The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in Science. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wallace Byrd Ms
Wallace Byrd Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in Coalgate, a small rural county seat in southeastern Oklahoma. The school is part of the Coalgate district and shares a campus orientation typical of many small towns: civic and school buildings are embedded in the compact downtown grid rather than set apart on separate campuses. Coalgate itself was originally a coal mining camp; after the mines closed in the 1920s, agriculture and manufacturing took over, and the town has seen a long population decline from a mid-twentieth-century peak, though recent estimates suggest a modest reversal. Homes in the area are valued well below both the Oklahoma median and the national median, reflecting the region's lower cost of living.
The middle school is small for its grade band, with both grade levels drawing roughly similar numbers. The student body is about evenly split between white students and American Indian or Alaska Native students, with the remainder made up of students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic, Asian, or Black. This composition gives the school a notably high share of Native students relative to many Oklahoma schools, a characteristic that families may want to consider alongside the academic environment. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, on special education classification, and on English learner status were not available, so a parent seeking a full picture of student support needs should ask the district directly.
On state assessments, proficiency rates are low across subjects and grades. In math, a small share of seventh graders scored proficient, and for eighth graders the figure was even lower. In English language arts, roughly one in five seventh graders and one in five eighth graders reached the proficient level. Science is tested only in eighth grade, and just under three in ten students scored proficient. These numbers place Wallace Byrd Middle School below the midpoint among the three districts in Coal County on an overall proficiency index. However, Oklahoma changed its cut scores for math and ELA assessments in the most recent testing year, so the 2024-25 results are not directly comparable to prior years. A parent should ask the school how these numbers compare to earlier performance under the old cut scores and what instructional strategies are in place.
The school offers no information in the available data about course access, advanced coursework, dual credit, or extracurricular programs. That absence may reflect that the school provides only two grade levels and likely feeds into Coalgate High School, where more advanced options could be available. A parent may want to clarify directly what academic pathways are open to seventh and eighth graders.
No recent district-level changes with lasting impact were identified in the public record, and the district brief turned up only basic profile data. The school's administrative and operational context appears stable, but specific initiatives or budget developments are not documented in the sources reviewed.
Because the entity serves only grades 7 and 8, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data were also absent. A parent looking for a sense of student engagement or transition success to high school would need to ask the district for that information.
Overall, Wallace Byrd Middle School operates in a quiet, low-cost rural setting with a small student population that includes a significant Native American presence. Academic achievement on state tests is low, and while a change in state cut scores complicates year-over-year comparisons, the current results indicate that a substantial majority of students are not yet performing at the proficient level. Families considering this school should investigate what academic support services, enrichment opportunities, and middle-to-high school transition programs are available, and how the school is working to raise achievement.
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