Original Research by School Decision on Cushing Hs
Cushing High School sits in the small city of Cushing, a place whose identity is tied to the oil and energy industry. Known as the Pipeline Crossroads of the World, Cushing is the price settlement point for West Texas Intermediate crude oil, and the tank farms surrounding the city hold vast storage capacity. That industrial backbone coexists with a small-town residential character, a historic Main Street, and civic anchors like the Cushing Municipal Park, which includes an aquatic center, disc golf course, and skate park. The broader economy includes agribusiness and manufacturing, and a recently announced refinery project is expected to bring new jobs in the coming years. The community is within a short drive of Stillwater, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City.
The school serves grades nine through twelve and reports a student body of several hundred. The student population is predominantly white, with a substantial share of students identifying as two or more races, and smaller proportions of American Indian or Alaska Native and Hispanic students. Asian, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students each account for a small fraction of the enrollment. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, nor were figures on students with disabilities or English learners.
State testing results were not available in the data we reviewed, so a direct read of academic proficiency across subjects is not possible here. The comparison fact-set that would position the school's proficiency index, graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism rate relative to other districts in Payne County could not be applied, because the underlying metrics were missing. A parent looking for a clear picture of the school's academic standing on those measures will need to seek them from the school or district directly.
The school's academic offerings have seen expansion. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, Cushing High School added AP Computer Science Principles, Robotics and Automation, and Introduction to Engineering Design, supported by bond funds and a state grant through a partnership with Project Lead The Way to create an engineering pathway. This is a concrete addition for a family whose student is interested in STEM coursework.
The district has pursued significant facility investment. In 2022, voters passed a bond to fund a new elementary classroom wing, HVAC replacements, roofing, and technology upgrades, with the new wing opening in 2024. In 2023, another bond passed to fund a safe room and storm shelter at the middle school, designed to withstand severe tornado conditions and also to serve as a community shelter. Both bonds were structured to replace retiring debt, meaning they did not increase the overall property tax rate. The district also implemented a new teacher compensation schedule in 2023-2024, increasing starting salaries and introducing retention bonuses for hard-to-fill positions in STEM and special education.
The housing market here reflects the broader national picture. Home values in the area sit below the state benchmark, and the local unemployment rate is modest. The typical home is priced at a level that, with current mortgage rates, results in a monthly payment that is manageable relative to a national median household income, though the local income context will matter for individual families.
For a family considering this school, the profile is that of a small-town comprehensive high school that has made recent, deliberate investments in its facilities and STEM programming. The lack of publicly reported state assessment data and graduation rate is a significant gap in the picture a parent can draw from the available information. A parent may want to ask the school directly for the most recent results and rates to understand where students stand. The district's recent bond passage and salary increases suggest a community that is actively supporting its schools, and the industrial character of Cushing means families should be comfortable with a town shaped by its role in the national energy infrastructure rather than a purely residential suburb.
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