The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Science. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Crain Es
Crain Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through eighth grade in Clayton, a small rural town in the Kiamichi River valley of northern Pushmataha County. The school is one of two public campuses in the Clayton district, with the high school located separately in town. Clayton itself is a historically lumber- and agriculture-based community whose population peaked decades ago and has since declined, with modest growth in recent years. The town sits at the junction of two state highways, and its built environment is car-dependent and framed by mountains. Clayton Lake State Park and Sardis Lake are nearby recreational anchors.
The elementary school enrolls a small student body. Racially, the majority of students are white, with a notable share identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native. Small numbers of students are Asian, Hispanic, or of two or more races. Data on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status were not reported in the available records, so a parent may wish to ask the school directly about the proportion of students receiving free or reduced-price meals or those with individualized education plans.
State testing results for the 2024–25 school year are available for a limited set of grades and subjects, with many individual grade-level results suppressed due to small group sizes, a common occurrence in a school of this size. For the grades where data could be reported, proficiency rates were low across both math and English language arts. In the tested grades, only a small share of students met the state’s proficiency benchmark. Science results at grade five were somewhat higher but still reflected that most students scored below the proficient level. Because the state changed its cut scores for math and ELA this year, direct comparisons with prior years are not possible, which makes it difficult to gauge trends.
When placed against other districts in Pushmataha County, Crain Elementary’s overall proficiency index sits roughly at the midpoint among the seven county districts. That position suggests that while the school is not an outlier on the low end, it also does not stand out on the high end. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate or college readiness data to consider.
Housing values in the area are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, consistent with a rural region where the economy remains locally based. No major new housing developments or commercial projects were identified in available community information.
The district brief turned up no recent policy changes, bond measures, or program additions that would have a lasting impact on the school environment. Clayton’s schools have been a stable presence in the community, and no major shifts were reported.
For a family considering Crain Elementary, the picture is one of a small, rural school with a predominantly white and Native American student body in a town with limited economic growth. Academic performance on state assessments is an area a parent would want to explore further, particularly given the low proficiency rates in the grades that were tested. The school’s small size means attention from staff is likely high, but it also means that course offerings and extracurricular programs may be limited compared to larger schools. The lack of data on programs, staffing, and student supports makes it prudent to visit the school and ask directly about what is available for students, especially in the middle school grades as they prepare for the transition to high school.
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