The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in Science. The lowest is 2% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Star Spencer Ms
Star Spencer Middle School serves eighth graders only, drawing from the Spencer area of northeast Oklahoma City. It is a single-grade school, which makes it an unusual and focused stop in a student’s path before high school.
The school sits within the Oklahoma City Public Schools district, the state’s largest, which covers the sprawling state capital. Oklahoma City itself is a vast, auto-oriented city where most residential areas are car-dependent, and this part of the city is no exception. Housing in the ZIP code around the school is priced below the state median, making it one of the more affordable corners of the metro area. The national unemployment rate and mortgage rates have been steady recently, and the regional economy is anchored by energy, aviation, federal employment, and state government.
Academically, Star Spencer Middle School faces deep challenges. State testing in math, English language arts, and science shows that proficiency rates across all three subjects are in the bottom quartile when compared with other schools across Oklahoma County. The share of students reaching the proficient level in math was very low, and English language arts and science results were also low. The school’s overall proficiency index places it near the bottom among its county peers. A parent should know that test scores at this level point to significant instructional obstacles, and the state changed its math and English cut scores in recent years, which means direct year-over-year comparisons are not possible. The data available covers only the eighth-grade cohort, so there are no results for earlier grades to provide a broader picture of student progress.
The student body of about the size you would expect for a single-grade middle school is majority Black, with a substantial share of students identifying as two or more races and a smaller share of Hispanic and white students. Enrollment data for students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about these populations and the support systems in place.
The Oklahoma City district has been through a series of major capital campaigns. Publicly reported information describes a sustained MAPS program—voter-approved penny sales taxes that have funded downtown revitalization, a convention center, a streetcar system, and parks. A MAPS for Kids initiative specifically channeled funds into school facilities, though no recent district-level bond or academic strategy data was available for this narrative. The school’s own website is the place to check for after-school programs, elective course offerings, and any career or dual-credit pathways that might be available to eighth graders preparing for high school.
There are no discipline data, chronic absenteeism rates, or staffing ratios in the available records, so a parent looking into the school’s climate, teacher turnover, or safety record would need to follow up directly. Similarly, the school’s Title I status and magnet status were not listed, so it is unclear whether the school receives additional federal funding or offers any specialized theme.
Star Spencer Middle School is a small, single-grade building where state test results indicate very low academic proficiency compared with other schools in the county. For a family considering this school, the central question will be whether the district and school can provide the academic support and high school readiness that an eighth grader needs to make a successful transition to ninth grade. The housing in the area is relatively affordable by metro standards, and the school serves a predominantly Black student body in a part of the city where options for middle school may be limited. A parent would want to visit, ask about intervention programs, and understand the path from this building to the district’s high schools before making a decision.
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