Cherokee Schools Class Of 2019 Excels On ACT

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School District Class of 2019 earned average ACT scores that topped national averages and, for the second consecutive year, ranked No. 7 overall in Georgia.

The class scored an impressive overall score of 22.7, exceeding Georgia’s 21.4 and the nation’s 20.7, on the challenging college entrance and placement examination. The score ranks Cherokee Schools fourth among metro Atlanta counties and seventh in Georgia – out of 180 school districts.

“Outstanding ACT scores not only reflect the dedication of our students and teachers to ensuring mastery of knowledge, but also are a reliable indicator that our students graduate prepared for college and career success,” Superintendent of Schools Brian Hightower said. “We’re proud of them and are focused on ensuring each student we serve is future ready.”

Students earn a score on a scale of 1 to 36. The ACT is taken in lieu of or along with the SAT, and the class of 2019’s ACT scores mirror its outstanding SAT results released earlier this fall. For the class of 2019, 1,598 Cherokee Schools students took the exam.

Scores from all six of the district's high schools illustrated consistent instructional excellence, with total average scores within less than a one-point spread: Cherokee High School, 22.1; Creekview High School, 22.9; Etowah High School, earning the highest composite at 23.1; River Ridge High School, 22.7; Sequoyah High School, 22.9; and Woodstock High School, 22.9. All six high schools ranked in the top 20 percent of schools statewide.

The ACT also reviews students’ college-readiness for each subject based on their scores, with Cherokee students also significantly exceeding state averages: English, 78 percent (Georgia 65 percent); social science, 61 percent (50 percent); algebra, 52 percent (40 percent); biology, 50 percent (39 percent). State data also shows this readiness, as 95 percent of Cherokee Schools graduates don’t need any remedial classes as university students.

The ACT will be administered in Cherokee Count four more times this school year; the testing calendar is posted online here.