The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in English language arts. The lowest is 59% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cherokee Elementary School
Cherokee Elementary School serves grades three through five in Guntersville, Alabama, a small city that sits on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Guntersville. The school is part of the Guntersville City School District, an independent system that operates four schools: an elementary for kindergarten through second grade, Cherokee for the upper elementary years, a middle school, and a high school. Cherokee is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it covers the three grades that bridge the primary years and the start of middle school.
State testing results from the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, or ACAP, provide a picture of where Cherokee’s students stand. In English language arts, the school’s combined proficiency rate across all three tested grades was well above the threshold that would indicate a majority of students meeting the state standard. The rate for third graders was the highest, with a large majority of students scoring proficient, and fourth and fifth graders also posted strong numbers. In math, the proficiency rates were lower than in ELA but still showed that a majority of students in each grade met the bar. The share of fifth graders reaching proficiency in math was the lowest of the three grades, but the gap between the highest and lowest grade-level rates was modest. Fourth graders also took a science assessment, and about three in five students were proficient. Because the data covers only one school year, no trend is available to show whether these performance levels are improving or declining.
The school’s overall proficiency index, which combines all tested subjects and grades, places Cherokee in the top quartile among the districts in Marshall County. This comparison is drawn from the five districts in the county, and the index is the mean of all reported proficiency rates. The school’s position near the top of that group is a clear strength. A parent considering Cherokee can expect that, relative to other schools in the county, the academic environment is one where students are meeting state standards at a rate that is above the typical range.
Cherokee’s enrollment of several hundred students is split fairly evenly across the three grades, with each grade having roughly the same number of students. The student body is predominantly white, with a sizable black or African American minority and smaller shares of Hispanic students and students of two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic diversity. Data on special education and English learner enrollment was not available in the records provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the availability of support services for those groups.
The school sits in Guntersville, a city whose economy has shifted from historic cotton processing to a mix of recreational tourism, retail, and civic functions. The lake is a central feature, and the city has been recognized in national magazines as a retirement and outdoor destination. The housing market in the area, based on the ZIP code that covers the school, shows home values that are above the state average but below the national average. The monthly mortgage cost for a typical home, given current interest rates, would be a meaningful expense for many households, but the area is not as expensive as many parts of the country. The city’s population has a noticeable share of older residents, and the median age leans older, which might be relevant for families considering the long-term stability of the community.
The district itself did not report any recent lasting changes that would affect parents, such as boundary adjustments, new programs, or leadership transitions, based on the search results. The absence of that information means a parent should check with the district directly for any upcoming or recent developments.
Cherokee Elementary offers a straightforward academic program for the upper elementary grades with a solid record of performance on state assessments, particularly in reading and writing. The math and science results are a bit lower but still show that a majority of students are meeting the standard. The school’s standing relative to other districts in Marshall County is strong, and the community context provides a stable, lake-oriented setting with a mix of incomes. A parent who values a school where most students are achieving at expected levels and who is comfortable with the demographics and economic profile of the area will find Cherokee to be a fitting choice.
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