The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Science. The lowest is 14% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Red Oak
Red Oak is a small, rural school district in Latimer County, Oklahoma, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. With an enrollment that is modest for a PK-12 system, the district operates two schools: an elementary school and a high school. The student body is predominantly American Indian or Alaska Native, with a substantial share of white students and smaller percentages of Hispanic students and students of two or more races. Information on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, receiving special education services, or classified as English learners was not available in the data, so a family looking to understand the district’s level of economic or learning support needs would want to ask the district directly about those populations.
Academically, state assessment results from the most recent tested year show that proficiency rates in reading and math are low across the grades where data were reported. In third grade reading, for example, a very small portion of students scored at the proficient level, and the pattern held in most other tested grades. In math, third and fourth grade proficiency was modestly higher than in reading, but still low; eighth grade math results were especially weak. Some grade-level results were suppressed by the state, often a sign of small student counts in a small district. Science results were reported only for eighth grade, where a notable share of students met the proficiency bar, but that single data point does not give a complete picture of science learning across the upper grades. When compared with other districts in Latimer County, Red Oak’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. Families considering the district should understand that state test scores are well below county and state averages, and they may want to discuss with the school what interventions or supports are in place to address foundational skills.
One area where the district stands out positively is student attendance. The chronic absenteeism rate is quite low, placing Red Oak in the top quartile among Latimer County districts for this measure. That suggests that most students are in school regularly, which is a strong foundation for learning even when test scores are currently low. The district’s per-pupil current spending falls in the middle to upper half of area districts, indicating that funding is not notably constrained relative to its peers.
The community context is rural. Housing values in the area are well below state and national medians, and the weighted average home value for the district’s ZIP codes was stable with a slight year-over-year decline. For a family considering relocation, housing is relatively affordable compared to much of Oklahoma. No information was available about the local labor market or income levels specific to this district’s towns; national economic indicators at the time showed moderate mortgage rates and stable unemployment.
The district brief, which looked for recent changes such as bond measures, leadership turnover, or program additions, found little of lasting impact to report. This is a small, stable rural system that does not appear to have undergone major shifts recently. The lack of a detailed locale brief means there is no portrait of the town of Red Oak itself from the data provided; a parent would want to visit or contact the district to get a sense of the community and its schools.
Red Oak is best suited for a family that values a very small school environment and wants a district with consistent daily attendance. The academic results are considerably below where many parents would hope to see them, and the sparse data on student subgroups and programs means a careful conversation with school staff is important to understand what is being done to raise achievement. For those who prioritize affordability and a close-knit, rural setting, Red Oak offers that context, but the academic pathway is one that families will want to examine closely.
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