Cherokee County Schools

911 Andrews Road
Murphy, NC 28906-3501
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Cherokee County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 6 public preschools serving 1,620 students in Cherokee County Schools. This district's average pre testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in North Carolina.
Public Preschools in Cherokee County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 50% (versus the North Carolina public pre school average of 51%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 16% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public preschool average of 59% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
13 Schools
994 Schools
# Students
3,104 Students
464,055 Students
# Teachers
236 Teachers
33,275 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Cherokee County Schools, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 47% has decreased from 92% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#164 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
50%
51%
50%
50%
68%
63%
(21-22)
91%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.30
0.72
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
7%
23%
% Black
2%
25%
% White
83%
41%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,951 is higher than the state median of $11,191. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,565 is higher than the state median of $11,616. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$40 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$39 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,951
$11,191
Spending / Student
$12,565
$11,616

Best Cherokee County Schools Public Preschools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Peachtree Elementary School
(Math: 60-69% | Reading: 50-59%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
30 Upper Peachtree Road
Murphy, NC 28906
(828) 837-2479
Gr: PK-5 | 168 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Hiwassee Dam Elementary Middle School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
337 Blue Eagle Circle
Murphy, NC 28906
(828) 644-5115
Gr: PK-8 | 121 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: #33.
Murphy Elementary School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
315 Valley River Avenue
Murphy, NC 28906
(828) 837-2424
Gr: PK-5 | 516 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 16%
Rank: #44.
Ranger Elementary Middle School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
101 Hardy Truett Road
Murphy, NC 28906
(828) 644-5111
Gr: PK-8 | 277 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 9%
Rank: #55.
Martins Creek Elementary/mid
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1459 Tobe Stalcup Road
Murphy, NC 28906
(828) 837-2831
Gr: PK-8 | 190 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: #66.
Andrews Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
205 Jean Christy Ave.
Andrews, NC 28901
(828) 321-4415
Gr: PK-5 | 348 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 27%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 13 schools
  • Grades: PK-13
  • Enrollment: 3,104 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 17%
  • : 91% (Btm 50% in NC)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 50% (Top 50%)
  • : 50% (Btm 50%)
  • : 68% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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