Carney

The small school district of Carney, Oklahoma, is home to two schools - Carney Elementary School and Carney High School. While the elementary school has seen fluctuations in its academic performance, the high school is struggling, with declining statewide rankings and poor proficiency rates in core subjects.

Carney Elementary School has experienced significant ups and downs in its statewide ranking, going from a high of 236 out of 846 Oklahoma elementary schools in 2010-2011 to a low of 837 out of 957 in 2014-2015, before rebounding to 215 out of 646 in 2020-2021. In contrast, Carney High School has seen its ranking decline from 85 out of 424 Oklahoma high schools in 2010-2011 to 352 out of 439 in the most recent 2022-2023 school year, indicating significant academic challenges.

The Carney school district serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged community, with both schools having high free/reduced lunch rates (66.87% at the elementary school and 81.13% at the high school). This, coupled with the small student populations, suggests the district faces unique challenges in providing a high-quality education to its students. Addressing these issues will likely require a comprehensive approach targeting curriculum, teacher quality, and community engagement.