Cherokee County Schools & Education
Cherokee County, Oklahoma
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
36/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
88.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
88.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 84.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,763
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,520
School Score
36/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 28/100
State Score Position
#20
of 77 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Cherokee County
Measured School Summary
Cherokee County faces educational challenges with a school score of 36/100 and a graduation rate of 88.2%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,763 per pupil, Cherokee County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 29% above the Oklahoma average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 4% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Cherokee County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
20 public schools and 12 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
36/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #20 of 77 Oklahoma counties with school score data.
Completion
88.2%
3.9 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,763
$243 above the state average
School coverage
20
12 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Cherokee County has 20 public schools across 12 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Cherokee County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Review-carefully county
Cherokee County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#20
of 77 Oklahoma counties with school score data. The county score is 8 points above the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
TAHLEQUAH
Elementary to high school visible
3,607 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
KEYS
Elementary and high visible
750 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
HULBERT
Elementary to high school visible
550 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
GRAND VIEW
Elementary school only in this slice
503 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
TAHLEQUAH is the largest listed district slice, with 6 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Cherokee County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cherokee County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Cherokee County, Oklahoma
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Tahlequah Serves as the Education Hub
The Tahlequah district is the dominant force in the county, educating 3,607 students across 6 schools. Other notable districts include Keys and Hulbert, which serve 750 and 550 students respectively. These districts maintain a high standard of performance within the local community.
Rural Foundations with Town Centers
Education here is mostly rural, with 14 schools situated in countryside settings and 6 in town locales. The average school size is 354 students, though Tahlequah High School is much larger with 1,300 students. This mix offers families a choice between small rural campuses and larger, more centralized schools.
School Overview
Total Schools
20
in Cherokee County
Reported Enrollment
7,075
20 schools reporting
School Districts
12
districts
Charter Schools
1
5% of total
School Level Breakdown
12 School Districts in Cherokee County
TAHLEQUAH
GuideKEYS
HULBERT
GRAND VIEW
BRIGGS
WOODALL
TENKILLER
PEGGS
NORWOOD
SHADY GROVE
20 Public Schools in Cherokee County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 20 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAHLEQUAH HS | Profile | TAHLEQUAH | Tahlequah, 74464Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,300 |
| TAHLEQUAH MS | Record | TAHLEQUAH | Tahlequah, 74464Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 676 |
| GRAND VIEW PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | GRAND VIEW | Tahlequah, 74464Rural: Fringe | PK–8 | Primary | 503 |
| GREENWOOD ES | Record | TAHLEQUAH | Tahlequah, 74464Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 503 |
| HERITAGE ES | Record | TAHLEQUAH | Tahlequah, 74464Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 495 |
| KEYS ES | Record | KEYS | Park Hill, 74451Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 493 |
| CHEROKEE ES | Record | TAHLEQUAH | TAHLEQUAH, 74464Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 438 |
| BRIGGS PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | BRIGGS | Tahlequah, 74464Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 421 |
| WOODALL PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | WOODALL | Tahlequah, 74464Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 384 |
| KEYS HS | Record | KEYS | Park Hill, 74451Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 257 |
| HULBERT ES | Record | HULBERT | Hulbert, 74441Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 246 |
| TENKILLER PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | TENKILLER | Welling, 74471Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 197 |
| SEQUOYAH ES | Record | TAHLEQUAH | Tahlequah, 74464Town: Remote | PK | Other | 195 |
| PEGGS PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | PEGGS | Peggs, 74452Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 187 |
| HULBERT JR-SR HS (SR) | Record | HULBERT | Hulbert, 74441Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 183 |
| NORWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | NORWOOD | Hulbert, 74441Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 139 |
| SHADY GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | SHADY GROVE | Hulbert, 74441Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 134 |
| HULBERT MS | Record | HULBERT | Hulbert, 74441Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 121 |
| CHEROKEE IMMERSION CHARTER SCH | Record | CHEROKEE IMMERSION CHARTER SCH | Tahlequah, 74465Rural: Fringe | PK–8 | Charter | 103 |
| LOWREY PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | LOWREY | Tahlequah, 74464Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 100 |
TAHLEQUAH HS
TAHLEQUAH
Tahlequah, 74464 / Town: Remote
CHEROKEE IMMERSION CHARTER SCH
CHEROKEE IMMERSION CHARTER SCH
Tahlequah, 74465 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,763
State avg $6,520
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Cherokee County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Oklahoma counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Oklahoma?
How should I read the school score in Cherokee County?
What is the graduation rate in Cherokee County?
How much does Cherokee County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Cherokee County, Oklahoma — FAQ
What are the major school districts in Cherokee County, Oklahoma?
The Tahlequah district is the dominant force in the county, educating 3,607 students across 6 schools. Other notable districts include Keys and Hulbert, which serve 750 and 550 students respectively. These districts maintain a high standard of performance within the local community.
What is the school experience like in Cherokee County?
Education here is mostly rural, with 14 schools situated in countryside settings and 6 in town locales. The average school size is 354 students, though Tahlequah High School is much larger with 1,300 students. This mix offers families a choice between small rural campuses and larger, more centralized schools.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.