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Cherokee High School

Q: Is Cherokee High School a good school?

Cherokee High School ranks 225 th of 386 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-12

225^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 386 Alabama High Schools

Better than 42% of Alabama high schools

Summary

Cherokee High School is a small, rural school in Cherokee, AL, serving 206 students in grades 7-12 within the Colbert County district. The school has seen a significant rebound in recent years, climbing from a 1-star rating during the pandemic to a 2-star rating (224th in the state) for 2025-2026, though it still trails nearby Colbert Heights High School (150th) and Muscle Shoals High School (27th).

The most striking feature is a dramatic gender gap: female students rank 73rd in the state (4 stars), while male students rank 357th (0 stars)—a 75-percentage-point difference. This is far more pronounced than at any nearby school. On a positive note, the school boasts exceptional graduation rates, hitting 100% in both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, and 92.1% in 2024-2025, outperforming the district and most neighbors like Sheffield High School (80%). The school also offers very small class sizes (10.3:1 student-teacher ratio) and higher per-student spending ($13,870) than most area schools, which likely supports student success.

However, challenges remain. Chronic absenteeism is nearly double the state average at 23.7%, and math proficiency lags significantly—only 10.71% of 8th graders and 18.75% of 11th graders are proficient, compared to state averages of 26.36% and 27.21%, respectively. Middle school English scores are competitive, but 11th-grade proficiency drops sharply. The school also supports a growing economically disadvantaged population (63.59% free/reduced lunch), and these students rank at the 50th percentile—a bright spot. With targeted work on math and attendance, Cherokee High School shows promise for continued improvement.

206

Students ?

10.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,738

Per pupil spending ?

63.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

850 High School Dr
Cherokee, AL 35616

(256) 359-4434

District: Colbert County

Feeder schools for Cherokee High School:

Elementary:

Cherokee Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.0%

African American:

8.7%

Hispanic:

5.3%

See top rated Alabama high schools

Compare Cherokee High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 20th percentile in 2025 → 42nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 42nd (2026) from a 20th-percentile low (2025)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (30% vs 41% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (24% vs 12% Alabama)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school30%

District avg34%

Alabama avg41%

Middle school

303^rd of 449

Alabama public middle schools ?

Bottom 33%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 39% (2016) to bottom 33% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

225^th of 386

Alabama public high schools ?

Bottom 42%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to bottom 42% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3High Schools in the Colbert County

70^th of 140Colbert County among Alabama districts

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

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	32.9	303 of 449	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	48.7	220 of 439	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	24.4	342 of 442	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.8	330 of 437	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	38.5	270 of 432	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.7	279 of 440	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.3	316 of 437	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.9	261 of 423	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	39.7	265 of 432	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	40.3	262 of 432	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2015	44.3	235 of 430	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	43.6	258 of 438	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	53.7	234 of 436	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	68.3	118 of 436	72.9%	★★★★☆
2011	53.1	221 of 435	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2010	69.5	116 of 435	73.3%	★★★★☆
2009	61.8	145 of 425	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2008	58.9	154 of 417	63.1%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	32.0	300 of 427	29.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	50.8	196 of 415	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	14.4	374 of 426	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.9	270 of 417	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.2	204 of 423	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.4	257 of 415	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	28.8	301 of 399	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	46.8	216 of 392	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	23.8	304 of 380	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	36.2	286 of 438	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	59.5	141 of 428	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	27.6	331 of 437	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.7	276 of 410	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.7	236 of 421	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.0	222 of 415	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.4	229 of 396	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	46.7	217 of 396	45.2%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	33.3	284 of 426	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	45.8	219 of 422	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.7	264 of 428	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	23.9	337 of 419	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	28.7	317 of 427	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.5	300 of 418	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	37.3	261 of 399	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.2	249 of 397	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	62.4	119 of 380	68.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	18.0	319 of 359	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.2	264 of 377	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	15.3	339 of 373	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.8	346 of 370	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	28.1	281 of 376	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	31.0	260 of 369	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.2	296 of 343	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.0	265 of 331	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	41.0	225 of 386	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	19.6	300 of 374	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.5	251 of 378	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.2	276 of 371	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.9	291 of 367	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.9	282 of 371	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	73.9	89 of 366	75.7%	★★★★☆
2018	53.5	170 of 356	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	48.1	159 of 353	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	45.6	178 of 351	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	55.9	134 of 353	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	36.5	233 of 358	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	60.5	133 of 358	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	50.9	211 of 358	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	59.0	156 of 360	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	64.4	122 of 358	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	39.4	255 of 357	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	44.8	232 of 359	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	41.6	237 of 358	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	41.6	255 of 357	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	38.3	268 of 359	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	19.5	330 of 357	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	75.3	74 of 377	80.4%	★★★★☆
2025	23.1	268 of 359	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	34.1	236 of 366	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.7	247 of 358	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.6	264 of 367	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.4	302 of 359	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	64.5	125 of 354	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.5	143 of 347	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	39.1	197 of 343	42.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	45.6	191 of 383	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	25.1	281 of 367	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.7	266 of 375	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.5	306 of 349	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.0	275 of 361	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	53.4	148 of 361	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	93.8	18 of 358	95.0%	★★★★★
2018	51.2	169 of 349	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	21.4	267 of 315	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	11.1	361 of 380	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	13.3	329 of 363	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	35.3	236 of 368	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	21.9	283 of 358	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.8	297 of 366	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	41.7	196 of 366	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	77.8	66 of 357	81.5%	★★★★☆
2018	51.8	171 of 350	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	55.1	130 of 339	61.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	34.3	201 of 320	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	12.5	300 of 325	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	26.8	241 of 325	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.2	286 of 317	9.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.8	303 of 326	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	19.2	275 of 319	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	56.8	120 of 313	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	33.8	203 of 300	32.3%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Middle school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)35th percentile~ school

Male (2026)33rd percentile~ school

Female (2026)30th percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)11th percentile-21 vs school

High school

Female (2026)80th percentile+39 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)50th percentile+8 vs school

White (2026)37th percentile-5 vs school

Male (2026)5th percentile-37 vs school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English40%-11 vs state

Science37%-8 vs state

Mathematics16%-12 vs state

★

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Schools Near Cherokee High School

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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)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2026)				Summative Assessment Science (2026)		Summative Assessment English (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 8th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 11th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Summative Assessment English 7th Grade	Summative Assessment English 8th Grade	Summative Assessment English 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cherokee High School	Public	6-12	850 High School Dr	Cherokee	35616	Colbert County	Colbert County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 359-4434	206	20	10.3	63.6%	169 (82.0%)	18 (8.7%)	11 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.9%)	41	225^th of 386 public high schools	41.7%		19.6	300^th of 374 public high schools	19.8%	75	13.3	21.4	10.7	18.8	46.4	28.1	36.7	47.6	50.0	25.0	$21,738	$3,786	$17,933
Central High School	Public	7-12	3000 County Road 200	Florence	35633	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 764-2903	596	38	15.6	45.1%	537 (90.1%)	23 (3.9%)	25 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.7%)	38.4	237^th of 386 public high schools	38.6%		54	160^th of 374 public high schools	57.2%	77		16.7	50.0	17.0	59.8	22.0		49.0	68.3	29.4	$15,087	$2,595	$12,444
Deshler Career Technical Center	Public	9-12	200 N Commons East	Tuscumbia	35674	Colbert County	Tuscumbia City	No	No	No	No	(256) 389-2910																			(n/a)
Deshler High School	Public	9-12	200 N Commons East	Tuscumbia	35674	Colbert County	Tuscumbia City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 389-2910	488	33	14.8	46.7%	307 (62.9%)	127 (26.0%)	18 (3.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (7.0%)	44.1	203^rd of 386 public high schools	47.4%		69.5	98^th of 374 public high schools	73.8%	105				17.4		31.3				27.0	$14,885	$1,714	$13,096
Sheffield High School	Public	9-12	2800 19th Ave	Sheffield	35660	Colbert County	Sheffield City	No	No	No	No	(256) 383-6052	305	20	15.0	70.8%	134 (43.9%)	115 (37.7%)	26 (8.5%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (8.9%)	33.2	260^th of 386 public high schools	32.6%		17.8	307^th of 374 public high schools	17.9%	47				19.2		23.3				19.2	$18,105	$3,870	$14,228
Florence Learning Center	Public	6-12	610 W College St	Florence	35630	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	No	(256) 768-3022																			(n/a)
Colbert Heights High School	Public	9-12	6825 Woodmont Dr	Tuscumbia	35674	Colbert County	Colbert County	No	No	No	No	(256) 383-7875	467	31	15.0	56.5%	417 (89.3%)	12 (2.6%)	20 (4.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.2%)	55	151^st of 386 public high schools	60.9%		56.7	146^th of 374 public high schools	61.0%	5				16.9		36.6				35.7	$13,088	$2,228	$10,841
Florence High School	Public	10-12	1201 Bradshaw Dr	Florence	35630	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	No	(256) 768-2200	1,101	63	17.5	49.8%	503 (45.7%)	295 (26.8%)	181 (16.4%)	19 (1.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	101 (9.2%)	72.4	94^th of 386 public high schools	75.6%		81.9	55^th of 374 public high schools	85.3%	39				34.8		37.1				39.9	$15,767	$1,647	$13,934
Muscle Shoals High School	Public	9-12	1900 E Avalon Ave	Muscle Shoals	35661	Colbert County	Muscle Shoals City	No	No	No	No	(256) 389-2682	864	44	19.7	33.7%	549 (63.5%)	140 (16.2%)	74 (8.6%)	32 (3.7%)	10 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (6.8%)	91.4	28^th of 386 public high schools	92.7%		78.8	66^th of 374 public high schools	82.4%	38				47.3		55.5				47.0	$12,332	$1,111	$11,183
Muscle Shoals Career Academy	Public	9-12	321 Jim Holland Drive	Muscle Shoals	35661	Colbert County	Muscle Shoals City	No	No	No	No	(256) 389-2660																			(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Cherokee High School

What schools feed into Cherokee High School?

Cherokee High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cherokee Elementary School

How many students attend Cherokee High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 206 students attended Cherokee High School.

What is the racial makeup of Cherokee High School?

Students at Cherokee High School are 82% White, 9% African American, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

What district is Cherokee High School in?

Colbert County

Is Cherokee High School a good school?

Cherokee High School ranks 225^th of 386 Alabama high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Cherokee High School!

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Latest Alabama data All new data »

2019–20 through 2022–23 school spending dataNewOct 6, 2026

2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 27, 2025

2024–25 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2025

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