The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Ketchum Ms
Ketchum Middle School serves grades six through eight in the small lakeside town of Ketchum, Oklahoma, a community on the shores of Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees in the northeastern part of the state. The town’s economy, once agricultural, shifted toward tourism and lake-related businesses after the creation of Grand Lake, and the school is part of the Ketchum Public Schools district, which also includes the area’s high school. The town itself is low-density and car-dependent, with a mix of residential streets and highway-frontage commercial uses that serve lake traffic. A significant share of housing units are vacant, reflecting the seasonal and vacation-home character of the area.
Ketchum Middle School enrolls students in grades six through eight. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial share of American Indian or Alaska Native students, and smaller shares of students who are two or more races, Hispanic, and Asian. The school is not a charter school. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, nor was information on students with disabilities or English learners.
On the Oklahoma School Testing Program assessments for the most recent school year, proficiency rates in math declined across the three grade levels. In sixth grade, roughly a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or above. In seventh grade, the share was slightly lower. In eighth grade, the share was lower still. In English language arts, the pattern was somewhat different. In sixth grade, about a quarter of students were proficient or above. In seventh grade, the share was higher, around a third. In eighth grade, it was again about a quarter. Science results for eighth grade were suppressed, so no proficiency rate is available for that subject. The state changed its cut scores for math and English language arts in this testing cycle, which means these results cannot be directly compared to prior years.
When compared to other districts in Craig County, Ketchum Middle School’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile. This is a relative strength within the local context, though the absolute proficiency rates are modest.
The school serves grades six through eight only, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism was not available. Information on course access, staffing, and discipline was also not available. The district brief turned up little of lasting impact in terms of recent changes or strategic priorities.
Ketchum is a small, low-density town on Grand Lake, with a car-dependent layout and a mix of year-round and seasonal homes. The local economy is driven by tourism and lake-related businesses. The South Grand Lake Regional Airport has seen significant infrastructure investment, including a recent runway project and a new terminal building and hangar under construction. No major new housing developments were identified, and the population has grown modestly. The school is part of the Ketchum Public Schools district, which also serves the area’s high school.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small middle school in a lake-oriented community, with proficiency rates that are modest in absolute terms but sit near the top among the county’s districts. The lack of data on free or reduced-price lunch, special education, English learner status, and chronic absenteeism means a parent may want to ask the school directly about student support services and the overall learning environment. The school’s size and setting in a small, tourism-focused town will appeal to families looking for a close-knit, rural school experience.
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