The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Science. The lowest is 19% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Jennings Public School
Jennings Public School is a small, rural PK-through-8 school in the town of Jennings, Oklahoma, in Pawnee County. It is a public, non-charter school and the only school in the Jennings Public Schools district. Because it serves no high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial share of students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, and smaller shares of students who identify with two or more races, Black, Asian, and Hispanic. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, who receive special education services, or who are English learners was not available for this school year.
State testing results for the most recent school year, reported by grade level, show proficiency rates that are modest across the board. In math, proficiency rates for the grades where data was reported ranged from a lower figure in fourth grade to a somewhat higher one in fifth grade. In English language arts, the reported rates were broadly similar, with the lowest in third and fourth grades and the highest in seventh grade. Science results for fifth grade were in line with the ELA and math patterns. Results for seventh and eighth grade math, eighth grade ELA, and eighth grade science were suppressed by the state, which typically occurs when a tested group is small. When placed relative to other districts in Pawnee County, the school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among the three districts in the county, meaning it falls in the middle range of local performance. These results come from a year when Oklahoma changed the cut scores for the math and English language arts assessments, making direct comparisons to prior years unreliable.
The community context is important context for these numbers. Jennings is a very small, entirely rural town that has experienced long-term population decline. Historically an agriculture and oil-boom town, it now functions largely as a bedroom community, with most employed residents commuting to work in Tulsa and Stillwater. There are no major private employers in Jennings, and the school is likely the largest local employer. The town has very limited civic infrastructure; there is no public transit, no public library in Jennings itself, and no documented parks. The school serves as the primary civic gathering point.
A parent weighing this school should be aware of a few district-level factors that directly affect family life. The Jennings district operates on a shortened school week; it was the first district in Oklahoma to receive state approval to go below the standard number of instructional days, citing excellent state test scores at the time of the request. This schedule has a lasting impact on family routines and childcare needs. Additionally, a bond issue passed several years ago funded significant campus improvements, including renovated event space with new safe rooms, a new pre-kindergarten center, an outdoor classroom, and additional classroom space. These upgrades enhanced the school's learning environment and safety infrastructure.
For a family, this is a very small rural school in a town with an extremely limited local economy and few amenities. The school offers a straightforward academic program through the end of middle school. Students who continue into high school would need to attend a different school district. The student body is small, class sizes appear modest from the state testing counts, and the school operates on a non-traditional weekly schedule that is a firm commitment for any family. The academic results, while near the middle of the district's small county cohort, are at levels that many parents would want to understand more deeply by speaking directly with the school about instruction and student progress.
See more original research from School Decision →