Summary:
The 73071 zip code area in Norman, Norman, is home to two middle schools: Irving Middle School and Longfellow Middle School. Both schools are performing below district and state averages on key metrics, with concerning trends in academic performance and equity considerations.
The data analysis reveals that both Irving Middle School and Longfellow Middle School have significantly lower proficiency rates compared to the Norman district and Oklahoma state averages across English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in 2024-2025, Irving Middle School had only 23% of students proficient or better in ELA, compared to 35% for the Norman district and 26% for the state. Additionally, both schools have higher chronic absenteeism rates than the state average, with 19.0% of students chronically absent in 2024-2025.
The data also suggests equity concerns, as Irving Middle School serves a more economically disadvantaged student population, with a much higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (67.71%) compared to Longfellow Middle School (61.13%) in 2023-2024. This raises questions about the distribution of educational resources and opportunities between the two schools. Both schools have seen a decline in their statewide SchoolDigger rankings over the past few years, indicating a need for targeted interventions and support to improve student learning outcomes and address the high chronic absenteeism rates.
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