The top reported proficiency rate is 8% in Math. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mckinley Es
McKinley Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Tulsa Public Schools, the largest district in Oklahoma. The school is located in the eastern part of the city, a setting shaped by Tulsa’s history as an oil-industry center and its more recent diversification into finance, aviation, and technology. The city itself has seen steady population growth, though the district has experienced declining enrollment in recent years, a factor that has driven school closures and ongoing adjustments to capacity.
The student body is diverse, with a substantial majority of students identifying as Hispanic. White students and Black students each make up a smaller share, while American Indian or Alaska Native students and students of two or more races are present in modest numbers. The enrollment is relatively large for an elementary school serving only these grade levels, with a noticeable concentration in the younger grades. The data did not include the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, nor the share of students receiving special education services or English learner support, so those dimensions of student need are not accounted for here and a parent may want to ask the school directly for more detail.
State assessment results from the 2024-25 school year show a clear pattern. Proficiency rates in both math and English language arts are very low across all tested grades. In third grade, math proficiency is below one in five students, and English language arts is around one in ten. In fourth grade, the rates are similarly low. By fifth grade, the proportion of students reaching the proficient level falls to a very small number in math, a very small number in English language arts, and a very small number in science. These results place the school’s overall proficiency level in the bottom quarter when compared to all other districts in Tulsa County. It is worth noting that Oklahoma changed its cut scores for math and English language arts assessments in this testing cycle, which makes direct comparison with prior years unreliable, but the current picture is one of very widespread academic struggle.
The school’s capacity to address these challenges is not fully visible from the available data. Information on staffing ratios, teacher experience, course access, discipline rates, and chronic absenteeism was not reported. These are all factors that can significantly affect a child’s daily experience, and a family considering McKinley may want to follow up with the school or district for a clearer sense of classroom conditions and support structures.
Housing in the surrounding area is relatively affordable, with home values and rents running well below the national median. That affordability is part of a broader economic context in which the national unemployment rate and mortgage rates have been relatively stable.
The district itself has been in the news for matters that may matter to parents. In 2023, the Oklahoma State Board of Education lowered Tulsa Public Schools’ accreditation status to “accredited with deficiencies,” citing low academic performance and library-book policies. The district remains fully operational but this designation is a known public factor. In 2024, voters approved a large bond package for facility upgrades, technology, and safety improvements across all schools. At the same time, the district has been closing elementary schools in response to enrollment declines. Those closures suggest that the district’s footprint is shrinking, and families should be aware that further consolidation is possible.
For a parent weighing McKinley, the profile is straightforward. The school serves a diverse elementary-age population in a large, urban district that is under financial and academic pressure. State test results show very low proficiency rates across subjects and grades, placing the school among the lowest-performing in the county on that measure. There is no evidence in the available data of strong academic programs, robust support services, or a track record of improvement, but the data does not provide a complete picture of what happens inside the school. A family would want to visit, talk to teachers and current parents, and ask directly about how the school is working to raise achievement and support its students’ needs.
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