The top reported proficiency rate is 8% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Bokoshe Es
Bokoshe Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through eighth grade in the town of Bokoshe, a small, rural community in Le Flore County. The school is a central institution in a town that historically grew around coal mining and agriculture, where the local district remains a likely primary employer. State Highway 31 runs through the area, and residents rely on personal vehicles, as the town has minimal street life. Bokoshe has experienced slow population decline over the long term, with a modest estimated increase in recent years, and its housing values are below the national median.
The school enrolls fewer than 100 students, making it a very small elementary and middle school. The student body is diverse in background, with the largest share identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, a substantial portion identifying as White, and a smaller but noticeable share identifying as two or more races. The school serves these grades within a single building, meaning students move through their early and middle years in a familiar, small-setting environment where staff and classmates remain consistent from year to year.
State testing data from the most recent school year is limited for Bokoshe Elementary, and what is available paints a challenging picture. Oklahoma uses the OSTP assessment, and in the tested grades where results were reported rather than suppressed due to small group sizes, proficiency rates were low. In sixth-grade math, the reported proficiency level was below ten percent. In seventh-grade math, no students met the proficiency bar. In third-grade English language arts, proficiency was below ten percent. Results for several grade levels in both math and English language arts, and for science in fifth and eighth grades, were suppressed, meaning the number of students tested was too small to report publicly. A parent should understand that the school’s performance on state assessments is very low compared to other districts in Le Flore County; the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county’s districts. The state also changed its cut scores in math and English language arts for this assessment cycle, which can affect year-over-year comparisons, but the current results are clear.
Because Bokoshe Elementary serves only through eighth grade, the data available does not include a high school graduation rate, college readiness indicators, or Advanced Placement or dual-credit offerings. The district does contain a high school that serves grades nine through twelve, but this profile is limited to the elementary school itself. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, or course access was provided for this school.
For families considering Bokoshe Elementary, the school offers the intimacy of a rural school where the entire student body is small enough that a staff member can know every child. The peer group is reflective of the local community, with a notable American Indian heritage. The academic results on state assessments, however, are a clear concern. The proficiency rates that were reported are low across the board, and with many grade-level results suppressed due to small numbers, it is difficult for a parent to get a full picture of how students in every grade are performing. A parent with a child who has strong academic aspirations or who needs advanced coursework before high school may want to investigate what enrichment or intervention programs the school offers, as the state-testing snapshot suggests limited academic momentum at the elementary and middle level. The school’s small size could also mean that specialized services for students with disabilities or English learners, if needed, may depend on staff who serve multiple roles without the dedicated specialist found in larger districts. A visit and a conversation with the principal about curriculum, academic support, and how the school prepares students for the transition to high school in Bokoshe would be worthwhile.
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