Oklahoma is a state with a rich native history, sports culture, musical heritage, and vibrant Western culture. The state is also popular for its robust education system that serves nearly 698,696 kids in K-12. However, the educational landscape in Oklahoma is experiencing a significant transformation as more families adopt virtual learning for their kids.
Online schools have become quite popular, providing homeschooling students with a flexible and innovative way to receive their education. As the population in virtual schools swells, some of the largest educational institutions in the state have emerged.
This article explores the 13 biggest schools in Oklahoma. We’ll explore their unique academic offerings, student population, faculty size, and experience, among other factors that make them attractive to Oklahoma families.
Keep reading to learn about the state’s largest elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges today.
Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy Elementary School
1160 South Douglas Boulevard, Midwest City, OK 73130
Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy Elementary School is a public online school approved by the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. The school is one of the largest in the state, serving over 1,881 kindergarten through fifth-grade students.
The students undertake an online curriculum through the Stride K-12 platform. The coursework combines online and hands-on learning with courses in core subjects such as math, science, language arts, history, and art.
Students in third, fourth, and fifth grade can select self-paced elective programs in music or world languages. Teachers hold lessons in small, targeted groups called “Class Connects,” which all students must attend.
Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy expects its students to sit for state assessment tests to monitor their educational journey. Recent test results show 15% of the students gain proficiency in English and 14% in math.
All online teachers at the school are state-certified and have undergone specialized training in virtual education. Furthermore, all teachers at the school have over three years of teaching experience. Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy also has a part-time social worker and psychologist on staff.
Epic Blended Charter Tulsa Elementary School
3810 South 103rd East Ave, Tulsa, OK 74146
Epic Blended Charter Tulsa Elementary School is a virtual public school approved by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. The school is home to roughly 4,167 kids in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
Epic Blended Charter Tusla Elementary offers a blended program, where students and their parents can set an individualized learning plan that fits their learning needs. 85% of the school’s learning material is virtual, with students getting frequent one-on-one lessons with state-certified teachers.
The school conducts weekly mentorship and progress monitoring for its students. Students are expected to sit for state assessment tests, with the recent results showing 24% attained proficiency in math and 26% in English.
Epic Blended Charter Tulsa Elementary School has over 132 full-time teachers, all certified by the state. Additionally, 89.9% of the teachers have over three years of teaching experience.
The school has virtual clubs and organizations that provide the students with an opportunity to socialize. Additionally, the students can meet during field trips organized by the school.
Epic Blended Charter Okc Elementary School
1900 Nw Expy Floor R3, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Epic Blended Charter Okc Elementary School is a public online school under the Epic Charter Schools umbrella. The school is approved by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. It is home to over 7,800 kids in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
Students at the school utilize a blended curriculum model, with most educational material available online. Your child can request a one-on-one lesson with a state-certified teacher to receive further instruction and feedback on their learning process.
Epic Blended Charter Okc Elementary organizes numerous field trips, events, and club activities, allowing kids to interact and socialize outside the virtual environment. Students must take state assessments for their respective grades to monitor their educational progress.
According to the 2019 state assessment data, 30% of the students performed at or above their grade level in math, 35% in reading, and 38% in science. Epic Blended Charter Okc Elementary has over 413 full-time teachers trained in online teaching. The average student-teacher ratio is 19:1.
Epic One-on-One Charter Elementary School
1900 Nw Expy Floor R3, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Epic One-on-One Charter Elementary School is a tuition-free, public, online school under the Epic Charter Schools system. The Epic One-on-One Elementary School is the largest elementary school in the state, serving over 16,287 kids in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
The school allocates a certified teacher to each child after enrollment. The teacher interacts with the students through various methods, including face-to-face interactions, phone, text, email, and online-based applications. Instructional face-to-face meetings allow the teachers to offer targeted lessons on concepts students struggle to master.
Test scores at the school fall below the state’s average. Only 22% attained proficiency in math and 24% in reading. 34% of the students gained proficiency in science. The school also runs a gifted program where intellectually-gifted kids can accelerate their learning.
Epic One-on-One Charter Elementary has over 683 teachers. All are state-certified. 78.5% of the teachers also have over three years of teaching experience. The school also has a special education department that provides services to students identified as having a disability.
Jenks Middle School
3019 E 101St St, Jenks, OK 74037
Jenks Middle School is a top-rated public school in the Jenks Public Schools District. The school serves roughly 1,806 “Jenks Trojans” in seventh and eighth grades. Jenks Middle is ranked as the sixth-best public middle school in the Tulsa area by Niche.com.
The school’s vision is to celebrate curiosity, vision, and exploration among its students as they become self-advocates for life-long learning. The teachers’ efforts in achieving this goal seem to pay off, with test scores in state assessments being above the state average.
For the 2019-2020 school year, 38% of the students at Jenks Middle performed at or above grade level in math and reading. Additionally, 50% attained proficiency in science. The school runs a gifted program that provides additional support to academically-gifted kids.
The school has approximately 102 full-time teachers, with an average student-teacher ratio of 17:1. 89% of the teachers have over three years of teaching experience. In addition, all full-time instructors are state certified.
Centennial Middle School
225 East Omaha Street, Broken Arrow, OK 7401
Centennial Middle is an above-average public middle school in the Broken Arrow School District. Built in 2002, the school serves roughly 1,933 sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade kids.
The school offers numerous academic and extracurricular programs tailored to empower students to be creative and compassionate citizens. The school’s performance on state assessments is about the same as the state’s average. 33% of the students attained proficiency in math and science and 41% in reading.
The school has a minority enrollment of 51%, with 36% of the student body coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. With roughly 56 full-time teachers, Centennial Middle has one teacher for every 34 students. All teachers are state-certified, with 91% having over three years of teaching experience.
The school offers other services, such as the gifted program that supports academically-gifted kids. It also has a special education program with a team of paraprofessionals ready to help students requiring additional support in their educational journey.
Union Sixth/Seventh Grade Center
10100 E 61st St, Tulsa, OK 74133
Union Sixth/Seventh Grade Center is a public middle school under the Union Public Schools umbrella in Tulsa. The school houses over 2,332 sixth and seventh-grade students, making it one of the largest middle schools in the state.
The school’s performance in standard assessment tests falls below the state’s average. Data from the 2019 Oklahoma School Testing Program shows only 23% of students attained proficiency in math and 26% in reading. Kids interested in STEM programs can enroll in the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) gateway curriculum.
The school also has a gifted program for kids that would need an accelerated program to match their learning needs. Union Sixth/Seventh Grade Center has roughly 131 full-time teachers, with an average student-teacher ratio of 17:1.
All full-time teachers hold state certifications. 78% have over three years of teaching experience. The school also has a full-time nurse, counselor, and law enforcement officer on staff.
Jenks High School
205 E B St, Jenks, OK 74037
Jenks High is a highly-rated public school under the Jenks Public Schools District. The school is one of the largest high schools in the state, with over 3,573 students in grades 9-12. The school ranks among the best high schools in Oklahoma, with niche.com ranking it the seventh-best high school in the state.
The school has an average graduation rate of 90%, with 57% of the graduates proceeding to an in-state college or vocational training. The effectiveness of the school’s rigorous college preparatory programs is evident in the student’s performance in standardized admissions tests. The school has a composite ACT score of 21.
Jenks High offers many academic programs, including 33 advanced placement courses and a PLTW Engineering STEM program. 28% of the students enroll in the AP courses. Learners can also enroll in dual enrollment classes and earn college credits in high school.
The school maintains a 19:1 student-teacher ratio, despite its huge student body. All teachers at the school are certified, and 92% have taught for over three years.
Mustang High School
801 S Snyder Dr, Mustang, OK 73064
Mustang High is a top-rated public school in Mustang and is the only public high school in the Mustang Public Schools District. Founded in 1902, the school currently serves over 3,648 students in ninth through twelfth grade. GreatSchools.org gave the school an overall 9/10 rating for its academic performance.
Mustang High offers numerous college preparatory programs, including advanced placement programs; aviation, aerospace, and aeronautics; and occupational therapy. The school offers 22 AP courses in which 16% of the students participate.
Students can also enroll in dual credit and honor programs, which allow them to earn college credits while still in high school. Other elective courses include:
- Eight art programs
- Three performance art courses
- Three music courses
- A STEM program from PTLW
Mustang High maintains a student-teacher ratio of roughly 22:1, with over 166 full-time teachers. All teachers are state certified. Additionally, 86% have taught for more than three years.
Students are often encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities. The school has over 35 clubs and organizations and twenty athletic teams.
Broken Arrow High School
1901 E Albany St, Broken Arrow, OK 74012
Broken Arrow High is an above-average public school and one of the state’s largest public high schools. The school is in the Broken Arrow Public Schools District and serves over 4,407 students in grades 9-12.
The school’s campus comprises instructional classrooms, fine art spaces, a state-of-the-art media center, and high-tech science labs. Students can enroll in numerous college preparatory programs, including 23 AP courses, an art course, a PTLW Engineering program, and a Spanish world language program.
GreatSchools.org gave the school a 7/10 overall rating. The school has an average high school graduation rate of 87%. 48% of the graduates proceed to an in-state college or vocational training institution.
Broken Arrow High has over 208 full-time instructors, with an overall student-teacher average of 19:1. All teachers are state certified. The school also employs a nurse, law enforcement officer, security guard, and psychologist.
Tulsa Community College
3727 E Apache St, Tulsa, OK 74115
Tulsa Community College is a mid-size, public, two-year community college. The school has four main campuses, two community colleges, and a conference center serving over 14,428 students.
The college has an open enrollment policy, accepting anyone with a high school degree or GED certificate. Popular courses in the school are in the health professions, business, liberal arts and humanities, and education.
An Oklahoma resident pays an annual tuition fee of $2,701, while out-of-state students may part with $8,101. 84% of full-time students receive financial aid, with an average of $5,376 per student.
Notable Tulsa Community College Alumni
Notable Tulsa Community College alumni include:
- Wes Studi, actor and producer
- Clifton Taubert, President and CEO of The Freemount Corporation and Roots Java Coffee
- AleXa, K-pop star
- Randy Blake, professional kickboxer
- Jeannie McDaniel, former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Rebecca Petty, former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and advocate for victims of violent crime
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
245 N University Place, Stillwater, OK 74075
Founded in 1890, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater is a public four-year university. The school is classified as an “R1: Doctoral Highest Research Activity” under the Carnegie Classification. The main campus is home to over 24,577 students.
The school has a fairly competitive admissions process, with an average acceptance rate of 68%. It typically admits students in the top 50% in standardized admission tests. Most students admitted have an average GPA of 3.66.
Oklahoma State University charges an annual tuition fee of $5,417 to in-state residents. Out-of-state students may have to pay $20,937. Fortunately, more than 90% of full-time undergraduates benefit from financial aid, with the average aid package being $11,087 per student.
Notable Oklahoma State University Alumni
Notable Oklahoma State University alumni include:
- Keith Anderson, country music artist
- Garth Brooks, country music artist and one of the world's bestselling musicians
- Gary Busey, actor
- Yussur A.F. Abrar, Governor of the Central Bank of Somalia
- Joe Allbaugh, former FEMA director
- Mary Fallin, 27th Governor of Oklahoma
- Stuart Roosa, NASA astronaut on Apollo 14
- Scott Baker, former starting pitcher in the MLB
- Dez Bryant, former wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys
- Pamela Morsi, bestselling author
- Emily Wickersham, actress
The University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
660 Parrington Oval, Norman, OK 73019-0390
The University of Oklahoma is a public research university with three campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. The Norman campus is the largest learning institution in the state, hosting over 28,042 students.
The university is designated as a “Very High Research Activity University” under the Carnegie Classification. The school has an average acceptance rate of 85%, typically admitting students in the top 32% in standardized admissions tests.
The University of Oklahoma charges in-state residents roughly $4,920 in annual tuition fees. Out-of-state residents may pay up to $20,724 in tuition fees. However, 94% of students receive financial aid, averaging $9,786 per student.
Notable University of Oklahoma Alumni
Notable University of Oklahoma alumni include:
- David Boren, 21st Governor of Oklahoma
- Susana Martinez, 31st Governor of New Mexico
- Peter MacDonald, 7th Chairman of the Navajo Nation
- Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut
- Carl Albert, 46th Speaker of the House of Representatives
- Tom Coburn, former U.S. Senator
- Ed Harris, actor
- Brian Bosworth, former linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks
- Greg Dobbs, former infielder in the MLB
- Matt Grice, former featherweight competitor in the UFC
Finding The Right School For Your Child
The education scene in Oklahoma is facing a major shift as more families switch to online curricula and schools to meet their children’s academic needs. The change has lead to the emergence of large online schools that serve tens of thousands of Oklahoma K-12 students.
Parents who prefer the traditional system can benefit from some of the schools in this list. Some schools, such as Mustang High and Broken Arrow High, perform excellently in standardized assessments and may be a perfect fit for families searching for a new school for their kids.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com.