The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Science. The lowest is 4% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Quapaw Ms
Quapaw MS is a public middle school serving grades six through eight in the small, rural town of Quapaw in far northeastern Oklahoma. It is part of the Quapaw Public Schools district, which covers the town and its immediate surrounding area. The school’s enrollment is on the smaller side for a three-grade middle school, a scale that allows for a more intimate academic setting.
State testing results from the most recent year reveal that student proficiency across math, English language arts, and science is low. In math, the share of students scoring at the proficient level or above was very small in sixth grade and even smaller in eighth grade; seventh-grade math results were suppressed for reporting purposes. In English language arts, roughly a fifth of sixth and seventh graders reached proficiency, while eighth graders did so at a lower rate. In eighth-grade science, about a fifth of students met the proficiency bar. The Oklahoma School Testing Program changed its cut scores for math and English language arts in this testing cycle, so these results cannot be directly compared with prior years. Even so, when the school’s overall proficiency across testable subjects is averaged and placed against other districts in Ottawa County, it falls into the bottom quartile. A parent considering this school will want to understand what academic supports and interventions are in place.
The student body reflects the community’s demographic makeup. A majority of students identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, with a substantial minority of White students and very small numbers of students of other races. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners were not available in the source material. Likewise, no information on course offerings, staffing ratios, or discipline and attendance patterns was provided, so a family may want to ask the school directly about those areas.
Quapaw itself is a town of fewer than a thousand residents that serves as the capital of the Quapaw Nation. Its main street runs along Historic Route 66, and the town retains a strong Native American identity. The economic base is modest: the Quapaw Nation is a significant employer, along with the school district and small local businesses. Population has been declining since the end of the lead and zinc mining boom in the early twentieth century, and no major housing developments or growth projects were identified in publicly reported sources. Housing values in the area are below the national median, and the median household income for the region is moderate. The town has no public transit system, and walkability is limited to the immediate Main Street corridor; most families will rely on vehicles for travel.
For families who live in or near Quapaw, Quapaw MS offers a small-school environment in a rural, tribally rooted community. The academic performance data point to a school where a large majority of students are not yet meeting state proficiency benchmarks in core subjects. Given the gaps in available information on special programs and student services, a family would be well served by visiting the school and asking about the specific supports, interventions, and enrichment opportunities offered for middle school students.
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