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Excellent

#79 of 1,036 schools in AR

Top 8% in state

Cherokee Elementary School

Elementary School · Highland School District · Hardy, AR

A Highland School District elementary school where students score 31 points above what's typical for similar communities.

P O BOX 419, Hardy, AR 72542

  • Math 53% vs AR 42% (2025)
  • Reading 48% vs AR 38% (2025)
  • 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.8Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.65 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics9.4Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency52.7% (2025 ATLAS)
Reading/ELA Proficiency47.9% (2025 ATLAS)
Math vs. State Avg+12.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+11.9 pts
Overall Proficiency50% (2025 ATLAS, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)19% (model expectation from 2025 ATLAS)
vs. Expected+30.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile91th
Resources & Environment8.2Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.7:1
District spending per student$12,860
Chronic Absenteeism15.2%

Students at Cherokee Elementary School score 50% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 19%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ATLAS proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AR average.

Math Proficiency53%(2025 ATLAS)
School
State
42%(2025 ATLAS)
ELA Proficiency48%(2025 ATLAS)
School
State
38%(2025 ATLAS)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 33 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 50% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
88%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
92%
ELA
87%
2011
Math
92%
ELA
84%
2012
Math
90%
ELA
85%
2013
Math
84%
ELA
79%
2014
Math
29%
ELA
27%
2015
Math
59%
ELA
40%
2016
Math
57%
ELA
45%
2017
Math
60%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
68%
ELA
45%
2019
Math
68%
ELA
45%
2020*
Math
58%
ELA
40%
2021*
Math
58%
ELA
40%
2022
Math
60%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
53%
ELA
48%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 67% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from AR state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

111.7%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Cherokee Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 10Car-Dependent
  • Bike 24Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated909/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Hardy), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$40,724

Median home value

$90,500

Median rent

$519/mo

College educated

9.9%

Homeownership

85%

Poverty rate

12.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 72542; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from verified nearby records

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Highland School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#1 of 3
District spending per student
$12,860NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
25.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Cherokee Elementary School is listed in HIGHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Cherokee Elementary School

Cherokee Elementary School is a public elementary school in Hardy, AR, part of Highland School District, serving approximately 547 students in grades Kindergarten-4th with a 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 out of 10 and ranks #79 of 1,036 schools in AR. State assessment records show 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Cherokee Elementary School

What grades does Cherokee Elementary School serve?

Cherokee Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 4th.

How many students attend Cherokee Elementary School?

Cherokee Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 547 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Elementary School is 13.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cherokee Elementary School rank in AR?

Cherokee Elementary School ranks #79 of 1,036 schools in AR.

What is Cherokee Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Cherokee Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Cherokee Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cherokee Elementary School has 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Cherokee Elementary School a charter school?

No, Cherokee Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Cherokee Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Cherokee Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Cherokee Elementary School?

111.7% of students at Cherokee Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 4th
Enrollment
547
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
40
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Sharp County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
15.2%
Area population (ZIP 72542)
3,829
Area median age
45.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ATLAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ATLAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ATLAS · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ATLAS. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 72542; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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