The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Science. The lowest is 28% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Cherokee Es
Cherokee ES serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Tahlequah, a small city in northeastern Oklahoma that functions as the capital of the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. The school is part of the Tahlequah Public Schools district. The city itself mixes government, university, and residential uses, with Northeastern State University’s main campus and the Cherokee Nation headquarters both located within its boundaries. Housing in the area has risen in value recently, and the local rental market has also climbed, though the median home value remains below the national benchmark. The unemployment rate has held steady, and real median household income nationally has ticked up, but the narrative of this particular place is one of tribal government and higher education as the economic anchors.
Cherokee ES is a school that serves a diverse student body, drawn from the community around it. More than a third of students are identified as American Indian or Alaska Native, and more than a quarter as two or more races. White students make up a notable share, as do Hispanic students. The school’s enrollment is concentrated in the early elementary grades, with a relatively even spread from kindergarten through fifth grade.
State testing results for the most recent school year show a mixed picture across subjects and grades, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school. In math, proficiency rates among students tested were modest across all three tested grade levels, with a range that hovered below a third of students meeting the state’s threshold. In English language arts, the pattern was similar: proficiency rates fell below a third in each grade, with the highest rate in third grade and the lowest in fourth. On the science assessment, which is administered in fifth grade only, a larger share of students reached the proficient level. Because the state recently changed cut scores for both math and English language arts assessments, direct comparisons to prior years are not possible from this data alone.
When placed against other districts within Cherokee County, Cherokee ES’s overall proficiency index lands in the top quartile. That context matters: the school’s numbers, while not high in absolute terms, place it among the stronger performers in a county where the typical district’s proficiency rate is substantially lower. The gap between the top and bottom of the county is wide, and Cherokee ES sits near the high end.
The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available in this profile. The district search turned up no major recent changes to report, so the operating context appears stable for now.
For a family considering this school, the academic profile is one where the raw numbers are modest but the relative standing in the county is strong. The student body is predominantly Native American and multiracial, reflecting the city’s role as a seat of tribal government and culture. The school sits in a community where Cherokee language and heritage are visibly present in daily life, from street signs to cultural institutions. Housing costs have been rising, making entry into the local market more expensive than it was a year ago, but the area remains more affordable than the national median. The economic base leans heavily on government, education, and tribal operations, which provides a degree of stability. A parent whose priority is an elementary school performing competitively within its local county will find Cherokee ES in a favorable position. Those looking for high absolute proficiency numbers may want to look more closely at the school’s instructional approach and student supports.
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