The top reported proficiency rate is 11% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Pittsburg Es
Pittsburg ES serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the town of Pittsburg, Oklahoma. The school is the only public school in the Pittsburg district and sits within a very small, fully rural town that was once a coal mining boomtown and has since shifted to ranching and agriculture. The population has been in long-term decline for decades, and the town has minimal commercial infrastructure, no public transit, and a limited civic footprint. The school itself, including a historic gymnasium, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and functions as a central community landmark.
The enrollment is modest, with students spread across every grade from PK through eighth. The student body is notably diverse in its composition: a large share of students are American Indian, and substantial shares are white and multiracial, with small numbers of Hispanic and Black students. Data on economic disadvantage, such as free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, was not available, so a family would need to ask the school directly about the share of students from low-income households. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was also missing.
State testing results from the most recent school year cover grades three through eight in math and English language arts, and grades five and eight in science. Because the school is small, many of the proficiency results were suppressed to protect student privacy where the tested group was too small. For the grade levels where a rate could be reported, proficiency was low. In a few cases the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the single digits, and in one grade it was just under a fifth. No results were reported for science. The state changed its performance standards in math and ELA for this test administration, which means the results cannot be compared to prior years to gauge trends. When the school is placed relative to other districts in Pittsburg County on an overall proficiency index that averages across tested subjects and grades, it falls in the bottom quartile.
Because the school ends at eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to consider. Students who continue past eighth grade would move to a high school elsewhere, likely in a neighboring district or a regional option.
The community context is one of long-term population loss and a limited local economy. The town’s peak population was reached during the coal mining era; since the mines closed, residents have relied on ranching and agriculture or commuted to larger towns such as McAlester for work. There are no major employers within the town itself. Housing values and rents were not in the available data, but given the rural setting and population decline, the market is likely modest. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes, such as boundary shifts or program expansions, so the school appears to be operating with little recent administrative churn.
This is a small, rural PK-8 school in a shrinking town, with a student body where American Indian students are the largest group. Academic proficiency on state assessments is low compared to other districts in the county, though because many results are suppressed, the picture is incomplete. A parent considering this school would want to speak directly with staff about academic supports, enrichment opportunities, and how the school addresses the needs of a small, diverse student population within a community that has limited outside resources.
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