Andrews Middle and Peachtree Elementary schools each earned bragging rights with the release of U.S. News & World Report’s annual school rankings report.
Murphy High School has something to gloat about, too.
U.S. News & World Report’s Best Schools report is an annual set of rankings first published in 1983 and regarded as the most influential institutional ranking in the nation.
- Peachtree Elementary ranked 579th out of 1,456 ranked elementary schools in the state, earning it eligibility to display a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
- Andrews Middle School ranked 247th out of 712 middle schools in the state, also earning it eligibility to display a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
- Murphy High didn’t earn a badge, but it ranked higher than all other traditional high schools among Cherokee County, neighboring and nearby counties in western North Carolina. The school also ranked well compared to neighboring counties in Georgia and Tennessee, outranking schools in two Georgia counties and one Tennessee county.
The numbers
Public high schools that earned U.S. News & World Report’s top 40% ranking nationally, and public elementary and middle schools that earned U.S. News rankings in the top 40% in their state, gain eligibility to display a U.S. News award “badge.”
Ranking factors for high schools were college readiness, college curriculum breath, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance and graduation rank. Middle and elementary schools were ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare their students for high school.
“These U.S. News-trademarked badges are offered so that eligible schools can celebrate and promote their high rankings,” according to U.S. News & World Report.
Permission to use a badge in any medium – including websites, social media, signs and advertisements – must be obtained in writing from BrandConnex, U.S. News’ licensing agent. Eligible schools must purchase a license to display the badges, as well as plaques and banners featuring a badge, from BrandConnex’s Best Schools online store.
High schools
Two high schools in the vicinity of Cherokee County earned school performance badges – Union County High School in Blairsville, Ga., and Tellico Plains High School in Tellico Plains, Tenn.
Murphy High ranked 290th in the state and first in Cherokee County, according to the ratings. Among traditional schools in the vicinity of Cherokee County, Murphy High ranked fourth, the highest standing of North Carolina counties in the far west.
“Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement coursework and exams. The AP participation rate at Murphy High School is 19%. The total minority enrollment is 15%, and 55% of students are economically disadvantaged,” according to the report.
Tri-County Early College High School in Peachtree ranked 344th in the state and second in the county behind Murphy High. Among early colleges in the far west, Tri-County Early College ranked third out of four.
Andrews High and Hiwassee Dam High schools ranked in an unspecified statewide range of 451th to 576th and tied for third in the county.
Here are the statewide rankings of schools in nearby counties.
North Carolina
- 243rd – Macon Early College High School, Macon County Schools. Graduation rate greater than 95%; college readiness not reported; enrollment 105.
- 246th – Jackson County Early College, Jackson County Schools. Graduation rate greater than 95%; college readiness score not reported; enrollment of 101. National ranking of 7,344th.
- 290th – Murphy High, Cherokee County Schools. Graduation rate greater than 95%; college readiness score 11.0 (100 is best); enrollment 489. National ranking: 8,661th.
- 300th – Franklin High School, Macon County Schools. Graduation rate greater than 95%; college readiness score of 10.0; enrollment of 1,005.
- 309th – Swain County High School, Swain County Schools. Graduation rate 86%; college readiness score 19.8; enrollment of 560. Its national rank was 9,011.
- 320th – Highlands School, Macon County Schools. Graduation rate 92%; college readiness score not reported; enrollment of 115.
- 329th – Smoky Mountain High School, Jackson County Schools. Graduation rate 90%; college readiness score 10.5; enrollment of 899.
- 344th – Tri-County Early College, Cherokee County Schools. Graduation rate greater than 95%; college readiness not reported; enrollment 126. National ranking: 9,971st.
- 415th – Robbinsville High School, Graham County Schools. Graduation rate 93%; college readiness 9.8; enrollment 346.
- 417th – Hayesville High School, Clay County Schools. Graduation rate 78%; college readiness not reported; enrollment 393.
- 451st-576th – Andrews High, Cherokee County Schools. Graduation rate greater than 95%; college readiness not reported; enrollment 225.
- 451st-576th – Hiwassee Dam High, Cherokee County Schools. Graduation rate 89%; college readiness not reported; enrollment 158.
Also in Cherokee County, The Oaks Academy alternative school, with enrollment of 31 and a graduation rate of 50%, went unranked.
Georgia
- 97th in Georgia – Union County High School in Blairsville, Ga., ranked 3,877th in national rankings. Union County High School’s high ranking earned it eligibility to display U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
- 250th – Fannin County High School in Blue Ridge, Ga., ranked 10,081st in the nation.
- 283rd – Towns County High School in Hiawassee, Ga., ranked 11,443th in national rankings.
Tennessee
- 104th in Tennessee – Tellico Plains High, Monroe County, Tenn., ranked 6,924th nationally. It earned a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
- 139th – Sequoyah High School in Madisonville, Monroe County, Tenn., ranked 8,489th in the nation. It earned a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
- 217th – Polk County High School in Benton, Polk County, Tenn., ranked 217th in Tennessee and 12,603rd nationally. It earned a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
- 414th – Sweetwater High School in Sweetwater, Monroe County, Tenn., ranked 414th in Tennessee and 9,994th in the nation. It earned a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
Comparing overall scores, here are the top five high schools in and around Cherokee County.
Traditional high schools
1. Union County High School, Blairsville, Ga. – score 78.04.
2. Tellico Plains High School, Tellico Plains, Tenn. – score 60.78.
3. Sequoyah High School, Madisonville, Tenn. – score 51.92.
4. Murphy High, Murphy – score 50.94.
5. Franklin High School, Franklin – score 49.93.
Early college high schools
1. Macon Early College High School, Franklin – score 58.46.
2. Jackson County Early College, Sylva – score 58.4.
3. Tri-County Early College – score 43.52.
Blue Ridge Early College in Cashiers, Macon County, was unranked.
Elementary school rankings
Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare their students for high school.
- Andrews Elementary School, enrollment 350, no overall score reported, ranked between 1,092 and 1,456.
- Murphy Elementary School, enrollment 536, overall score of 42.41 out of 100, ranked 839th out of 1,456 elementary schools.
- Peachtree Elementary School, enrollment 144, overall score of 60.27 out of 100, ranked 579th in the state. It earned a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
Middle school rankings
Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare their students for high school.
- Andrews Middle School, enrollment 187, overall score of 65.4 out of 100, ranked 247th in the state. It earned a U.S. News Best High School Award Badge.
- Murphy Middle School, enrollment 316, overall score of 55.13 out of 100, ranked 320th in the state.
Elementary/middle school rankings
- Hiwassee Dam Elementary/Middle School, enrollment 120, unranked.
- Martins Creek Elementary/Middle School, enrollment 184, unranked.
- Ranger Elementary/Middle School, enrollment 258. Unranked for North Carolina elementary schools. Ranked between 534 and 712 for North Carolina middle schools. No overall scores shown.