Is Cherokee Elementary School a good school?

Cherokee Elementary School ranks 306 th of 684 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Cherokee Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 228 students attended Cherokee Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Cherokee Elementary School?

Students at Cherokee Elementary School are 83% White, 7% African American, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Cherokee Elementary School attend?

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

Cherokee Elementary School

Summary:

Cherokee Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 228 students in grades PK-6 in Cherokee, Alabama, which is part of the Colbert County school district. The school faces several challenges, including below-average academic performance, declining test scores, and racial disparities in student achievement.

Cherokee Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of white students (83.33%) compared to the state average, with lower percentages of African American (7.02%) and Hispanic (5.26%) students. Academically, the school's performance on standardized tests is generally below the Colbert County and Alabama state averages across grade levels and subject areas. For example, the school's 3rd grade math proficiency rate was 34.48%, compared to 41.8% for Colbert County and 42.16% for the state. The school's statewide ranking has consistently been in the bottom half of Alabama elementary schools, ranking between 306 and 518 out of 680-695 schools.

When compared to other nearby schools, such as New Bethel Elementary, which is also in Colbert County, Cherokee Elementary generally underperforms academically. The school's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (45.61% in 2022-2023) suggests that socioeconomic factors may be playing a role in the school's academic performance. Additionally, the significant differences in academic performance between white students and their African American and Hispanic peers at Cherokee Elementary are concerning and warrant further investigation.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

1305 North Pike
Cherokee, AL 35616-7028

(256) 359-6422

District: Colbert County

SchoolDigger Rank:
306^th of 684 Alabama Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,764

Students who attend Cherokee Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Cherokee High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.6

Number of students: 228

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.3%

African American:

7.0%

Hispanic:

5.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 45.6%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare Cherokee Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Cherokee Elementary School ranks better than 55.3% of elementary schools in Alabama. It also ranks 3^rd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Colbert County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.83. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (83.3%), African American (7%), Hispanic (5.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 45.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cherokee Elementary School is 11.6, which is the lowest among 5 elementary schools in the Colbert County School District! (See more...)

Compare Cherokee Elementary School employs 19.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cherokee Elementary School is $11,764. 2 elementary schools in the Colbert County School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cherokee Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cherokee Elementary School 306^th of 684 Alabama public elementary schools. (See Cherokee Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Colbert County:

SchoolDigger ranks Colbert County 84^th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Cherokee Elementary School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Cherokee Elementary School?

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Rank History for Cherokee Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Cherokee Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2005	46.30	408^th	688	40.7%
2006	69.53	163^rd	689	76.3%
2007	41.92	466^th	698	33.2%
2008	55.62	321^st	698	54.0%
2009	44.29	441^st	696	36.6%
2010	49.43	423^rd	704	39.9%
2011	57.95	347^th	709	51.1%
2012	66.63	232^nd	696	66.7%
2013	65.48	242^nd	696	65.2%
2014	51.90	339^th	695	51.2%
2015	28.64	518^th	691	25.0%
2016	32.78	484^th	691	30.0%
2017	35.43	461^st	688	33.0%
2018	47.33	395^th	680	41.9%
2019	38.58	442^nd	681	35.1%
2021	26.54	501^st	692	27.6%
2022	33.69	458^th	687	33.3%
2023	40.36	416^th	680	38.8%
2024	55.83	306^th	684	55.3%

See the entire list of Alabama Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cherokee Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	36.63	388^th	567	31.6%
2018	51.54	335^th	651	48.5%
2019	40.92	403^rd	649	37.9%
2021	27.23	483^rd	653	26.0%
2022	34.28	440^th	651	32.4%
2023	40.83	379^th	623	39.2%
2024	62.16	251^st	670	62.5%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cherokee Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	31.93	467^th	639	26.9%
2018	47.31	362^nd	640	43.4%
2019	50.40	331^st	646	48.8%
2021	20.23	529^th	656	19.4%
2022	27.61	474^th	656	27.7%
2023	42.02	377^th	645	41.6%
2024	48.83	338^th	650	48.0%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cherokee Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	39.88	406^th	639	36.5%
2018	48.53	365^th	650	43.8%
2019	31.51	462^nd	650	28.9%
2021	33.86	447^th	669	33.2%
2022	39.56	402^nd	669	39.9%
2023	38.20	411^th	649	36.7%
2024	61.94	247^th	655	62.3%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Cherokee Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2018	31.19	386^th	508	24.0%
2019	31.41	389^th	529	26.5%
2021	17.54	484^th	539	10.2%
2022	20.39	475^th	540	12.0%
2023	23.16	439^th	528	16.9%
2024	40.97	331^st	535	38.1%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.7)

67%

33%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Aside from the lack of education, they also treat the school as if it were private. They still practice corporal punishment and are only decent to the children of employees or top donors. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Cherokee Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	362	362
1989	287	59	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	347
1990	285	62	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	352
1991	298	58	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	360
1992	289	65	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	359
1993	294	73	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	370
1994	264	69	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	341
1995	261	53	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	318
1996	261	53	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	318
1997	278	57	2	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	343
1998	263	45	1	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	314
1999	268	47	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	321
2000	268	46	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	319
2001	270	45	0	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	320
2002	264	32	0	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	302
2003	264	32	0	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	302
2004	274	28	0	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	308
2005	274	19	0	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	303
2006	257	23	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	285
2007	250	18	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	272
2008	312	17	0	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	340
2009	335	21	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	367
2010	325	29	1	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	364
2011	323	24	0	10	1	0	3	0	361
2012	305	34	0	8	0	0	5	0	352
2013	293	29	0	7	0	0	8	0	337
2014	295	34	0	7	0	0	14	0	350
2015	287	32	0	8	0	0	14	0	341
2016	283	31	1	10	2	0	12	0	339
2017	273	31	1	8	0	0	12	0	325
2018	276	30	0	10	0	0	18	0	334
2019	254	25	1	14	1	0	13	0	308
2020	260	21	1	13	0	0	14	0	309
2021	236	19	1	11	0	0	8	0	275
2022	218	18	1	13	2	0	8	0	260
2023	190	16	1	12	0	0	9	0	228

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cherokee Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	362	19.0	19.0	0
1989	347	19.0	18.2	n/a
1990	352	19.0	18.5	0
1991	360	21.0	17.1	n/a
1992	359	19.0	18.8	n/a
1993	370	19.0	19.5	n/a
1994	341	20.5	16.6	n/a
1995	318	20.1	15.8	n/a
1996	318	20.1	15.8	n/a
1997	343	22.0	15.6	42.6
1998	314	21.0	15.0	44.3
1999	321	22.0	14.6	60.4
2000	319	22.0	14.5	57.4
2001	320	22.0	14.5	55.3
2002	302	21.0	14.4	57.6
2003	302	21.0	14.4	57.6
2004	308	25.5	12.1	59.1
2005	303	22.0	13.8	57.1
2006	285	21.0	13.6	64.6
2007	272	19.5	13.9	63.6
2008	340	24.9	13.7	62.9
2009	367	25.1	14.4	57.5
2010	364	23.5	15.4	61.8
2011	361	25.5	14.1	65.9
2012	352	23.5	14.9	73
2013	337	28.5	11.8	65.3
2014	350	25.5	13.7	71.4
2015	341	23.0	14.8	68.3
2016	339	21.0	16.1	68.1
2017	325	21.4	15.1	76.6
2018	334	20.0	16.7	65.9
2019	308	19.0	16.2	71.4
2020	309	19.0	16.2	72.2
2021	275	18.3	14.9	75.3
2022	260	17.5	14.8	n/a
2023	228	19.5	11.6	45.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Cherokee Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	362	19.0	19.0	0
1989	347	19.0	18.2	n/a
1990	352	19.0	18.5	0
1991	360	21.0	17.1	n/a
1992	359	19.0	18.8	n/a
1993	370	19.0	19.5	n/a
1994	341	20.5	16.6	n/a
1995	318	20.1	15.8	n/a
1996	318	20.1	15.8	n/a
1997	343	22.0	15.6	42.6
1998	314	21.0	15.0	44.3
1999	321	22.0	14.6	60.4
2000	319	22.0	14.5	57.4
2001	320	22.0	14.5	55.3
2002	302	21.0	14.4	57.6
2003	302	21.0	14.4	57.6
2004	308	25.5	12.1	59.1
2005	303	22.0	13.8	57.1
2006	285	21.0	13.6	64.6
2007	272	19.5	13.9	63.6
2008	340	24.9	13.7	62.9
2009	367	25.1	14.4	57.5
2010	364	23.5	15.4	61.8
2011	361	25.5	14.1	65.9
2012	352	23.5	14.9	73
2013	337	28.5	11.8	65.3
2014	350	25.5	13.7	71.4
2015	341	23.0	14.8	68.3
2016	339	21.0	16.1	68.1
2017	325	21.4	15.1	76.6
2018	334	20.0	16.7	65.9
2019	308	19.0	16.2	71.4
2020	309	19.0	16.2	72.2
2021	275	18.3	14.9	75.3
2022	260	17.5	14.8	n/a
2023	228	19.5	11.6	45.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cherokee Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,605 (22.1%)	$9,160 (77.9%)	$11,764

Data source: Alabama Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cherokee Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 442^nd of 681 Elementary schools	Ranks 416^th of 680 Elementary schools	3.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cherokee Elementary School)	39.5	20	19.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Colbert County)	46.1	41.4	4.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	57.5	43.6	13.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cherokee Elementary School)	55.8	44.2	11.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Colbert County)	39.8	47.4	7.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	47.3	34.9	12.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cherokee Elementary School)	34.3	42.3	8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Colbert County)	38.5	44.3	5.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	44.9	33.9	10.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Cherokee Elementary School)	21.4	5.4	16%
6th Grade Mathematics (Colbert County)	38.7	17.9	20.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	45.3	30.8	14.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	308	228	26%
African American	25	16	36%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	14	12	14.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	254	190	25.2%
Two or More Races	13	9	30.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	71.4%	45.6%	25.8%

Schools Near Cherokee Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2024)				Summative Assessment Science (2024)	Summative Assessment English (2024)				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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cherokee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1305 North Pike	Cherokee	35616	Colbert County	Colbert County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 359-6422	228	20	11.6	45.6%	190 (83.3%)	16 (7.0%)	12 (5.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.9%)	55.8	306^th of 684 public elementary schools	55.3%		40.4	416^th of 680 public elementary schools	38.8%	110	34.5	40.7	63.4	25.0	48.2	62.1	55.6	56.1	54.2	$11,764	$2,605	$9,160
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3000 County Road 200	Florence	35633	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(256) 764-2903	714	39	18.1	63.0%	640 (89.6%)	32 (4.5%)	21 (2.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.5%)	64.3	226^th of 684 public elementary schools	67.0%					(n/a)	65.4	41.1	50.6	24.4	32.6	74.3	54.7	67.0	68.6
New Bethel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	900 New Bethel Road	Tuscumbia	35674	Colbert County	Colbert County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 383-6471	163	11	14.5	25.2%	154 (94.5%)	3 (1.8%)	2 (1.2%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.2%)	90.5	46^th of 684 public elementary schools	93.3%		90.2	57^th of 680 public elementary schools	91.6%	11	78.3	80.0	88.2	58.8	80.0	95.7	70.0	64.7	77.8	$11,103	$1,876	$9,226
R E Thompson Intermediate School	Public	3-5	829 Frankfort Rd	Tuscumbia	35674	Colbert County	Tuscumbia City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 389-2930	310	18	17.2	65.5%	208 (67.1%)	73 (23.5%)	10 (3.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.8%)	51.8	328^th of 684 public elementary schools	52.0%		55	309^th of 680 public elementary schools	54.6%	19	44.4	38.8	36.2		30.1	63.5	53.9	63.2		$9,434	$1,437	$7,974
WA Threadgill Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	900 Annapolis Avenue	Sheffield	35660	Colbert County	Sheffield City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 386-5720	304	21	14.2	69.7%	150 (49.3%)	104 (34.2%)	17 (5.6%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.2%)								(n/a)										$11,366	$2,150	$9,213
L E Willson Elementary School	Public	3-6	2200 31st St	Sheffield	35660	Colbert County	Sheffield City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 386-5730	275	18	15.5	78.2%	128 (46.5%)	104 (37.8%)	17 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (9.1%)	25.3	513^th of 684 public elementary schools	25.0%		31.6	475^th of 680 public elementary schools	30.1%	38	13.2	23.0	21.2	15.3	26.2	53.9	38.3	52.3	39.0	$10,053	$2,090	$7,960
G W Trenholm Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	601 Joe Wheeler Hwy	Tuscumbia	35674	Colbert County	Tuscumbia City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 389-2940	420	22	19.0	66.0%	260 (61.9%)	110 (26.2%)	10 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (9.0%)								(n/a)										$9,760	$1,698	$8,038
Kilby Laboratory School	Public	PK, KG-6	611 N Pine St	Florence	35632	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	No	(256) 765-4303	171			11.7%	134 (78.4%)	13 (7.6%)	5 (2.9%)	6 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.6%)	91.4	41^st of 684 public elementary schools	94.0%		93	37^th of 680 public elementary schools	94.6%	4	76.2	53.9	84.2	68.4	61.5	85.7	80.8	97.4	68.4
Colbert Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1551 Sunset Dr	Tuscumbia	35674	Colbert County	Colbert County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 381-6132	473	31	15.5	50.1%	430 (90.9%)	7 (1.5%)	18 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.8%)	55.7	307^th of 684 public elementary schools	55.1%		66	220^th of 680 public elementary schools	67.6%	87	25.4	38.6	34.6	29.9	52.9	71.2	52.9	60.3	64.2	$8,666	$1,990	$6,676
Harlan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2233 McBurney Dr	Florence	35630	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 768-2700	402	32	12.4	89.8%	116 (28.9%)	185 (46.0%)	25 (6.2%)	4 (1.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (17.4%)	46.7	376^th of 684 public elementary schools	45.0%		44.3	388^th of 680 public elementary schools	42.9%	12	30.1	46.7			35.0	55.4	55.7			$13,932	$2,610	$11,298

Cherokee Elementary School

Cherokee Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Colbert County:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Cherokee Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Cherokee Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cherokee Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Cherokee Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Cherokee Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Cherokee Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Cherokee Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cherokee Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Cherokee Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cherokee Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Cherokee Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Cherokee Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Cherokee Elementary School

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