The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in Science. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Randy Hughes Middle School
Randy Hughes Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in McAlester, Oklahoma, the county seat of Pittsburg County. The city functions as a regional trade hub for southeastern Oklahoma. Its economy has deep roots in coal mining and railroads; today the largest employers are the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant. McAlester’s population has been relatively stable over recent decades with a slight long-term decline, and revitalization efforts focus on the historic downtown and Old Town areas. The city is auto-oriented, spread across a large area, with schools and civic institutions distributed rather than clustered on a single campus.
The school itself is part of the McAlester Public Schools district. It draws from the surrounding community, and its student body reflects a mix of backgrounds. White students make up the largest share, followed by substantial groups of students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic students, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Smaller numbers of Black and Asian students are also enrolled. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, nor were counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so a family looking for a fuller picture of the school’s economic and support profile would need to ask the district directly.
On state assessments administered through Oklahoma’s testing program, proficiency rates were below half across all subjects. In both seventh and eighth grade math, roughly a fifth of students scored at the proficient level or above. Reading and English language arts results were similar, with about a fifth of students reaching proficiency in each grade. Science, tested in eighth grade alone, showed a somewhat higher rate, though still well short of a majority. The state changed its cut scores in math and reading in recent years, making direct comparisons to prior years unreliable, so it is not possible to say with confidence whether performance is trending up or down. Against other districts in Pittsburg County, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it above the midpoint, meaning that while the raw proficiency numbers are low, many other middle schools in the county face even steeper challenges.
Because the school serves only grades seven and eight, there is no graduation rate to consider. Information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, and course access was not included in the available data. The district brief turned up little of lasting impact in terms of recent policy changes or restructuring, so the district appears to be on a steady course.
Housing in the McAlester area is notably more affordable than state and national benchmarks, which may be relevant for families deciding where to live. The school sits on East Van Buren Avenue, near the eastern side of town. For parents weighing their options, Randy Hughes Middle School presents itself as a standard public middle school in a small city that serves as a regional center. Its test results indicate that a minority of students are meeting grade-level expectations in core subjects, and while the school performs better than many of its county peers, a family would likely want to understand what academic supports and enrichment opportunities are available. Without program data or information on class sizes and teacher qualifications, those are the kind of details a visit or conversation with the school could clarify.
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