The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Science. The lowest is 20% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Centennial Ms
Centennial Middle School serves students in grades six through eight in the Broken Arrow Public Schools district, one of the largest suburban districts in the Tulsa area. It is a traditional public middle school, not a charter or magnet, and it sits in a city that has transformed over the past several decades from a small agricultural town into a fast-growing suburb and employment center. The school itself is part of a district that passed a record bond issue in 2022, which funded facility improvements, technology upgrades, and security enhancements. That broader investment is a sign that the district has been spending on its physical plant and infrastructure, though the available information does not specify which schools or programs received those dollars.
The student body is large and diverse. Enrollment across the three middle school grades tops a thousand students. The largest racial or ethnic group is white students, who make up a substantial share of the school. Hispanic students represent the next largest group, followed by students who identify as two or more races, Black students, American Indian or Alaska Native students, and Asian students. A very small number of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are also enrolled. The data does not include counts for the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor for those who receive special education services or are English learners, so it is not possible from the available evidence to describe the school’s socioeconomic or special-population profile. A parent seeking that information would need to ask the school or district directly.
On the Oklahoma State Testing Program assessments, the school’s results are below the midpoint among districts in Tulsa County, according to a comparison that looks at overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In mathematics, the share of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level is below what many families would hope to see, and that pattern holds across all three grade levels and in both English language arts and science. The highest proficiency rate on any single test was in sixth-grade English language arts, where roughly three out of ten students met the proficient benchmark. The lowest was in eighth-grade math, where about one in six students reached proficiency. Science results for eighth graders fell between the math and English scores. Oklahoma changed its cut scores for math and English language arts in recent years, which makes year-over-year trend comparisons unreliable, so it is not clear whether these numbers represent a decline, an improvement, or a leveling off compared to prior years. The district’s performance on these assessments is not available in the same detail at this level, but the school’s own results place it on the lower end of the county landscape.
Several key data points that often help families understand a school’s environment are absent. There is no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staff-to-student ratios, teacher experience, or course offerings such as advanced math, music, or career exploration programs. The school’s website was not provided in the data, so it is not possible to check there for more specifics. A parent would be wise to visit, talk to the principal, and ask about the academic pathways available, the kinds of support the school provides for students who are below grade level, and what enrichment opportunities exist for students who are ready for more challenge.
The surrounding community of Broken Arrow is a large, growing suburb that has worked to build its own economic and cultural life. The Rose District downtown offers a walkable core with a farmers market, performing arts center, and shops, while most of the city follows a suburban pattern of residential subdivisions and commercial corridors. Major employers include FlightSafety International, FedEx Ground, and a growing healthcare sector, and a new amphitheater is planned. Housing values in the school’s ZIP code have seen modest appreciation, and rents have increased, reflecting the area’s ongoing growth and demand.
Centennial Middle School fits a family that wants a large, comprehensive public middle school in a growing suburban district and is comfortable with the academic results as they stand. For a family that places a premium on high test proficiency or wants to see evidence of strong academic pathways before enrolling, the available data will raise questions worth exploring directly with the school.
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