The top reported proficiency rate is 6% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Skelly Es
Skelly Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Tulsa Public Schools in the city of Tulsa. It is a neighborhood school, not a charter or magnet, and its enrollment makes it one of the larger elementary schools in the district for that grade band. The student body is majority Hispanic, with a substantial share of students who are Black, a smaller but still notable white population, and smaller groups of students who are Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or of two or more races. The school sits on the eastern side of Tulsa, in a residential part of the city. Tulsa itself is Oklahoma’s second-largest city and a diversified economic hub, with its historical identity as the Oil Capital of the World now sharing ground with finance, aviation, and technology. Civic and cultural life centers on downtown, which has a notable concentration of Art Deco architecture, and the city is situated on the Arkansas River.
The most prominent feature of Skelly’s profile is its state assessment performance. On the Oklahoma School Testing Program, the share of students scoring at the proficient level or above was very low across every tested grade and subject. In third-grade math, fewer than one in twenty students reached that mark. In fourth-grade math, the figure was slightly higher but still quite low. In fifth-grade math, it was lower still. Reading results followed a similar pattern: third and fourth grade each saw a small share of students proficient, and fifth grade was even lower. Fifth-grade science results also showed a very small proportion of students meeting the proficient bar. The school’s overall proficiency index, which combines results across all tested subjects and grades, placed it in the bottom quartile relative to the other elementary-grade schools in Tulsa County. A family looking at these results will see that the school faces a significant academic challenge, and a parent may want to discuss with the school what interventions and supports are in place to raise student achievement. Because the proficiency test’s cut scores changed recently, direct comparisons to prior years are not available, so it is not possible from this data to say whether these results represent a new trend or a continuation.
Information about the school’s staffing ratios, teacher qualifications, course offerings beyond the standard curriculum, and discipline rates was not reported in the data available. Similarly, there was no data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch or who receive special education or English learner services. These are common areas a family might inquire about directly. Because Skelly is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report.
This school operates within a larger district context that families should be aware of. Tulsa Public Schools, the largest district in Oklahoma, has seen enrollment decline from its historical peak, and in 2024 the school board voted to close two elementary schools as part of a right-sizing effort. Also in 2024, voters approved a large bond package for facility improvements, technology, and safety upgrades across all district schools, a measure structured not to raise property tax rates. In 2023, the state board of education lowered the district’s accreditation status to “accredited with deficiencies,” citing low academic performance and concerns over library policies. That status means the district remains open but must address the identified issues, and it is a factor some families weigh.
Housing in the area around the school is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, with home values below the national median and rents that are also below the typical national level. Tulsa’s steady population growth and diversified economy provide a broader regional backdrop, but for this individual school, the concrete data points a family will want to investigate are how the school is working to address its academic results and what supports are available for students.
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