The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Math. The lowest is 16% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Hugh Bish Es
Hugh Bish Elementary serves students in prekindergarten through fifth grade and is part of the Lawton Public Schools district in southwestern Oklahoma. The school sits within a mixed-use city that serves as the regional hub for the area, with an economy historically tied to the adjacent Fort Sill military reservation, along with manufacturing, healthcare, and retail sectors. The city is low-density and auto-oriented, with daily life depending heavily on car travel via Interstate 44 and major highways.
The school enrolls a student body that is diverse across racial and ethnic backgrounds, with no single group forming a majority. White students make up the largest share, followed by Black students, Hispanic students, students who identify with two or more races, and smaller numbers of American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students.
State assessment results for the most recent testing year show a mixed picture. In third-grade English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was very low. In fourth-grade English language arts, the share improved but still remained modest. Fifth-grade English language arts results were suppressed, so no figure is available for that grade. In mathematics, third-grade results were also suppressed. Fourth-grade math showed a majority of students scoring proficient or above, a bright spot. Fifth-grade math, however, saw a smaller share reaching that bar. In fifth-grade science, the share of students scoring proficient or above was similar to the fifth-grade math result.
When compared with other elementary schools in Lawton and across Comanche County, this school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades landed above the midpoint among districts in the county. That positions it in the middle of the pack relative to local peers, with some grade-level subjects showing notably lower performance that a parent may want to look into further with the school.
The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism was not available. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, the number of students with individualized education programs, and the count of English learners was also missing, which limits a full picture of student supports. The school's Title I status was not provided, and no program offerings such as gifted, arts, or dual-language pathways were included in the data.
The surrounding district has seen recent investment. Voters passed a bond issue in 2023 earmarked for school safety improvements, transportation including new school buses, and district-wide technology upgrades. A previous bond issue in 2021 also funded transportation and technology devices for students. These measures have direct implications for classroom resources and the condition of school facilities.
Hugh Bish Elementary sits in a housing market where home values are below the state benchmark, making it a more affordable entry point for families compared to many other parts of Oklahoma. Rents are also modest relative to household incomes in the area, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment is lower than the typical rent. This affordability may be an attraction for families seeking to buy a home in the Lawton area.
Overall, this is a school where academic performance varies noticeably by grade and subject, with fourth-grade math standing out as a relative strength and early elementary English language arts showing a clear area of challenge. For a parent weighing this school, the variability in results across grades and subjects suggests it would be worth asking the school directly about specific instructional approaches and supports, particularly in reading and math at the younger grade levels. The school's diverse student body and location in a city with a stable military-linked economy provide a particular peer environment, and the recent district bond investments signal ongoing attention to school infrastructure and technology.
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