The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Science. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Emerson Es
Emerson ES is an elementary school in Coalgate, Oklahoma, serving children from prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school is part of the Coalgate district, and its roughly four hundred students come from a small rural county seat where the economy once centered on coal mining and has since shifted to agriculture and manufacturing. The town’s population peaked decades ago and has been stable at a modest level since, with affordable housing relative to the state and national markets. Homes in Coalgate are priced well below the Oklahoma median, making the area accessible for first-time buyers or families seeking lower housing costs.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial share who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, and smaller numbers of students who are Hispanic or of two or more races. The school does not report the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor does it provide counts for students with disabilities or English learners in the available data, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about the extent of economic need and the availability of special education or language support services.
Academically, Emerson ES participates in Oklahoma’s state assessments in grades three through six. In the most recent testing year, the percentage of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level was very low across all subjects and grade levels. In mathematics, the proportion of students reaching proficiency ranged from a small share in grades three and four to a somewhat larger but still low share in grade six. In English language arts, proficiency rates were similarly low, with no grade exceeding about one in five students. In grade five science, just over a quarter of students met the proficiency bar. These results place Emerson’s overall proficiency index at the bottom of the three districts in Coal County. The state changed its cut scores in math and ELA for this testing cycle, which makes trend comparisons impossible, but the current numbers are weak by any measure. A parent considering this school should inquire about the steps being taken to improve instruction and whether recent curriculum or intervention programs have been introduced.
Because Emerson ES serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available. The school’s website and district communications may offer more detail on attendance patterns and the school climate, but that information was not captured in this profile.
Program offerings beyond the core academic subjects were not listed in the available data. The school’s small size and rural setting likely mean that enrichment options such as art, music, or foreign language are limited compared with larger districts. A parent interested in extracurricular activities or specialized programs would need to follow up directly with the school.
Coalgate itself is a compact town where daily life centers on the courthouse, a few local businesses, and surrounding neighborhoods. The streets in the historic downtown are bricked, but vehicle traffic dominates the main highways that converge at the center. There is no public transit, and employment options within the town are minimal; county government, the hospital, and manufacturing provide the largest jobs, and many residents commute to larger towns. The housing stock is older and affordable, and the area is not seeing rapid new development.
The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes such as boundary shifts, new facilities, or leadership transitions. The school landscape appears stable, with Emerson ES as the sole elementary for the community. For a family looking at Coalgate, the academic picture at Emerson is a central consideration: the school offers a traditional PK–6 experience in a very small rural district, but the low proficiency rates are a clear point of concern that warrants a closer look at the school’s instructional supports and plans for improvement.
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