Cherokee Schools Makes Top 15 In New State Ranking

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Cherokee County Schools has been named a top district in Georgia, according to data compiler Niche which ranked Georgia's best school districts for the 2019-20 school year. The rankings were released Monday as part of the website's 2020 K-12 rankings.

Cherokee County Schools has more than 41,000 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. According to state test scores, 54 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 53 percent in reading.

Each Georgia school district received a letter grade in the following categories: Academics; Diversity; Teachers; College Prep; Clubs & Activities; Health & Safety; Administration; Sports; Food; and Resources & Facilities.

Cherokee County earned a score of "A" in every category except food, diversity, health and safety, and resources and facilities, where it earned a score of "B."

Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.

To arrive at the rankings, Niche looked at data from the U.S. Department of Education as well as test scores, college data, and ratings collected from Niche users. (You can read more about the methodology here.)

Cherokee Schools was ranked in multiple categories among other Georgia schools, including:

• No. 14 for best school districts
• No. 21 for districts with the best teachers
• No. 23 for best school district for athletes
• No. 55 for best places to teach
• No. 79 for most diverse school districts
• No. 84 for safest school districts

Compared to schools in the metro Atlanta area, Cherokee ranked:

• No. 7 for districts with the best teachers
• No. 8 best school district in Atlanta area
• No. 8 for best school district for athletes
• No. 10 for best places to teach
• No. 16 for safest school districts
• No. 23 for most diverse school districts

Nationally, Cherokee ranks No. 494 out of the nearly 11,000 districts ranked best districts for athletes.

The report included reviews from parents, teachers, district alumni and current students.

A senior wrote, "My name is Olivia Herrera and I'm a senior at Cherokee High School in Canton, Ga. I've gone to school in Cherokee county all of my school years this far. In Elementary, we had every club or sport available and the teachers were wonderful; really cared for each student. Middle school should have been "difficult years" but I was given a strong foundation and had the support in my teachers and coaches to where I grew and I matured. I'm wrapping up my senior year at Cherokee High School and can say I will miss this experience. I'm blessed to have been a student athlete for the oldest high school in Cherokee County that still has the support of its community, alumni and present students. I'll be furthering my education and will remain a student athlete at Oglethorpe University this fall. As I head I to this next chapter of my life, I give thanks to my family and friends who have given me the foundation and resources needed to succeed in this journey called life."

A teacher wrote, "Cherokee County Schools have changed a lot since I attended back in the 80's. They have modernized and grown in numbers. The teachers they employ are top-notch and really care about student achievement. I have seen a lot of change, especially the influx of people who move to Cherokee County specifically for the schools. Although Cherokee County is now considered part of suburban Atlanta, we still have that small town feel. Cherokee County is a growing, diverse community where everyone is involved, whether it is academics, sports, activities, or community outreach. The administration is focused on providing the best environment possible for learning, including safety of students and emergency protocols. Parent involvement is also important to student achievement and Cherokee Country recognizes this. Collectively, this is a tight-knit group Students are offered the best chance to succeed at Cherokee County Schools."

The top-ranked school district in Georgia is Buford City Schools. Niche gave the school system an A or an A+ in every category. Last year, Buford was also No. 1. (See last year's list as a comparison: Georgia's Best School Districts: New Rankings Released)

Here the top 30 from the list of top school districts in Georgia as ranked by Niche.com:

1. Buford City Schools
2. Oconee County Schools
3. Forsyth County Schools
4. Decatur City Schools
5. Jefferson City Schools
6. Fayette County Public Schools
7. Carrollton City Schools
8. Bremen City Schools
9. Calhoun City Schools
10. Cartersville City Schools
11. Camden County Schools
12. Pierce County Schools
13. Union County Schools
14. Cherokee County Schools
15. Monroe County Schools
16. Cobb County Schools
17. Trion City Schools
18. Bleckley County Schools
19. Houston County Schools
20. Madison County Schools
21. Gwinnett County Public Schools
22. Rabun County Schools
23. Morgan County Schools
24. Columbia County Schools
25. Heard County Schools
26. Georgia Academy for the Blind
27. Harris County Schools
28. Lowndes County Schools
29. Habersham County Schools
30. Fulton County Schools

Niche looked at more than 94,000 public schools, 4,100 private schools and nearly 11,000 school districts across the country. The rankings are meant to help parents and students find schools that best fit their needs.

"Unlike traditional school rankings, which rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance, Niche's rankings provide a real-life view of what it's like to attend a given school," the company said in a news release.

Comments from current students, alumni, and parents are included in the analysis, as well as observations about things like campus life, extracurricular activities, sports options, diversity, and programs for gifted and special needs students.

"Parents and students need more than test-score data," Luke Skurman, CEO at Niche, said in the news release. "They need to understand what it's really like to attend a school before they start the application or registration process."