Enrollment
575
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cedartown, GA
Cherokee Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cherokee Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 130420001916
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cherokee Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Georgia schools.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Cedartown · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12:1
- small classes for Georgia
- 77.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cherokee Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 81% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cherokee Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Cedartown, GA.
School address
District: Polk County · Georgia
NCES ID 130420001916 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.9%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cherokee Elementary School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cherokee Elementary School
Cherokee Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Cedartown, Georgia, enrolling 575 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12:1 puts it in the smaller third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 77.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 575 students, its enrollment sits close to the Georgia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Among 347 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #37, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (42%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 575 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 22.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Cedartown's public schools, it stands alongside Westside Elementary School (588 students): Cherokee Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12:1 vs 14:1).
Polk County also operates Cedartown High School (1,448 students) and Cedartown Middle School (997 students) alongside Cherokee Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Cherokee Elementary School compares
Cherokee Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12:1 | ▼ 17% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.9% | ▲ 28% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 575 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
575
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 19% in Georgia - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
12.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,775
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 575 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 47.1%
Hispanic or Latino 42.3%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 2.8%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.5, Cherokee Elementary School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Polk County, which includes Cherokee Elementary School.
$12,775
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.6%
State 52.0%
Federal 22.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Cherokee Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedartown High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cedartown Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rockmart High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Van Wert Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cherokee Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,448
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 997
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 956
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 764
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 693
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Cedartown
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Westside Elementary School
Standard public school
588 students 14:1 students per teacher
Northside Elementary
Standard public school
531 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Youngs Grove Elementary School
Standard public school
490 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Harpst Academy
Standard public school
32 students 4.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~575 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cherokee Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cherokee Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Polk County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Cherokee Elementary School
How many students attend Cherokee Elementary School?
Cherokee Elementary School has 575 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cedartown, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Elementary School is 12:1, which is 17% lower than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 24% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cherokee Elementary School?
77.9% of students at Cherokee Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cherokee Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cherokee Elementary School is White at 47.1% of enrollment, in Cedartown, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cherokee Elementary School?
Cherokee Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cherokee Elementary School rank among schools in Cedartown?
By Resource Investment Index, Cherokee Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Cedartown, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cedartown on the city page.
Is Cherokee Elementary School a good school?
Cherokee Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Georgia schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Polk County?
Besides Cherokee Elementary School, Polk County also operates Cedartown High School (1,448 students), Cedartown Middle School (997 students), and Rockmart High School (956 students). See the Polk County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.