39.5%, a gap of 34.5 points. That is the 71st widest gap among 104 North Carolina districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 13 district schools that reported both years went from 3,348 to 2,992 students (down 11%) and from 261 to 203 full-time teachers (down 22%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy Elementary | Murphy | Elementary | PK-05 | 467 |
| Murphy High | Murphy | High | 09-12 | 424 |
| Murphy Middle | Murphy | Middle | 06-08 | 353 |
| Andrews Elementary | Andrews | Elementary | PK-05 | 330 |
| Ranger Elementary | Murphy | Elementary | PK-05 | 264 |
| Andrews High | Andrews | High | 09-12 | 229 |
| Andrews Middle | Andrews | Middle | 06-08 | 167 |
| Peachtree Elementary | Murphy | Elementary | PK-05 | 166 |
| Tri-County Early College High | Murphy | High | 09-13 | 153 |
| Hiwassee Dam High | Murphy | High | 09-12 | 137 |
| Martins Creek Elementary | Murphy | Elementary | PK-05 | 137 |
| Hiwassee Dam Middle | Murphy | Middle | 06-08 | 122 |
| The Oaks Academy | Murphy | High | 06-12 | 43 |
About Cherokee County Schools
Cherokee County Schools is a small public-school district in North Carolina. The district runs 13 schools and enrolls approximately 2,992 students.
In terms of grade levels, Cherokee County Schools is made up of 5 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools.
On a per-school basis, Cherokee County Schools runs about 230 students per school, 60% noticeably below the state mean of roughly 571.
Looking at the last 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in Cherokee County Schools has held roughly steady since SY 2020-21, moving from about 2,953 students to 2,992.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Cherokee County Schools discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.