The Best Elementary Schools in Oklahoma City – SchoolSparrow’s Top 5 Out-Performers

Oklahoma City is the capital of and largest city in Oklahoma. One surprising fact about Oklahoma City is it’s the 2nd largest city in America by land area, second only to Houston, TX. 

SchoolSparrow has put together this list of the top 5 underrated schools in Oklahoma City as part of our mission to provide equitable school rankings for America’s public K-12 schools. 

The Problem With Today’s School Rankings

The current school rankings that exist today are biased towards schools in wealthy neighborhoods. This is because the largest driver of test score performance at any school is family income. As a result, schools with socio-economic diversity are discounted. SchoolSparrow has created a ranking system that accounts for parent income which elevates diverse schools and turns the focus away from family income.

Read this blog post to learn more about how the dominant school ranking systems are misleading parents.

SchoolSparrow’s Mission

We are on a mission to provide all parents with equitable school rankings in the US, and if you are interested in keeping updated on our progress and learn how YOU can help in this fight, then please sign up on our mailing list. We respect your privacy and will not give your information to anyone, ever. Read more about SchoolSparrow’s mission here.

SchoolSparrow’s Top 5 Out-Performers

So, without further ado, below are SchoolSparrow’s top 5 best school’s in Oklahoma City that are not recognized on other school ranking systems because they do not control for the largest influencer of standardized test scores.

For reference, the median sold price for homes in Oklahoma City is $155,400

1. Quail Creek Elementary School – Oklahoma City, OK (20 min drive to the OKC National Memorial)

The first Out-Performer is Quail Creek Elementary School, which is fittingly located in the Quail Creek neighborhood of OKC. In addition, Quail Creek Elementary is part of the Oklahoma City School District.

This school earns an “A” rating from SchoolSparrow due to the students performance on the National Assessment of Academic Progress (NAEP) standardized test, when adjusted for family income. A special shoutout to the 4th and 6th graders at Quail Elementary who earned an A+ grade based on their test performance!

The average score of schools in OKC with a similar income profile is 24.6 (24.6% of students meeting or exceeding state standards). But Quail Creek outperforms the average by a whopping 70%, scoring 40 points. This outstanding performance places Quail Creek at the top of the list of great schools in Oklahoma City.

In addition, Quail Creek is a diverse school, earning 20 out of a possible 40 points.

But unfortunately, you wouldn’t know Quail Creek is a good school by looking at the GreatSchools rating of 4/10. This score is way too low for a school outperforming to such a degree. Our “A” Rating is equivalent to a 10/10. 

This listing is a 3BD single home in the attendance boundaries of Quail Creek Elementary, and currently listed at $150,000.

Parents looking for a great school in Oklahoma City should consider Quail Creek Elementary.

Address: 1170 Thornridge Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73120

Website: https://www.okcps.org/Page/61

Congrats to the students, parents, and most of all the great educators at Quail Creek Elementary School on being named one of the Top 5 public elementary schools in Oklahoma City! #schoolequity #schoolsparrow

Tweet

2. Ridgeview Elementary School – Oklahoma City, OK (18 min drive to OKC National Memorial)

Ridgeview Elementary is located just east of Lake Hefner in the Village neighborhood of Oklahoma City. This school is in the Oklahoma City School District.

This school finds itself on this list as a result of beating the average school score on the NAEP standardized test by over 50%! Students at Ridgeview Elementary should be very proud of their “A” rating, equivalent to a 10/10.

Ridgeview is one of the most diverse schools in Oklahoma City, scoring very high with a 30 out of a possible 40 points on SchoolSparrow’s diversity score. You can rest assured your child will be part of a rich, vibrant community at Ridgeview.

But the GreatSchools score of 5/10 makes Ridgeview easily overlooked. Parents, please don’t make that mistake! Ridgeview should absolutely be a school on your shortlist as a potential fit for your kids.

The median selling price in The Village is $163,200, and this listing is an example of a 3BD home currently for sale at $147,000.

Address: 10010 Ridgeview Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73120

Website: https://www.okcps.org/Domain/36

Congrats to the students, parents, and most of all the great educators at Ridgeview Elementary School on being named one of the Top 5 public elementary schools in Oklahoma City! #schoolequity #schoolsparrow

Tweet

3. Eugene Field Elementary School – Oklahoma City, OK (5 minute drive to Oklahoma City National Memorial)

Eugene Field Elementary is located in Plaza District, a northwest neighborhood of Oklahoma City in the Oklahoma City School District. Plaza District is known for its complex of art galleries, shops, live music, theater, and restaurants.

This school earns an A- score based on the students performance on the NAEP standardized test. Students score 40% above the average score for schools with a similar parent income profile. Also, Eugene Field Elementary is making a difference scoring in the top 20% of schools in OKC when adjusted for parent income.

Eugene Field has a diverse student population, scoring 15 out of a possible 40 points on SchoolSparrow’s diversity score.

What’s more, Eugene Field scores are trending upwards, so we give a huge shoutout to all the educators who are making a difference at this awesome school. 

Eugene Field is one of the best schools in Oklahoma City, but you wouldn’t know it looking at its 4/10 score on GreatSchools. We know this score is not a true reflection of the environment at this school, which should be rated a 9/10!

Additionally, the median home value in this neighborhood is $203,000. This listing is an example of a remodeled 3 bedroom home currently for sale for $245,000.

Address: 1515 North Klein Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73106

Website: https://www.okcps.org/Domain/19

Congrats to the students, parents, and most of all the great educators at Eugene Field Elementary School on being named one of the Top 5 public elementary schools in Oklahoma City! #schoolequity #schoolsparrow

Tweet

4. Tulakes Elementary School – Oklahoma City, OK (22 minute drive to Oklahoma City National Memorial)

Tulakes Elementary is located in northwestern Oklahoma City, just west of the Twin Lakes subdivision which is in the northern portion of the Warr Acres neighborhood. In addition, this school is part of the Putnam City Public School District.

Tulakes is located in close proximity to several lakes, the largest of which is West Twin Lakes just to the east of the school.

Of course the students at this school have some impressive test scores when family income is accounted for, scoring 31% above the average, and earning an A- SchoolSparrow grade which is equivalent to a 9/10. Educators at this school are making a difference and they deserve recognition for making Tulakes Elementary one of the best schools in Oklahoma City.

In addition, Tulakes Elementary has an incredibly diverse student body scoring a very high 30 out of a possible 40 points on SchoolSparrow’s diversity score. If you are looking for a diverse environment for your children at a performing school with great teachers, then you should put Tulakes Elementary on your shortlist.

But GreatSchools 6/10 is not a true representation of the quality of education your child will experience at Tulakes Elementary. Parents, don’t overlook this school!

The median price of homes that sold in zip code 73132 is $161,900. This listing is an example of a 3 bedroom home currently on the market for $139,900.

Address: 6600 Galaxie Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73132

Website: https://tulakes.putnamcityschools.org/

Congrats to the students, parents, and most of all the great educators at Tulakes Elementary School on being named one of the Top 5 public elementary schools in Oklahoma City! #schoolequity #schoolsparrow

Tweet

5. Barnes Elementary School – Oklahoma City, OK (19 minute drive to Oklahoma City National Memorial)

Barnes Elementary is located in southeastern Oklahoma City in the Midwest City Del City Public School District, just east of Tinker Air Force Base. This area has low population density and many homes come with an acre or more of land.

As expected, Barnes Elementary outperforms the average test score for schools of a similar income profile. The average is 40 points, but Barnes elementary is 18% higher with a score of 47, earning an A-!

To add to this, Barnes elementary features a fairly diverse environment, with a 10 out of a possible 40 diversity points. Barnes elementary test scores are trending up, and there’s no doubt this school offers a positive learning environment for all children.

GreatSchools gives Barnes Elementary a score of 6/10, which is definitely too low. Parents, please don’t make the mistake of overlooking Barnes Elementary due to its GreatSchools score! This school deserves a closer look as a potential fit for your kids.

The Zillow home price index for the 73150 zip code is $255,000. This listing is an example of a 4 bedroom house currently for sale for $255,900.

Address: 10551 SE 59th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73150
Website: https://www.mid-del.net/o/barnelem

Congrats to the students, parents, and most of all the great educators at Barnes Elementary School on being named one of the Top 5 public elementary schools in Oklahoma City! #schoolequity #schoolsparrow

Tweet

Want to learn more about how we rank schools? Curious about the school performance in your district? Visit schoolsparrow.com to learn more!