The top reported proficiency rate is 8% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cherokee Es
Cherokee Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Muskogee, Oklahoma, as part of the Muskogee district. The school building is located on Estelle Street in the western part of the city. For a family considering this school, the most direct picture comes from its state assessment results, which show very low proficiency rates in every tested subject and grade. In third-grade math, fourth-grade math, and fifth-grade math, the share of students scoring at the proficient or above level was quite small. The same pattern appears in English language arts and in fifth-grade science. The overall proficiency index, which averages performance across all tested subjects and grades, places Cherokee Elementary in the bottom quartile when compared with other districts in Muskogee County. A parent should note that Oklahoma changed its cut scores for the state tests in math and English language arts during this period, which makes it difficult to compare these results with prior years, but the reported figures are low on their own terms.
The student body is diverse. A little over a third of students are Black, and roughly a quarter are of two or more races. White students account for about a sixth of enrollment, and Hispanic students make up a similar share. There is also a small Native American population. The school serves about a few hundred students total, spread across grades kindergarten through five. Information on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, how many receive special education services, and how many are English learners was not available in the data reviewed here.
Muskogee itself is a mid-sized city in eastern Oklahoma with an industrial base that includes a large Georgia-Pacific paper products plant, as well as glass and optical machinery manufacturing, steel fabrication, and food processing. The city's population has declined from earlier decades but appears to have stabilized in recent years. Housing in the area is notably affordable. The typical home value is well below both the Oklahoma state average and the national average, and rents are likewise modest relative to income. The city is auto-oriented, with most residents driving to work, and its historic downtown contains several early-twentieth-century buildings and museums. Civic anchors include Honor Heights Park, a World War I memorial park with an annual azalea festival and a large Christmas lights display. The district itself did not have any recent changes of lasting note publicly reported.
For a parent trying to decide whether this school fits their child, the state test results present a clear challenge. The share of students meeting grade-level standards is very low in every subject and every tested grade. This is not a school where a parent can assume a typical academic experience; a child who needs strong grade-level instruction in a school where many students meet benchmarks may need to look elsewhere, or the parent will need to engage closely with the school and provide substantial support at home. On the other hand, the school is not large, and the small, neighborhood-scaled setting may appeal to some families. The city's housing is inexpensive, and Muskogee has a number of museums and parks that provide some community amenities. A parent would be wise to visit the school, ask about instruction and support for students who are behind, and inquire directly about class size, teacher experience, and what strategies are in place to address the very low proficiency rates.
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