Schools in Zip Code 35616

Zip code 35616, serving the Cherokee, AL area, is home to two public schools—Cherokee Elementary School (grades PK-6) and Cherokee High School (grades 7-12)—which together form a single K-12 pipeline within the Colbert County school district, a system ranked 72nd out of 139 districts in Alabama.

For parents, the most striking finding is the stark contrast between the two schools. Cherokee Elementary School is the clear standout, with exceptional math performance—5th-grade math proficiency hit 70.59% in 2025-2026, nearly double the state average—and strong English scores. Its state ranking has also improved significantly over the past few years, climbing from the 55th to the 71st percentile before settling at the 62nd. In contrast, Cherokee High School struggles academically, particularly in math, where 11th-grade proficiency was just 3.57% in 2024-2025 (improving to 18.75% but still below the state's 27.21%). The high school's overall ranking has been volatile, though it did jump from the 20th to the 41st percentile recently. Both schools serve a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (over 63% qualify for free/reduced lunch), yet the elementary school is outperforming state averages while the high school lags behind.

Other key metrics reveal additional complexities. Cherokee High School has a chronic absenteeism rate of 23.7%—nearly double the state average—yet still boasts a strong 92.1% graduation rate, suggesting students may be graduating despite missing significant school days. The high school also spends more per student ($13,870 vs. $11,764) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (10.3:1 vs. 15.1:1) than the elementary school, yet its outcomes are worse, raising questions about resource allocation. For parents, this means the elementary years are a clear bright spot, but the transition to high school may present challenges that require close monitoring and support.