Heritage Es, Tahlequah OK - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Heritage Es

Heritage Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Tahlequah, a small city that functions as the capital of the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, as well as the county seat of Cherokee County. The school is part of the Tahlequah Public Schools districtikuha. Northeastern State University’s main campus and the Cherokee Nation headquarters are major presences in the community, and the city’s historic town square and Cherokee cultural institutions anchor downtown life. Housing in the area costs less than the Oklahoma statewide average, and rents have been rising in step with national trends.

Heritage’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. The student body is diverse, with a large share of students who are American Indian or Alaska Native, and a similarly large share who identify as two or more races. Hispanic and white students each make up a notable portion as well. The school did not report data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor on students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about support services for those populations.

On state assessments, Heritage’s results vary across subjects and grade levels. In mathematics, one grade level showed a level of proficiency that exceeded half of its test-takers, a solid outcome. Other math grade levels fell below that mark. In English language arts, the pattern was more subdued: no grade level reached the majority-proficient threshold, and results for one grade were suppressed from public reporting. Science results for fifth grade were also suppressed. The reasons for suppression are not given in the data, but such gaps sometimes reflect small group sizes. Because the state changed its cut scores for math and ELA in recent years, direct comparisons to prior years are not available.

Despite these mixed classroom-level numbers, Heritage’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it among the higher-performing entities when compared to districts in Cherokee County. That is a meaningful strength in the local context: the school’s academic results, taken together, are stronger than those of most surrounding districts.

The broader Tahlequah community offers families a mix of civic and outdoor anchors: the Illinois River and nearby Lake Tenkiller and Lake Fort Gibson provide recreation, while Cherokee Nation cultural museums and the university contribute a distinctive cultural texture. The city’s downtown is walkable around the historic square, but much of the residential area is suburban and rural in character, so getting to Heritage likely requires a car for most families.

Heritage Elementary fits a family seeking an elementary school in a community with strong tribal government and university ties, where housing is relatively affordable. The school’s academic performance is uneven by grade and subject, but its overall proficiency standing in Cherokee County is a bright spot. A parent interested in understanding supports for students with disabilities or English learners, or the school’s approach to its diverse student body, would need to follow up directly, as those data were not available here.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 337%

School 37% · District 31% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median

Grade 461%

School 61% · District 39% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 36% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 31% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 28% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

This schoolTAHLEQUAH, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income72%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income46%Higher-income78%31 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income86%40 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income42%Higher-income72%31 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income48%Higher-income89%41 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income56%Higher-income81%25 pp gap