The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Robert E Lee Early Childhood
Robert E Lee Early Childhood is a pre-kindergarten center serving only four-year-olds in Durant, Oklahoma. It is part of the Durant Independent School District, which runs the elementary, middle, and high schools that children will attend after this early start. The school occupies a building on West Louisiana Street in Durant’s residential grid, within walking distance of the downtown historic district and the county courthouse. For a single-grade program, it is of modest size, serving a large group of young learners. The student body is diverse: white students make up the largest share, followed by a substantial presence of Hispanic children, a notable proportion of American Indian or Alaska Native students, and a comparable group of multiracial children. Information on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available in the data provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Because this school serves only pre-kindergarten, state testing results do not apply to its current students. The data includes test scores from a much earlier year when the building housed an elementary school and third graders took the Oklahoma state assessments. Those results, from approximately a decade ago, showed a rate of proficiency in reading that was greater than the rate in math. Relative to other schools in Bryan County at that time, the overall proficiency level was in the top quarter of districts. However, this information reflects a different grade in a different era and does not describe the early childhood program families are evaluating today. What matters more is the district that this school feeds into. The Durant district has seen a sustained rise in its high school graduation rate over the last several years, and its combined math and reading proficiency across all grade levels has ranked above the Oklahoma state average. The district also received funding through a federal clean school bus grant, which points to an ongoing investment in transportation and student health.
Durant itself is the county seat and the largest city in Bryan County, with a population that has grown noticeably since the 2020 census. The economy is anchored by the Choctaw Nation headquarters and its casino resort, which together employ a very large workforce, and by Southeastern Oklahoma State University, which brings a university character to the town. Manufacturing and distribution are expanding, with several new facilities built or planned. Downtown Durant has a historic district with shops and annual events, but most of the city is laid out for driving. Housing values in Durant’s primary zip code are near the statewide median, while rents are slightly lower relative to incomes than the national average, making the area moderately affordable for families. Civic anchors include the Three Valley Museum, the public library, and nearby Lake Texoma and Fort Washita for recreation.
For a parent considering this school, the picture is of a targeted early childhood program within a district that performs academically above the state norm and sits in a growing, economically diverse small city. The school itself offers no test results or program details in the available data, and no information about teacher experience or class sizes was provided, so those are natural questions to take up with the school office. What is clear is the grade band: this is a place for pre-kindergarten only, after which children move into the broader Durant system.
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