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B−

Cherokee Community School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 2 towns

Serves Cherokee and Larrabee.

Cherokee’s School Grade B− better than 54% of Iowa school districts

Students
1,163
Schools
3
Spent per student
$11,678
IA $13,713
Students per teacher
13:1
Free or reduced lunch
45%
Debt
$10M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Cherokee Community School District

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 54% of Iowa districts
  • Spends 15% less per student than the IA average
  • 13 students per teacher
  • Debt of $10M, about $8,590 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 54% of the 326 Iowa school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math above the state, 2021–22
B−
GraduationFour-year graduation above the state, class of 2023
B−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
B−Cherokee 5,122Larrabee 113

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Cherokee. Grade by grade →

PK–4Cherokee Elementary SchoolThis district
5–8Cherokee Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Washington High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. IA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency68%
State average 63.8% · 777 students tested
Reading / language arts72%
State average 69.7% · 778 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90–94%
State average 87.5% · 90 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$11,678 per student · 15% below IA
Spending
Classroom instruction 65%Support & administration 30%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 38%State 55%Federal 7%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
1,162’20
1,189’21
1,200’22
1,217’23
1,163’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 82%Hispanic 12%Two or more races 3%Asian 1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%Black <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

3 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Iowa’s other public schools.

Cherokee Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Cherokee
C−
468 students14:1
Cherokee Middle School
Middle · Grades 5–8 · Cherokee
C+
329 students13:1
Washington High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Cherokee
A−
366 students13:1

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Iowa.