The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Science. The lowest is 20% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Emerson Es
Emerson Es serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Duncan, a city that is the county seat of Stephens County. Duncan has a history rooted in the oil and cattle industries, and Halliburton maintains a large presence here. The school sits on the west side of town, and its student body reflects the broader community’s demographics. White students make up about half of the enrollment, with sizable groups of Hispanic students and students who identify as two or more races. Black, Native American, and Asian students are also represented, each in smaller proportions. The school has an enrollment that is moderate for an elementary school in its district, and classes are spread fairly evenly across the grade levels from kindergarten through fifth grade.
On the Oklahoma School Testing Program assessments, Emerson’s results present a mixed picture. In mathematics, the share of students scoring at the proficient level or above was below many peers in each tested grade. Third-grade math proficiency was in the range of a quarter of students, fourth grade was about a third, and fifth grade was slightly lower than third. In English language arts, the pattern was similar: proficiency rates were in the low twenties for both third and fifth grade, and just under a fifth of students met the bar in fourth grade. These figures place the school’s overall proficiency index above the midpoint among districts in Stephens County, but still within a range where many students are not yet reaching the state’s benchmark.
Science results at the fifth-grade level were notably stronger, with half of students scoring proficient or above. This stands out as a relative bright spot in the school’s academic profile. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism data was available in the provided records. A parent interested in how the school supports students with disabilities or English learners will find that information was not included in the data we reviewed for this profile.
The school is part of the Duncan Public Schools district. The city itself has a downtown district centered between Walnut and Willow streets, and it offers parks and walking trails that residents have identified as community strengths. Major employers include Duncan Regional Hospital and the Chickasaw Nation in addition to Halliburton. The Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation supports local growth, and the community’s own assessments have noted positive development in recent years. Housing in the area, based on the ZIP code that covers the school, is priced well below state and national benchmarks, and rents follow a similar pattern, making the community relatively affordable compared to broader markets.
For a family considering Emerson, the key takeaway is that it is an elementary school in a working city with deep roots in the energy and agriculture sectors. Academic performance on state tests in math and reading is an area where the school has room for improvement, and families may want to ask about the specific instructional strategies in place for those subjects. The stronger science showing in fifth grade suggests that some subject-area instruction may be more developed. The school’s student body is diverse in race and ethnicity, with a notably large share of students who identify as two or more races. No data on economic disadvantage, special education, or English learner services was available in this profile, so families who need that information should request it directly from the school.
See more original research from School Decision →