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Cherokee Elementary School

Q: Is Cherokee Elementary School a good school?

Cherokee Elementary School ranks 86 th of 491 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

86^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 491 Arkansas Elementary Schools

Better than 82% of Arkansas elementary schools

Summary

Cherokee Elementary School in Hardy, AR, is a high-performing PK-4 school within the Highland School District, serving 581 students and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the 2025-2026 school year.

Cherokee Elementary stands out for its strong academic performance, consistently outperforming both state and district averages in every core subject. For the 2025-2026 school year, proficiency rates are 59.2% in Mathematics, 56.6% in Science, 54.5% in Reading, and 51.3% in English Language Arts—all well above the state averages. The school has shown a remarkable upward trend, climbing from a low point in the 2022-2023 school year to its highest ranking in recent years, now in the 82nd percentile statewide. With a low student-teacher ratio of 13.1, students benefit from more personalized attention compared to nearby schools like Salem Elementary School (15.6) and Izard County Consolidated Elementary School (15.2).

Interestingly, Cherokee achieves these results despite serving a high-needs population, with a free/reduced lunch rate near 100%. This contrasts with Salem Elementary, which has a lower rate (66.13%) but still rivals Cherokee in some subjects, particularly Mathematics (70.3% vs. 59.2%). Cherokee’s strongest subject is Math, while English Language Arts is a relative area for growth. A notable pattern in the area is a "5th-grade slump" seen at nearby schools like Mammoth Spring Elementary School, where 5th-grade Reading proficiency drops sharply compared to 4th grade. Since Cherokee only goes up to 4th grade, its strong foundation in PK-4 is critical for preparing students for this transition. The school also spends $13,122 per student, higher than the state average, and delivers strong results, suggesting efficient use of resources.

581

Students ?

13.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,122

Per pupil spending ?

111.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

169 Rebel Dr
Hardy, AR 72542

(870) 257-3118

District: Highland School District

Students who attend Cherokee Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Highland Middle School
High:	Highland High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.7%

African American:

1.9%

Two or more races:

1.5%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 55th percentile in 2016 → 82nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Arkansas average (55% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 18% of Arkansas elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 27 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg50%

Arkansas avg42%

86^th of 491

Arkansas public elementary schools ?

Top 18%▲ up 28 pts since 2016

From top 45% (2016) to top 18% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

21^st of 251Highland School District among Arkansas districts

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

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arkansas percentile	Rating
2026	78.9	86 of 491	82.5%	★★★★☆
2025	76.6	100 of 495	79.8%	★★★★☆
2024	73.8	115 of 497	76.9%	★★★★☆
2023	60.5	204 of 492	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	72.8	117 of 487	76.0%	★★★★☆
2021	69.8	141 of 496	71.6%	★★★★☆
2019	66.6	164 of 488	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.0	162 of 480	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	49.2	257 of 485	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	54.8	224 of 494	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	43.7	262 of 466	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	55.7	229 of 471	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2013	69.7	136 of 476	71.4%	★★★★☆
2012	68.4	151 of 468	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2011	76.6	85 of 471	82.0%	★★★★☆
2010	68.5	135 of 457	70.5%	★★★★☆
2009	77.8	77 of 445	82.7%	★★★★☆
2008	79.2	56 of 439	87.2%	★★★★☆
2007	78.9	68 of 440	84.5%	★★★★☆
2006	86.2	28 of 402	93.0%	★★★★★
2005	79.9	52 of 411	87.3%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics59%+15 vs state

Science57%+13 vs state

Reading55%+14 vs state

English Language Arts51%+12 vs state

★

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Schools Near Cherokee Elementary 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)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2026)					ATLAS Reading (2026)					ATLAS Mathematics (2026)					ATLAS Science (2026)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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	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	ATLAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 3rd Grade	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Science 3rd Grade	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cherokee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	169 Rebel Dr	Hardy	72542	Sharp County	Highland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 257-3118	581	44	13.1		550 (94.7%)	11 (1.9%)	7 (1.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.5%)	78.9	86^th of 491 public elementary schools	82.5%		76.6	100^th of 495 public elementary schools	79.8%	14	53.8	49.5			51.3	57.6	52.3			54.5	56.3	61.4			59.2	58.8	55.0			56.6	$13,122	$2,061	$11,061
Mammoth Spring Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	410 Goldsmith Ave	Mammoth Spring	72554	Fulton County	Mammoth Spring School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 625-7213	274	22	12.5	100.0%	266 (97.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	65.9	168^th of 491 public elementary schools	65.8%		58.4	210^th of 495 public elementary schools	57.6%	42	53.9	59.1	33.4	53.2	47.6	57.7	63.7	35.7	53.2	50.0	61.5	40.9	40.5	58.0	49.6	57.7	54.6	40.5	42.0	47.1	$14,996	$2,006	$12,990
Salem Elementary School	Public	K-6	313 Hwy 62 E	Salem	72576	Fulton County	Salem School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 895-2456	434	28	15.6	66.1%	411 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	83.9	57^th of 491 public elementary schools	88.4%		70	141^st of 495 public elementary schools	71.5%	84	46.6	53.8	71.4	50.8	55.9	46.5	53.8	73.0	50.8	56.4	67.3	55.8	85.7	69.8	70.3	62.0	44.3	84.1	61.9	64.0	$10,157	$1,110	$9,047
Izard County Consolidated Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	5555 East Ar 56	Violet Hill	72584	Izard County	Izard County Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 322-7229	286	19	15.2	99.0%	264 (92.3%)	3 (1.0%)	11 (3.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (2.1%)	46.6	274^th of 491 public elementary schools	44.2%		41	304^th of 495 public elementary schools	38.6%	30	30.0	35.7			32.9	30.0	33.3			31.7	40.0	64.3			52.5	47.5	47.6			47.5	$16,602	$2,580	$14,022

Frequently Asked Questions about Cherokee Elementary School

How many students attend Cherokee Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 581 students attended Cherokee Elementary School.

What district is Cherokee Elementary School in?

Highland School District

Is Cherokee Elementary School a good school?

Cherokee Elementary School ranks 86^th of 491 Arkansas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Cherokee Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Cherokee Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Highland Middle School
High : Highland High School

What is the racial makeup of Cherokee Elementary School?

Students at Cherokee Elementary School are 95% White, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

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ARArkansas Elementary School Rankings

ARArkansas District Rankings

Schools in Hardy, AR

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Latest Arkansas data All new data »

2025–26 ATLAS test scoresJul 13, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2019–20 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 6, 2026

2017–18 through 2024–25 dropout ratesJan 6, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary 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.