Marble – Cherokee County Schools’ performance grades from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction were a mixed bag of higher and lower grades, with five campuses earning B letter grades compared to just two the previous year. On the other hand, the number of D letter grades went from one in 2024 to three in 2025.
In North Carolina, school grades are based on each school’s achievement score (including standardized test grades), weighted 80%; and on students’ academic growth, weighted 20%, according to ednc.org. The grade designations are set on a 15-point scale: A = 85-100, B = 70-84, C = 55-69, D = 40-54 and F = 39 or less.
The Cherokee Scout obtained an early release copy of the annual grades,
The top performing schools in Cherokee County were Tri-County Early College, Peachtree Elementary, Hiwassee Dam High and Murphy High, which each received B letter grades.
The Oaks Academy received an “Alt_B” letter grade. Its achievement score of 72 was a major improvement over the 39.8 it received in 2024, and a 100% improvement over its score in 2022.
Schools that received C letter grades were Andrews High, Hiwassee Dam Middle, Murphy Elementary, Murphy Middle and Ranger Elementary.
Schools that received a D letter grade were Andrews Elementary, Andrews Middle and Martins Creek Elementary.
Academic growth
Another area measured in the report cards is School Academic Growth. That represents the academic progress of a student compared to the average progress of students across the state in a given grade and/or subject.
When the state has compelling evidence that the students in a school are progressing far above the average, that school is considered exceeding expected growth. When there is evidence that the students in a school are progressing consistent with the average, that school is considered as having met expected growth.
Exceeding growth measures were Hiwassee Dam Middle and Murphy Elementary.
Meeting growth measures were Andrews elementary, Hiwassee Dam High, Murphy High, Murphy Middle, Peachtree Elementary, Ranger Elementary and Tri-County Early College. Three schools did not meet growth measures: Andrews High, Andrews Middle and Martins Creek Elementary.
Ups and downs
Three campuses saw a declines in grades.
Andrews Elementary received a D in 2024 and 2025. For academic growth, it exceeded growth in 2024 and met growth in 2025.
Andrews Middle School went from a C in 2024 to a D in 2025, then exceeded growth in 2024, but did not meet growth measures in 2025.
Martins Creek Elementary School went from a C in 2024 to a D in 2025. It met growth in 2024 but did not meet growth in 2025.
Two campuses saw better grades.
Peachtree Elementary earned a C in 2024 and improved to a B in 2025. It met growth both years.
Hiwassee Dam High earned a C in 2024 and improved to a B in 2025.
Tri-County Early College and Murphy High each earned B letter grades in 2024 and 2025. Murphy High exceeded growth in 2024 and met growth in 2025. The Early College met growth both years.
Ranger Elementary received C letter grades both years, but improved its growth rating from not met in 2024 to met in 2025.