McAlester High School

Q: Is McAlester High School a good school?

McAlester High School ranks 297 th of 439 Oklahoma high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

McAlester High School is a public high school in McAlester, Oklahoma, serving 957 students in grades 9-12 with a diverse student body that includes 48.48% White, 15.36% Hispanic, and 14.94% Native American students.

While the school has seen fluctuating academic performance over the years, with a current 2-out-of-5 star rating from SchoolDigger, it faces significant challenges. Its statewide ranking has declined from 44th out of 251 Oklahoma high schools in 2015-2016 to 297th out of 439 in the most recent 2022-2023 school year. Test scores in core subjects like English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally below the state average, with only 30.3% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in ELA, 11.9% in Mathematics, and 12.3% in Science. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 55.59% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than the state average.

When compared to nearby high schools like Pittsburg High School, Canadian High School, and Kiowa High School, McAlester High School generally performs on par or slightly better in terms of academic metrics. However, the school still faces significant challenges in improving its overall performance and addressing the needs of its diverse student population, particularly the disparities in performance across different subgroups.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1 Buffalo Drive
McAlester, OK 74501-4501

(918) 423-4776

District: McAlester

SchoolDigger Rank:
297^th of 439 Oklahoma High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,470

Student/teacher ratio: 17.4

Number of students: 957

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.5%

Two or more races:

16.9%

Hispanic:

15.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.6%

See top rated Oklahoma high schools

Compare McAlester High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details McAlester High School ranks worse than 67.7% of high schools in Oklahoma. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.54. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at McAlester High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at McAlester High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (48.5%), two or more races (16.9%), Hispanic (15.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at McAlester High School is 17.4. (See more...)

Compare McAlester High School employs 54.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at McAlester High School is $12,470.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

McAlester High School:

SchoolDigger ranks McAlester High School 297^th of 439 Oklahoma public high schools. (See McAlester High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Native American students:

White students:

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Rank History for McAlester High School

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Rank History for all students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile
2009	63.93	149^th	428	65.2%
2010	73.31	83^rd	431	80.7%
2011	74.31	77^th	424	81.8%
2015	66.43	178^th	449	60.4%
2016	73.50	44^th	251	82.5%
2017	46.53	102^nd	197	48.2%
2021	62.73	96^th	307	68.7%
2022	45.62	190^th	350	45.7%
2023	35.54	297^th	439	32.3%

See the entire list of Oklahoma High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	54.04	18^th	43	58.1%
2022	36.68	28^th	42	33.3%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	42.11	104^th	184	43.5%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile
2021	70.06	42^nd	187	77.5%
2022	40.59	116^th	201	42.3%
2023	42.18	223^rd	380	41.3%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	38.01	233^rd	353	34.0%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.71	241^st	355	32.1%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile
2021	33.47	46^th	65	29.2%
2022	27.50	47^th	66	28.8%
2023	38.00	78^th	129	39.5%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	69.98	15^th	64	76.6%
2023	30.30	138^th	187	26.2%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at McAlester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OK State Percentile
2021	60.33	65^th	196	66.8%
2022	46.05	106^th	210	49.5%
2023	31.44	258^th	350	26.3%

See the entire list of Best Oklahoma High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Oklahoma State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Oklahoma State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for McAlester High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	361	45	4	10	49	n/a	n/a	469
1989	350	38	5	3	44	n/a	n/a	440
1990	368	30	5	2	37	n/a	n/a	442
1991	327	48	4	2	42	n/a	n/a	423
1992	318	45	3	3	55	n/a	n/a	424
1993	292	36	2	1	40	n/a	n/a	371
1994	318	33	2	5	33	n/a	n/a	391
1995	324	37	5	3	56	n/a	n/a	425
1996	324	37	5	3	56	n/a	n/a	425
1997	277	36	2	3	57	n/a	n/a	375
1998	483	65	3	8	95	n/a	n/a	654
1999	493	67	9	19	105	n/a	n/a	693
2000	497	66	6	23	107	n/a	n/a	699
2001	514	63	7	20	105	n/a	n/a	709
2002	457	61	5	16	96	n/a	n/a	635
2003	457	61	5	16	96	n/a	n/a	635
2004	420	66	4	11	111	n/a	n/a	612
2005	448	62	4	18	131	n/a	n/a	663
2006	595	90	6	22	201	n/a	n/a	914
2007	584	71	8	25	226	n/a	n/a	914
2008	571	71	9	37	191	n/a	n/a	879
2009	605	77	10	49	185	n/a	n/a	926
2010	574	90	11	41	184	n/a	n/a	900
2011	542	84	12	44	189	3	26	900
2012	568	73	12	18	175	1	36	883
2013	501	64	15	50	168	1	47	846
2014	528	64	12	58	185	1	53	901
2015	504	50	11	65	185	4	73	892
2016	455	45	11	76	188	5	91	871
2017	429	38	7	87	192	8	122	883
2018	397	36	9	89	177	7	129	844
2019	445	29	12	96	188	3	141	914
2020	439	28	11	103	160	1	178	920
2021	436	29	14	135	146	2	169	931
2022	442	24	15	145	140	0	158	924
2023	464	26	13	147	143	2	162	957

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at McAlester High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	469	23.0	20.3	n/a
1989	440	27.3	16.1	n/a
1990	442	30.2	14.6	n/a
1991	423	25.2	16.7	n/a
1992	424	28.7	14.7	23.3
1993	371	26.5	14.0	25.9
1994	391	24.0	16.3	16.1
1995	425	26.4	16.1	15.3
1996	425	26.4	16.1	15.3
1997	375	27.4	13.7	15.2
1998	654	28.4	23.0	8.7
1999	693	38.9	17.8	21.6
2000	699	46.7	15.0	26
2001	709	47.0	15.1	28.2
2002	635	47.3	13.4	37.8
2003	635	47.3	13.4	37.8
2004	612	41.3	14.8	35.9
2005	663	43.1	15.4	43.1
2006	914	57.7	15.8	48.1
2007	914	59.1	15.5	46
2008	879	53.5	16.4	44.1
2009	926	55.3	16.7	45.1
2010	900	57.9	15.5	50
2011	900	53.1	16.9	48.9
2012	883	53.9	16.3	48.6
2013	846	53.0	15.9	50
2014	901	50.1	17.9	53.4
2015	892	51.0	17.4	58
2016	871	51.0	17.0	55.6
2017	883	49.5	17.8	56.4
2018	844	51.2	16.4	51.7
2019	914	53.3	17.1	60.8
2020	920	55.7	16.4	60.9
2021	931	52.8	17.6	64.2
2022	924	53.1	17.4	59.7
2023	957	54.7	17.4	55.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio McAlester High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	469	23.0	20.3	n/a
1989	440	27.3	16.1	n/a
1990	442	30.2	14.6	n/a
1991	423	25.2	16.7	n/a
1992	424	28.7	14.7	23.3
1993	371	26.5	14.0	25.9
1994	391	24.0	16.3	16.1
1995	425	26.4	16.1	15.3
1996	425	26.4	16.1	15.3
1997	375	27.4	13.7	15.2
1998	654	28.4	23.0	8.7
1999	693	38.9	17.8	21.6
2000	699	46.7	15.0	26
2001	709	47.0	15.1	28.2
2002	635	47.3	13.4	37.8
2003	635	47.3	13.4	37.8
2004	612	41.3	14.8	35.9
2005	663	43.1	15.4	43.1
2006	914	57.7	15.8	48.1
2007	914	59.1	15.5	46
2008	879	53.5	16.4	44.1
2009	926	55.3	16.7	45.1
2010	900	57.9	15.5	50
2011	900	53.1	16.9	48.9
2012	883	53.9	16.3	48.6
2013	846	53.0	15.9	50
2014	901	50.1	17.9	53.4
2015	892	51.0	17.4	58
2016	871	51.0	17.0	55.6
2017	883	49.5	17.8	56.4
2018	844	51.2	16.4	51.7
2019	914	53.3	17.1	60.8
2020	920	55.7	16.4	60.9
2021	931	52.8	17.6	64.2
2022	924	53.1	17.4	59.7
2023	957	54.7	17.4	55.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for McAlester High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,461
2020	$9,790
2021	$10,227
2022	$11,569
2023	$12,470

Data source: Oklahoma Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on McAlester High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	914	957	4.7%
African American	29	26	10.3%
American Indian	188	143	23.9%
Asian	12	13	8.3%
Hispanic	96	147	53.1%
Pacific Islander	3	2	33.3%
White	445	464	4.3%
Two or More Races	141	162	14.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.8%	55.6%	5.2%

Schools Near McAlester High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				CCRA English Language Arts (2023)	CCRA Mathematics (2023)	CCRA Science (2023)	CCRA U.S. History (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CCRA English Language Arts 11th Grade	CCRA Mathematics 11th Grade	CCRA Science 11th Grade	CCRA U.S. History 11th Grade	Total
McAlester High School	Public	9-12	1 Buffalo Drive	McAlester	74501	Pittsburg County	McAlester	No	(n/a)	No	No	(918) 423-4776	957	55	17.4	55.6%	464 (48.5%)	26 (2.7%)	147 (15.4%)	13 (1.4%)	143 (14.9%)	2 (0.2%)	162 (16.9%)	35.5	297^th of 439 public high schools	32.3%		45.6	190^th of 350 public high schools	45.7%	107	30.3	11.9	12.3	35.6	$12,470
Savanna High School	Public	9-12	9567 South Us Hwy 69	Savanna	74565	Pittsburg County	Savanna	No	(n/a)	No	No	(918) 548-3777	136	9	15.1	58.8%	76 (55.9%)	1 (0.7%)	5 (3.7%)	2 (1.5%)	37 (27.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (11.0%)	44.5	242^nd of 439 public high schools	44.9%		36.8	237^th of 350 public high schools	32.3%	5	21.4	3.6	21.4	60.7	$15,361
Haileyville High School	Public	9-12	209 Riley Street	Haileyville	74546	Pittsburg County	Haileyville	No	(n/a)	No	No	(918) 297-2626	73	8	9.6	80.8%	24 (32.9%)	2 (2.7%)	1 (1.4%)	1 (1.4%)	44 (60.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	68.7	112^th of 439 public high schools	74.5%		4.3	346^th of 350 public high schools	1.1%	234	53.9	0.0	41.7	53.9	$20,132
Hartshorne High School	Public	9-12	520 South Fifth Street	Hartshorne	74547	Pittsburg County	Hartshorne	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(918) 297-2536	216	16	13.4	87.0%	80 (37.0%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (2.8%)	1 (0.5%)	110 (50.9%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (8.3%)	33.1	307^th of 439 public high schools	30.1%		17.9	306^th of 350 public high schools	12.6%	1	24.4	2.2	19.6	39.1	$15,460
Crowder High School	Public	9-12	400 Bond Street	Crowder	74430	Pittsburg County	Crowder	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(918) 334-3203	101	9	11.4	74.3%	61 (60.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (31.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.9%)	77.3	72^nd of 439 public high schools	83.6%		67.6	84^th of 350 public high schools	76.0%	12	33.3	25.0	37.5	58.3	$14,342
Indianola High School	Public	9-12	900 South Hwy 113	Indianola	74442	Pittsburg County	Indianola	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(918) 558-0800	105	8	13.6	91.4%	48 (45.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.7%)	1 (1.0%)	37 (35.2%)	2 (1.9%)	11 (10.5%)	55.5	173^rd of 439 public high schools	60.6%					(n/a)	45.0	10.5	15.0	52.6	$15,097
Pittsburg High School	Public	9-12	200 West Grand	Pittsburg	74560	Pittsburg County	Pittsburg	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(918) 432-5513	55	4	13.3	96.4%	29 (52.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54.3	185^th of 439 public high schools	57.9%					(n/a)	36.4	18.2	9.1	54.6	$13,482
Canadian High School	Public	9-12	400 SW Belt	Canadian	74425	Pittsburg County	Canadian	No	(n/a)	No	No	(918) 339-2705	142	10	13.5	78.2%	70 (49.3%)	1 (0.7%)	7 (4.9%)	1 (0.7%)	56 (39.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.9%)	36.3	294^th of 439 public high schools	33.0%		40.6	215^th of 350 public high schools	38.6%	79	23.3	10.0	26.7	26.7	$15,702
Kiowa High School	Public	9-12	406 E 8th Street	Kiowa	74553	Pittsburg County	Kiowa	No	(n/a)	No	No	(918) 432-5641	82	9	8.7	59.8%	46 (56.1%)	1 (1.2%)	3 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (29.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (9.8%)	61.9	150^th of 439 public high schools	65.8%		74.1	63^rd of 350 public high schools	82.0%	87	45.0	10.0	25.0	50.0	$23,137

Frequently Asked Questions about McAlester High School

What is the racial makeup of McAlester High School?

Students at McAlester High School are 48% White, 17% Two or more races, 15% Hispanic, 15% American Indian, 3% African American, 1% Asian.

Is McAlester High School a good school?

McAlester High School ranks 297^th of 439 Oklahoma high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into McAlester High School?

McAlester High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Will Rogers Elementary School
Middle : Parker Intermediate Center

How many students attend McAlester High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 957 students attended McAlester High School.

What district is McAlester High School in?

McAlester

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.