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B

Cherokee County Schools

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 2 towns

Serves Murphy and Andrews.

Murphy’s School Grade B better than 60% of North Carolina school districts

Students
2,992
Schools
13
Spent per student
$14,347
NC $13,045
Students per teacher
15:1
Free or reduced lunch
98%
Debt
$0.1M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Cherokee County Schools

  • Its letter, B: results better than 60% of North Carolina districts
  • Graduation rate 6 pts above the state
  • Spends 10% more per student than the NC average
  • 15 students per teacher
  • Debt of $0.1M, about $43 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B: better than 60% of the 325 North Carolina 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 close to the state, 2021–22
B−
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
B+
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
BMurphy 1,808BAndrews 1,799

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Murphy. Grade by grade →

PK–5Murphy ElementaryThis district
6–83 middle schoolsThis district
9–124 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. NC

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency50%
State average 50.8% · 1,404 students tested
Reading / language arts50%
State average 49.9% · 1,567 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)92%
State average 86.5% · 264 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
$14,347 per student · 10% above NC
Spending
Classroom instruction 59%Support & administration 32%Other 9%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 18%State 62%Federal 20%

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

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

Enrollment over time
2,953’20
2,944’21
3,146’22
3,108’23
2,992’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 83%Hispanic 8%Two or more races 6%Black 2%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

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

Murphy Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Murphy
B
467 students12:1
Andrews Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Andrews
C−
330 students14:1
Ranger Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Murphy
B−
264 students13:1
Peachtree Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Murphy
B
166 students12:1
Martins Creek Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Murphy
C+
137 students15:1
Murphy Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Murphy
B−
353 students15:1
Andrews Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Andrews
C+
167 students13:1
Hiwassee Dam Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Murphy
B+
122 students14:1
The Oaks Academy
High · Grades 6–12 · Murphy
D−
43 students7:1
Murphy High
High · Grades 9–12 · Murphy
B
424 students21:1
Andrews High
High · Grades 9–12 · Andrews
B+
229 students24:1
Tri-County Early College High
High · Grades 9–13 · Murphy
A
153 students18:1
Hiwassee Dam High
High · Grades 9–12 · Murphy
C
137 students16:1

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 North Carolina.