Cherokee

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Cherokee, Kansas - 3 schools

An equity score of 88/100 ranks Cherokee #4 of 252 districts in Kansas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $19,083 per pupil, Cherokee ranks #36 of 286 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending (Kansas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

458
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$19,083
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Cherokee operates 3 public schools serving 458 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kansas. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Crawford County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,083 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 286 Kansas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kansas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.4% local, 72.8% state, and 7.8% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 88/100, ranked #4 of 252 in Kansas against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 235.3:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 15.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.8% White, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Southeast High, with a diversity index of 25.1/100.

Its largest campus is Southeast High, enrolling 152 students (35% of the district's total enrollment).

Southeast High accounts for 33.2% of all Cherokee student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Cherokee-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Cherokee reports 62.9% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Cherokee student-counselor ratio is 235:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Cherokee chronic absenteeism rate is 15.8% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Cherokee is typically wider than the Cherokee-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.8%
Federal
72.8%
State
19.4%
Local

Funding Equity

88
Equity Score
4 / 252
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Cherokee.

White 86.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
African American 1.6%
Multiracial 4.6%
Other 2.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 24.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Cherokee's schools, below the Kansas average of 39.4.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Southeast High 25.1
  2. 2 Southeast Elementary School 24.5
  3. 3 Southeast Middle School 23.0

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
235.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Cherokee

School Enrollment
Southeast High
152
Southeast Elementary School
149
Southeast Middle School
128

How Cherokee Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kansas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Oxford Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Hoxie Community Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Smith Center Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Mclouth Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Mission Valley Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Cherokee's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Kansas

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wichita
46,796 students · 88 schools · $15,549/pupil
Compare vs Cherokee →
Olathe
29,034 students · 51 schools · $14,314/pupil
Compare vs Cherokee →
Shawnee Mission Pub Sch
26,618 students · 45 schools · $12,247/pupil
Compare vs Cherokee →
Blue Valley
22,384 students · 36 schools · $12,498/pupil
Compare vs Cherokee →
Kansas City
22,015 students · 43 schools · $17,611/pupil
Compare vs Cherokee →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Cherokee

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Wichita →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Cherokee?

Cherokee has 3 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 458 students.

How much does Cherokee spend per student?

Cherokee spends $19,083 per student. The district has an equity score of 88/100, ranking #4 in Kansas.

What is the demographic composition of Cherokee?

Cherokee students are 86.8% White, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Cherokee?

Cherokee has an equity score of 88/100, ranking #4 out of 252 districts in Kansas.