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Ranger Elementary

Q: Is Ranger Elementary a good school?

Ranger Elementary ranks 648 th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

648^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 57% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Ranger Elementary/Middle is a public school serving grades PK-8 in Murphy, North Carolina, with 277 students and a student-teacher ratio of 11.7. The school is part of the Cherokee County Schools district, which is ranked 138 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ranger Elementary/Middle has consistently ranked in the top 15% of North Carolina elementary schools for its percentage of low socioeconomic status students, indicating it serves a very high-need population. The school's academic performance has fluctuated over the years, with its statewide ranking ranging from as high as 325 out of 1,502 schools in 2022-2023 to as low as 955 out of 1,473 in 2018-2019. Ranger Elementary/Middle has notable gaps in performance between male and female students, and its white students consistently perform poorly compared to the state average.

Despite these challenges, Ranger Elementary/Middle has shown signs of improvement in recent years, with its statewide ranking climbing from 955 out of 1,473 in 2018-2019 to 325 out of 1,502 in 2022-2023. The school's students perform relatively well in math and science compared to reading, and the school outperforms the larger Murphy Elementary school in several areas. However, Ranger Elementary/Middle's performance is generally lower than that of the nearby Peachtree Elementary and Hiwassee Dam Elementary/Middle schools, which have higher statewide rankings and better academic outcomes.

264

Students ?

13.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,981

Per pupil spending ?

98.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

101 Hardy Truett Road
Murphy, NC 28906-9806

(828) 644-5111

District: Cherokee County Schools

Students who attend Ranger Elementary usually attend:

High:

Hiwassee Dam High

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.3%

Hispanic:

4.9%

Two or more races:

3.0%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Ranger Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 78th percentile in 2023 → 57th in 2025

Strengths

✓Above the North Carolina median (57th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 78th-percentile peak (2023) to 57th (2025)

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school59%

District avg53%

North Carolina avg57%

648^th of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 43%▲ up 5 pts since 2015

From top 49% (2015) to top 43% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 5Elementary Schools in the Cherokee County Schools

138^th of 242Cherokee County Schools among North Carolina districts

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

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	55.3	648 of 1490	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.0	508 of 1505	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.9	325 of 1502	78.4%	★★★★☆
2022	60.6	579 of 1514	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.4	677 of 1489	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	38.3	955 of 1473	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.3	906 of 1434	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	47.3	799 of 1429	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	55.1	637 of 1425	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	53.1	700 of 1440	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	76.1	297 of 1390	78.6%	★★★★☆
2013	67.6	402 of 1403	71.3%	★★★★☆
2012	57.5	652 of 1388	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2011	69.0	436 of 1381	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2010	71.9	353 of 1363	74.1%	★★★★☆
2009	62.1	567 of 1354	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2008	78.5	212 of 1324	84.0%	★★★★☆
2007	74.6	268 of 1293	79.3%	★★★★☆
2006	81.7	151 of 1276	88.2%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2018	27.6	725 of 897	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	62.1	504 of 1451	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.6	264 of 1455	81.9%	★★★★☆
2023	84.5	163 of 1459	88.8%	★★★★☆
2022	57.1	602 of 1458	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	33.6	934 of 1440	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.1	1038 of 1424	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	42.4	887 of 1405	36.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	77.6	191 of 1437	86.7%	★★★★☆
2024	78.5	173 of 1450	88.1%	★★★★☆
2023	82.0	130 of 1437	91.0%	★★★★★
2021	80.2	149 of 1329	88.8%	★★★★☆
2019	44.7	795 of 1361	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	52.9	620 of 1332	53.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	46.5	786 of 1450	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.9	843 of 1464	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.0	708 of 1461	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.9	597 of 1464	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.0	499 of 1444	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.2	823 of 1430	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.0	879 of 1413	37.8%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	31.8	872 of 1172	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.3	815 of 1166	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	49.1	622 of 1183	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.6	842 of 1194	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.4	933 of 1172	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.8	1093 of 1183	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.1	1123 of 1178	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	58.3	303 of 793	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.6	405 of 784	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.2	517 of 786	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.3	424 of 741	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	59.3	297 of 737	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.5	198 of 691	71.3%	★★★★☆
2017	60.8	269 of 694	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	58.2	289 of 692	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	63.6	243 of 705	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	64.5	193 of 627	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.8	268 of 673	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	70.2	197 of 662	70.2%	★★★★☆
2011	72.8	172 of 648	73.5%	★★★★☆
2010	78.9	102 of 640	84.1%	★★★★☆
2009	86.1	31 of 630	95.1%	★★★★★
2008	88.0	38 of 620	93.9%	★★★★★
2007	81.7	57 of 606	90.6%	★★★★★
2006	78.3	82 of 598	86.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	61.9	253 of 731	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	22.0	600 of 733	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	34.6	450 of 706	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.1	266 of 684	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	79.6	109 of 656	83.4%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	67.9	174 of 743	76.6%	★★★★☆
2023	50.9	332 of 735	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.5	193 of 689	72.0%	★★★★☆
2021	74.6	96 of 633	84.8%	★★★★☆
2019	54.0	270 of 639	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	67.3	151 of 604	75.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	43.4	432 of 751	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.2	433 of 747	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.1	407 of 748	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.7	375 of 711	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.0	306 of 697	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.6	306 of 665	54.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	29.1	499 of 652	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.0	523 of 656	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.4	619 of 658	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	19.9	548 of 632	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.3	459 of 624	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	47.4	327 of 596	45.1%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)87th percentile+30 vs school

Female (2025)65th percentile+9 vs school

Male (2025)46th percentile-11 vs school

White (2025)26th percentile-31 vs school

Disabled (2018)19th percentile-18 vs school

Middle school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)77th percentile+15 vs school

Female (2023)65th percentile+17 vs school

Male (2024)42nd percentile-19 vs school

White (2024)23rd percentile-38 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science79%+17 vs state

Mathematics64%+3 vs state

Reading48%-5 vs state

4.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, September 23, 2011

I have come from a South Florida school system and believe the level of the commitment of the teachers in Ranger Elementary by far exceed what I have experienced raising 4 other children in the south Florida school system. The principal has the spiritual and educational motivation of which I want my little ones to be part of and I hope that the education continues to grow as the teacher continue their own education and pass it on to our children. I only hope the the North Carolina School System allows the teachers the imput they need to press ahead and meet the growning needs of current education. Close Quote

Schools Near Ranger Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)			EOG Reading (2025)			EOG Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ranger Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	101 Hardy Truett Road	Murphy	28906	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 644-5111	264	20	13.3	98.9%	241 (91.3%)	2 (0.8%)	13 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.0%)	55.3	648^th of 1490 public elementary schools	56.5%		64	508^th of 1505 public elementary schools	66.2%	140	55.3	68.3	69.7	38.3	56.1	51.5	78.8	$11,981	$1,248	$10,733
Martins Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1459 Tobe Stalcup Road	Murphy	28906	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 837-2831	137	9	14.6	97.8%	122 (89.1%)	3 (2.2%)	6 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	36.1	979^th of 1490 public elementary schools	34.3%		67.9	444^th of 1505 public elementary schools	70.5%	535	50.0	33.3	50.0	45.0	53.3	54.2	50.0	$14,033	$1,512	$12,522
Murphy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Valley River Avenue	Murphy	28906	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 837-2424	467	39	11.9	99.4%	386 (82.7%)	11 (2.4%)	18 (3.9%)	6 (1.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	42 (9.0%)	52.9	692^nd of 1490 public elementary schools	53.6%		46.1	817^th of 1505 public elementary schools	45.7%	125	61.0	53.7	54.3	44.2	58.2	58.6	68.6	$12,640	$1,376	$11,264
Peachtree Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	30 Upper Peachtree Road	Murphy	28906	Cherokee County	Cherokee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 837-2479	166	14	11.6	97.6%	142 (85.5%)	2 (1.2%)	12 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	81.5	231^st of 1490 public elementary schools	84.5%		71.2	384^th of 1505 public elementary schools	74.5%	153	84.0	70.6	81.0	66.7	47.1	76.2	81.0	$14,802	$1,757	$13,045

Frequently Asked Questions about Ranger Elementary

How many students attend Ranger Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 264 students attended Ranger Elementary.

What district is Ranger Elementary in?

Cherokee County Schools

Is Ranger Elementary a good school?

Ranger Elementary ranks 648^th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Ranger Elementary attend?

Students who attend Ranger Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Hiwassee Dam High

What is the racial makeup of Ranger Elementary?

Students at Ranger Elementary are 91% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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.