The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in Math. The lowest is 51% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Darnaby Es
Darnaby Elementary sits in the Tulsa Public Schools district, though it is actually operated by Union Public Schools, a separate district that serves the Tulsa area. The school runs from prekindergarten through fifth grade, with an enrollment that is moderate for a school of this grade band. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population, a notable share of students who identify as two or more races, and smaller but significant numbers of Black, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native students.
The academic picture at Darnaby is mixed, with a clear upward trend as students move through the grades. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above on the Oklahoma State Testing Program rises consistently from grade to grade, with a relatively low figure in third grade, a stronger showing in fourth grade, and a solid majority of students meeting the bar in fifth grade. A similar pattern holds in English language arts. The third-grade result is a soft spot in an otherwise strengthening profile; a parent might want to ask how the school supports early literacy and math foundations. In science, tested only in fifth grade, a modest majority of students reached the proficient mark. When the school is compared to other districts in Tulsa County, its overall proficiency level, averaged across tested subjects and grades, falls in the top quartile. That positioning is a meaningful strength, though it reflects a school that performs well in the upper elementary grades and less so at the starting point.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the available data does not include information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, or course access. Likewise, figures for students with disabilities and English learners were not present in the data. A reader should weigh those gaps when forming a full picture; they are not a sign of a problem, just missing context that a conversation with the school could fill.
The surrounding community is the city of Tulsa, the second-largest in Oklahoma and a diversified regional hub. Historically known as a petroleum center, the city's economy now spreads across finance, aviation, telecommunications, technology, and manufacturing. Major employers include a strong aviation-aerospace sector. The city has a downtown with notable Art Deco architecture and a set of cultural institutions. Its population has grown steadily over recent decades, and it remains a major commercial anchor for the region. Housing in the zip code that serves the school is priced noticeably higher than the statewide typical home value, and rents also sit above the state average. A typical mortgage payment on a median-priced home there would be slightly higher than the average rent, illustrating that buying and renting both carry substantial costs, though renting is somewhat cheaper on a monthly basis. The national mortgage rate environment at the time of this data is modestly elevated.
Union Public Schools, the district operating Darnaby, has recently undertaken a major facility transformation of its sixth- and seventh-grade centers, funded by a bond campaign that is now well underway. The district has also developed several new career pathway academies: a new aerospace academy, the early stages of a medical academy, and an expansion of an existing construction academy. These developments are significant for families with students who will move on to the district's middle and high schools, as they signal a growing investment in career-connected learning.
For a family considering this school, Darnaby offers a setting where proficiency in state tests improves markedly from early grade to later grade, and where the school compares favorably on overall performance to others in the county. The third-grade numbers in reading and math are worth a direct inquiry. The community is a large, economically diverse city with a broad job market and a housing market that runs above state averages. The district is investing in facilities and programming that could shape the experience for a student through their entire K-12 journey.
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