Is Colonel Fred Cherry Middle a good school?

Colonel Fred Cherry Middle ranks 147 th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Colonel Fred Cherry Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 755 students attended Colonel Fred Cherry Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Colonel Fred Cherry Middle?

Students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle are 56% African American, 24% White, 10% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Colonel Fred Cherry Middle attend?

Students who attend Colonel Fred Cherry Middle usually go on to attend Nansemond River High

Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Summary:

Colonel Fred Cherry Middle is a public middle school in Suffolk, Virginia, serving 755 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Suffolk City Public Schools district, which is ranked 66 out of 130 districts in Virginia and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Colonel Fred Cherry Middle stands out for its strong academic performance, particularly in mathematics, science, and English reading. The school consistently outperforms the Suffolk City Public Schools district and the state of Virginia in these areas, with 100% proficiency in Algebra I for 7th and 8th grades, 93.88% proficiency in Earth Science for 8th grade, and 73.82% to 78.48% proficiency in English Reading for 6th through 8th grades. The school also ranks highly among Virginia middle schools for specific student groups, such as African American students (49th out of 299 schools) and Hispanic students (23rd out of 272 schools).

While Colonel Fred Cherry Middle's performance is impressive, the school faces some challenges. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has increased significantly, from 35.84% in 2021-2022 to 63.97% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, suggesting that its performance may be influenced by factors beyond its control. When compared to nearby schools, such as Jolliff Middle and John Yeates Middle, Colonel Fred Cherry Middle lags behind in some academic areas, despite its overall strong performance within the Suffolk City Public Schools district.

Detail:

Public 6-8

7401 Burbage Drive
Suffolk, VA 23435

(757) 925-6752

District: Suffolk City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
147^th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,478

Students who attend Colonel Fred Cherry Middle usually attend:

High:

Nansemond River High

Feeder schools for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle:

Elementary:

Northern Shores Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 755

Racial breakdown:

African American:

56.0%

White:

23.6%

Hispanic:

9.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Colonel Fred Cherry Middle ranks better than 64.7% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked middle schools in the Suffolk City Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.05. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Colonel Fred Cherry Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Suffolk City Public Schools District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle is $6,478, which is the lowest among 5 middle schools in the Suffolk City Public Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Colonel Fred Cherry Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Colonel Fred Cherry Middle 147^th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Colonel Fred Cherry Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Suffolk City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Suffolk City Public Schools 66^th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

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Rank History for all students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile
2019	63.72	129^th	424	69.6%
2021	56.49	155^th	419	63.0%
2022	60.95	144^th	415	65.3%
2023	70.45	119^th	422	71.8%
2024	65.05	147^th	417	64.7%

See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	71.35	59^th	231	74.5%
2024	50.83	116^th	237	51.1%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	67.72	111^th	402	72.4%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	69.67	121^st	411	70.6%
2024	69.47	114^th	407	72.0%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	61.78	91^st	278	67.3%
2024	56.07	112^th	281	60.1%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	81.67	9^th	114	92.1%
2024	51.21	64^th	123	48.0%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	70.70	113^th	409	72.4%
2024	60.51	161^st	407	60.4%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	80.27	37^th	298	87.6%
2024	75.73	49^th	299	83.6%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	89.66	11^th	275	96.0%
2024	82.29	23^rd	272	91.5%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	75.39	62^nd	402	84.6%
2024	74.30	67^th	396	83.1%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia 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: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2019	193	429	12	63	2	3	57	759
2020	204	439	14	66	2	2	67	794
2021	196	438	16	61	4	2	52	769
2022	185	426	20	62	3	0	63	759
2023	178	423	23	73	3	0	55	755

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 Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	759	51.3	14.7	33.6
2020	794	54.5	14.5	34.3
2021	769	50.9	15.1	n/a
2022	759	50.2	15.1	35.8
2023	755	50.0	15.1	64

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 Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	759	51.3	14.7	33.6
2020	794	54.5	14.5	34.3
2021	769	50.9	15.1	n/a
2022	759	50.2	15.1	35.8
2023	755	50.0	15.1	64

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 Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$55 (0.9%)	$5,765 (99.1%)	$5,820
2020	$39 (0.7%)	$5,672 (99.3%)	$5,711
2021	$56 (0.9%)	$6,422 (99.1%)	$6,478

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

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 129^th of 424 Middle schools	Ranks 119^th of 422 Middle schools	2.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	89	68.7	20.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Suffolk City Public Schools)	81	58.8	22.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	78	57.8	20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	85	76.2	8.8%
6th Grade English Reading (Suffolk City Public Schools)	77	68.5	8.5%
6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	77	70.4	6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	68	73.2	5.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Suffolk City Public Schools)	70	55.9	14.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	78	51.4	26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	83	81.9	1.1%
7th Grade English Reading (Suffolk City Public Schools)	79	71.4	7.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	79	70.3	8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	71	65.8	5.2%
8th Grade Writing (Suffolk City Public Schools)	65	53.7	11.3%
8th Grade Writing (Virginia)	70	55.5	14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	91	70.2	20.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Suffolk City Public Schools)	83	63	20.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	77	48.4	28.6%
8th Grade Science (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	86	67.9	18.1%
8th Grade Science (Suffolk City Public Schools)	78	54.8	23.2%
8th Grade Science (Virginia)	78	60.7	17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	81	79	2%
8th Grade English Reading (Suffolk City Public Schools)	76	72.2	3.8%
8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	76	70.7	5.3%
End of Course Geometry (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	100	96	4%
End of Course Geometry (Suffolk City Public Schools)	85	77	8%
End of Course Geometry (Virginia)	83	80	3%
End of Course Algebra I (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	98	97	1%
End of Course Algebra I (Suffolk City Public Schools)	90	74	16%
End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)	86	80	6%
End of Course Earth Science (Colonel Fred Cherry Middle)	100	99	1%
End of Course Earth Science (Suffolk City Public Schools)	88	75	13%
End of Course Earth Science (Virginia)	81	72	9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	759	755	0.5%
African American	429	423	1.4%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	12	23	91.7%
Hispanic	63	73	15.9%
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	193	178	7.8%
Two or More Races	57	55	3.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.6%	64%	30.4%

Schools Near Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SOL Geometry (2024)	SOL Algebra I (2024)		SOL Mathematics (2024)						SOL Science (2024)		SOL Earth Science (2024)		SOL English Reading (2024)						SOL Geography (2024)	SOL Civics and Economics (2024)			SOL VA Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 7th Grade	SOL Earth Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Geography 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 6th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	SOL VA Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle	Public	6-8	7401 Burbage Drive	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 925-6752	755	50	15.1	64.0%	178 (23.6%)	423 (56.0%)	73 (9.7%)	23 (3.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (7.3%)	65.1	147^th of 417 public middle schools	64.7%		70.4	119^th of 422 public middle schools	71.8%	28	95.2	100.0	98.4				66.0	62.3	74.3		63.5		93.9				73.8	78.1	78.5			76.5			$6,478	$56	$6,422
Churchland Middle	Public	7-8	4051 River Shore Rd	Portsmouth	23703	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 686-2512	890	60	14.8	99.6%	167 (18.8%)	631 (70.9%)	44 (4.9%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (4.7%)	21.2	356^th of 417 public middle schools	14.6%		26.8	337^th of 422 public middle schools	20.1%	19	77.8	87.5	93.0					14.3	37.6		47.2							59.5	63.1				58.5		$8,154	$147	$8,007
Western Branch Middle	Public	6-8	4201 Hawksley Dr	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 638-7920	887	67	13.2	37.2%	335 (37.8%)	335 (37.8%)	88 (9.9%)	40 (4.5%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	84 (9.5%)	64	151^st of 417 public middle schools	63.8%		74.4	102^nd of 422 public middle schools	75.8%	49	100.0	100.0	100.0				49.1	65.0	70.7		77.1						74.1	80.9	80.7		66.3				$8,888	$189	$8,700
John Yeates Middle	Public	6-8	4901 Bennetts Pasture Rd	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 923-4105	506	37	13.6	64.2%	209 (41.3%)	190 (37.5%)	40 (7.9%)	17 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	47 (9.3%)	76.5	77^th of 417 public middle schools	81.5%		78.1	74^th of 422 public middle schools	82.5%	3	100.0	100.0	100.0				74.0	67.1	76.0		68.9		95.9				81.8	82.1	87.2			80.9			$10,401	$272	$10,129
Jolliff Middle	Public	6-8	1021 Jolliff Rd.	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 465-5246	702	55	12.7	43.4%	294 (41.9%)	256 (36.5%)	66 (9.4%)	12 (1.7%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	69 (9.8%)	72.9	94^th of 417 public middle schools	77.5%		78.9	66^th of 422 public middle schools	84.4%	28	100.0	100.0	88.7				69.3	86.9	73.0		73.2						74.0	89.9	77.4		74.8				$11,216	$327	$10,889
Blair Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	730 Spotswood Ave	Norfolk	23517	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(757) 628-2400	1,149	83	13.8	91.6%	230 (20.0%)	711 (61.9%)	114 (9.9%)	16 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	77 (6.7%)	23.2	344^th of 417 public middle schools	17.5%		20.5	364^th of 422 public middle schools	13.7%	20	90.9	100.0	87.8				33.9	15.8	19.8		24.7	92.5	95.9				61.2	58.3	56.2	88.1		91.5	36.9		$7,427	$335	$7,092
William E. Waters Middle	Public	7-8	600 Roosevelt Blvd	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 558-2813	534	43	12.4	98.9%	117 (21.9%)	377 (70.6%)	16 (3.0%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	17 (3.2%)	21.6	351^st of 417 public middle schools	15.8%		17.1	376^th of 422 public middle schools	10.9%	25	100.0	100.0	91.2					29.3	39.0		41.5							61.4	60.3				57.2		$10,352	$390	$9,962
B.T. Washington Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	3700 Chestnut Ave	Newport News	23607	Newport News city	Newport News City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(757) 928-6860	422	28	15.3	90.5%	141 (33.4%)	202 (47.9%)	33 (7.8%)	9 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.5%)	63.9	152^nd of 417 public middle schools	63.5%		77	82^nd of 422 public middle schools	80.6%	70	98.1	98.7	86.9				73.2	50.0	50.0		70.1						73.9	79.4	84.7				79.6		$7,792	$06	$7,786
Cradock Middle	Public	7-8	21 Alden Ave	Portsmouth	23702	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 393-8788	533	41	13.0	100.0%	39 (7.3%)	420 (78.8%)	40 (7.5%)	4 (0.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.3%)	11.5	387^th of 417 public middle schools	7.2%		8.7	401^st of 422 public middle schools	5.0%	14	85.0	100.0	97.1					23.2	24.9		42.1							47.9	53.9				46.8		$9,577	$388	$9,188
Ruffner School	Public	3-8	610 May Ave.	Norfolk	23504	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2466	436	42	10.3	87.2%	2 (0.5%)	413 (94.7%)	12 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.8%)	2	413^th of 417 public middle schools	1.0%		2.8	416^th of 422 public middle schools	1.4%	3	61.5	95.0	100.0	7.1	13.5	36.8	16.7	9.3	11.6	15.8	10.8			7.1	46.0	39.5	29.3	33.3	21.2			56.7	10.7	7.9

Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Colonel Fred Cherry Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Suffolk City Public Schools:

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Rank History for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for all students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for Female students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for Military Connected students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for Male students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for African American students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rank History for White students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Enrollment information for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

Frequently Asked Questions about Colonel Fred Cherry Middle

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