There were 2,955 students enrolled in Cherokee County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 2.2% less than the previous year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Murphy Elementary School registered the highest enrollment among Cherokee County’s 13 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 477 students.
North Carolina’s student-teacher ratio is roughly 15.4 students per teacher, aligning with the national average. However, rising teacher turnover threatens to push class sizes higher, making it harder for students to get individualized attention.
If vacancies continue to grow, schools may struggle to maintain this ratio, impacting the quality of instruction. Districts in lower-funded areas face the biggest challenges, as limited budgets make it harder to attract and retain teachers.
| School name | Total Enrollment in 2022-23 | Total Enrollment in 2023-24 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy Elementary School | 496 | 477 | -3.8% |
| Murphy High School | 475 | 415 | -12.6% |
| Andrews Elementary School | 333 | 333 | 0% |
| Murphy Middle School | 312 | 296 | -5.1% |
| Ranger Elementary/Middle School | 239 | 257 | 7.5% |
| Andrews High School | 224 | 214 | -4.5% |
| Andrews Middle School | 188 | 190 | 1.1% |
| Martins Creek Elementary/Mid | 164 | 174 | 6.1% |
| Peachtree Elementary School | 145 | 150 | 3.4% |
| Tri-County Early College High | 126 | 147 | 16.7% |
| Hiwassee Dam High School | 153 | 131 | -14.4% |
| Hiwassee Dam Elementary/Middle School | 116 | 118 | 1.7% |
| The Oaks Academy | 51 | 53 | 3.9% |
