Sterling

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Sterling, Oklahoma - 2 schools

An equity score of 44/100 ranks Sterling #164 of 439 districts in Oklahoma (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,439 per pupil, Sterling ranks #245 of 540 Oklahoma districts by per-pupil spending (Oklahoma districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

328
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$12,439
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Sterling operates 2 public schools serving 328 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Oklahoma. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Comanche County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,439 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 540 Oklahoma districts by per-pupil spending. See how Oklahoma compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 40.3% local, 47.1% state, and 12.6% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 44/100, ranked #164 of 439 in Oklahoma against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 362.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 16.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.7% White, 8.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Sterling Es, enrolling 213 students (68% of the district's total enrollment).

Sterling Es accounts for 64.9% of all Sterling student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Sterling a distant remainder — means Sterling-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Sterling student-counselor ratio is 363:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Sterling chronic absenteeism rate is 16.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Sterling is typically wider than the Sterling-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.6%
Federal
47.1%
State
40.3%
Local

Funding Equity

44
Equity Score
164 / 439
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Sterling.

White 73.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.3%
Multiracial 10.8%
Other 6.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 2
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
362.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Sterling

School Enrollment
Sterling Es
213
Sterling Hs
99

How Sterling Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Oklahoma districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Okeene Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Denison Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Soper Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Agra Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Maysville Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Sterling's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Oklahoma

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Tulsa
33,871 students · 69 schools · $11,873/pupil
Compare vs Sterling →
Oklahoma City
33,245 students · 59 schools · $13,335/pupil
Compare vs Sterling →
Epic Virtual Charter
28,478 students · 2 schools · $8,074/pupil
Compare vs Sterling →
Edmond
26,190 students · 28 schools · $9,439/pupil
Compare vs Sterling →
Moore
24,632 students · 34 schools · $9,662/pupil
Compare vs Sterling →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Sterling

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Tulsa →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Sterling?

Sterling has 2 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high. Total enrollment is 328 students.

How much does Sterling spend per student?

Sterling spends $12,439 per student. The district has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #164 in Oklahoma.

What is the demographic composition of Sterling?

Sterling students are 73.7% White, 8.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Sterling?

Sterling has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #164 out of 439 districts in Oklahoma.