The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Science. The lowest is 30% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Puterbaugh Ms
Puterbaugh Middle School is no longer open. The school, which served middle school grades in McAlester, Oklahoma, closed at some point after the 2022‑23 school year, the most recent year for which state test results are available. The McAlester district now educates its middle school students at other buildings, so any family moving to the area today would attend a different school.
McAlester is the county seat of Pittsburg County in southeastern Oklahoma. Historically a coal‑mining and railroad hub, the city today is anchored by major employers including the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, which together employ many residents. The city’s population has been stable but slightly declining over recent decades, and the housing market reflects that: home values in the area are below the state average and well under national figures, making McAlester a relatively affordable place to buy a home. The city is auto‑oriented, spread across a large area, with a historic downtown district and a few civic anchors such as the public library and county courthouse. Growth efforts have concentrated on downtown revitalization rather than new subdivisions.
For the 2022‑23 school year, Puterbaugh’s state testing results showed a mixed picture. In seventh grade, a substantial minority of students scored proficient or above in math, and a somewhat smaller share did so in English. By eighth grade, the proficiency rates were markedly lower in both subjects. In math, only a minority of eighth‑graders met the bar. In English, roughly a quarter of students did. Science results, available only for eighth grade, were similar to English. Oklahoma changed its science cut scores that year, so direct comparisons to prior years are not possible. Participation rates in the assessments were high, which strengthens the reliability of these results.
No demographic information about the school’s student body was available—neither enrollment counts, economic disadvantage data, racial or ethnic breakdowns, nor counts of students receiving special education or English learner support. Data on discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance were also missing. Without this context, it is not possible to describe the peer environment or the level of student support at Puterbaugh Middle School. A parent seeking a more complete picture of what the school was like would need to look to the district for historical records.
The modest proficiency rates at Puterbaugh, particularly the clear drop from seventh to eighth grade math, may be something to consider when evaluating the district’s current middle school offerings. McAlester’s stable, relatively affordable housing and its established employment base may appeal to families who work at the area’s major institutions or who prefer a smaller city setting. But the closure of this school and the absence of student‑level data from its final years leave many questions about the academic pathway it provided unanswered.
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