Summary:
Zip code 35960, serving the Centre, Alabama area, is home to just one public high school, Cherokee County High School, which educates students in grades 9 through 12 with an enrollment of 448 students.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Cherokee County High School is a school of dramatic highs and lows. Its graduation rate is a strong point, hitting 95.1% in the 2024-2025 school year, which beats the state average of 91.5%. The school also showed it can excel academically, particularly in the 2024-2025 year when it outperformed both the Cherokee County district and the state in math (38.53% proficiency vs. 23.71% state) and science (44.44% vs. 32.38% state). However, this performance was not consistent. In the following year (2025-2026), scores dropped sharply across all subjects, with science proficiency falling to just 18.10%—roughly half the state average of 36.17%. This volatility is also reflected in the school’s state ranking, which swung from 138th, up to 54th, and then down to 186th in consecutive years.
Beyond test scores, there are a couple of areas of concern. Chronic absenteeism sits at 17.1%, which is significantly higher than the state’s 12.0% rate, and this can impact learning. The school also serves a notable number of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with 47.77% receiving free or reduced lunch. Despite these challenges, the school’s ability to maintain a high graduation rate suggests it provides solid support for students to stay on track. While the 2025-2026 data showing declines in every subject warrants attention, the school’s demonstrated capacity for high performance in the prior year indicates that it is capable of much more. Parents should view this as a school with strong potential but inconsistent results, making it important to monitor year-to-year changes closely.
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