The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Math. The lowest is 24% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mannford Ms
Mannford Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade in the Mannford district, a small district in Creek County that draws from the town of Mannford and the surrounding lake area. Mannford sits along Keystone Lake roughly a half-hour’s drive west of Tulsa, and the town bills itself as a small residential community with lake recreation at its core. The district itself has five schools, and this middle school is the sole campus for its grade band.
The student body is predominantly White, and the remainder is split among students identifying as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian, and Black. The school’s total enrollment is about what you would expect for a middle school in a town of this size.
On state assessments, which in Oklahoma are the OSTP, the share of students scoring proficient or above sits below what many families would hope for. In math, about a quarter to just over a third of students reached that bar depending on the grade, with eighth graders posting a higher rate than sixth or seventh graders. In English language arts, the pattern is similar, with about a fifth to just under a third of students scoring proficient or above. Science results, available only for eighth graders, show roughly a quarter of students hitting the proficient mark. These figures place the school’s overall proficiency index in the top quartile among the districts in Creek County, meaning that while the raw percentages are modest, they are stronger than many of the other districts in the same county. A parent should be aware that the state changed its cut scores in math and English language arts for this testing cycle, which makes direct comparisons with prior years unreliable. The district brief did not turn up any recent curriculum or program changes of note.
No free or reduced-price lunch data was available, so it is not possible to characterize the share of students from lower-income households from this source. Similarly, data on special education identification, English learner status, and chronic absenteeism were absent from the available information. A parent who wants a fuller picture of student support and discipline climate would need to ask the school directly.
The housing market in the Mannford ZIP code shows home values a bit above the national median but still within reach for many buyers in the region, and rents are notably lower than the cost of a mortgage, suggesting renting is the more affordable near-term option. Unemployment nationally has been stable at moderate levels, and mortgage rates have been hovering in the mid sixes, which is relevant for families weighing a move.
Mannford itself is a town that was relocated in the 1960s when Keystone Lake was created, and it was one of the first planned relocations in the state. The town has seen steady population growth in recent decades. Its largest employer is the school system, followed by a few industrial employers, but historically a large share of employed residents have commuted to Sand Springs and Tulsa for work. The local economy leans heavily on the lake for recreation and tourism, with marinas, campgrounds, and the town’s claim as the “Striped Bass Capital of the World.” For families, this means the community is oriented toward outdoor life, and the school sits within a planned town center that also includes municipal buildings.
For a family weighing this school, the academic picture is one of middling absolute performance but relatively stronger standing within Creek County. The middle school does not offer high school-level programs like Advanced Placement or career pathways, as those would be at the high school. The appeal of Mannford Middle School is likely less about academic selectivity and more about the setting: a small, lake-oriented town with a manageable commute to Tulsa, a district that is the main local employer, and a school where a parent can get to know the staff. A parent who values high test scores or a more rigorous academic environment may want to explore what supplemental supports the school offers and how the high school’s course offerings connect back to the middle school experience.
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