Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Brookside Elementary School

Q: Is Brookside Elementary School a good school?

Brookside Elementary School ranks 362 nd of 492 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

362^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 492 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Better than 26% of Connecticut elementary schools

Summary

Brookside Elementary School is a mid-sized public elementary school on Highland Avenue in Norwalk, CT, serving 408 students in grades PK-5 within the Norwalk School District. The school serves a predominantly low-income community, with roughly 60% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Brookside sits less than two miles from several schools in the Darien School District, including Tokeneke Elementary School and Royle Elementary School — a juxtaposition that starkly illustrates how district boundaries shape educational opportunity in Fairfield County.

Brookside's most notable achievement is in attendance. Chronic absenteeism has fallen dramatically from 21.6% in 2021-2022 to just 7.3% in 2025-2026 — now half the district average (15.4%) and far below the 21.0% rate at South Norwalk Elementary School, a school with a similar demographic profile. In fact, Brookside's absenteeism rate now matches Rowayton School at 7.3%. This turnaround demonstrates that intentional interventions can overcome non-academic barriers even in high-poverty settings.

Academically, however, the school continues to trail district and state averages. A concerning pattern in math shows 3rd grade proficiency (45.5%) nearly matching the district average (47.7%), but dropping sharply to 24.5% in 4th grade and 25.8% in 5th grade. The 2024-2025 school year also revealed a striking gender gap: female students ranked in the 3rd percentile statewide versus the 16th percentile for males. On a positive note, Hispanic students have outperformed the school overall, reaching the 38th percentile in 2025-2026. The student-teacher ratio has risen from 10.3 to 13.1 over two years, adding another pressure point. Brookside's attendance success shows what the school can accomplish; replicating that focus in academics will be key to improving outcomes for its students.

408

Students ?

13.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,032

Per pupil spending ?

60.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

382 Highland Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854

(203) 899-2830

District: Norwalk School District

Students who attend Brookside Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Roton Middle School
High:	Brien McMahon High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

68.6%

White:

13.0%

African American:

11.5%

See top rated Connecticut elementary schools

Compare Brookside Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 28th percentile in 2016 → 26th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Connecticut average (35% vs 51% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Mathematics scores 18 pts below the Connecticut average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school35%

District avg46%

Connecticut avg51%

362^nd of 492

Connecticut public elementary schools ?

Bottom 26%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 12Elementary Schools in the Norwalk School District

113^th of 153Norwalk School District among Connecticut districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	23.1	362 of 492	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.3	401 of 493	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.2	401 of 497	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.2	382 of 491	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.8	355 of 490	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.6	346 of 538	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	27.1	384 of 522	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	41.9	309 of 532	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	34.0	347 of 519	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	27.5	373 of 518	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	42.6	339 of 551	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	38.6	405 of 557	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	42.6	407 of 564	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	49.4	370 of 565	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	47.8	385 of 579	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	41.9	412 of 566	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	49.6	365 of 565	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	37.9	422 of 568	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	39.5	408 of 570	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	5.6	224 of 232	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	30.0	308 of 455	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.7	157 of 259	39.4%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	33.8	80 of 130	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.4	91 of 132	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.2	77 of 111	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.9	90 of 108	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	57.1	36 of 99	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	61.2	53 of 173	69.4%	★★★★☆
2019	51.6	46 of 112	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	76.5	16 of 101	84.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2024	31.9	46 of 70	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.1	35 of 70	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.8	130 of 302	57.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	14.6	201 of 239	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	29.6	295 of 445	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	18.0	210 of 247	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.1	208 of 262	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	43.9	207 of 371	44.2%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2021)44th percentile+9 vs school

Hispanic (2026)38th percentile+12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)34th percentile+15 vs school

Male (2025)16th percentile-3 vs school

Female (2025)3rd percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2025-2026) ?

Science42%-10 vs state

English Language Arts35%-16 vs state

Mathematics32%-18 vs state

4.5

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★1

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Brookside Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, June 5, 2016

The teachers I know are very concern about helping the kids to get better at school and my son is happy at this school, great area for playing, very clean, personal care about educate and motivate parents to participate in the education of the kids. Fun educational trips. Close Quote

Schools Near Brookside Elementary School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSS Science (2026)		SBAC English Language Arts (2026)						SBAC Mathematics (2026)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Brookside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	382 Highland Avenue	Norwalk	06854	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 899-2830	408	31	13.1	60.8%	53 (13.0%)	47 (11.5%)	280 (68.6%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.1%)	23.1	362^nd of 492 public elementary schools	26.4%		15.3	401^st of 493 public elementary schools	18.7%	39	42.4		29.1	2398.0	39.4				45.5	24.5	25.8				$24,032
South Norwalk Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1 Meadow Street Extension	Norwalk	06854	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(475) 470-8546	179	16	11.1	73.2%	4 (2.2%)	27 (15.1%)	139 (77.7%)	2 (1.1%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.8%)								(n/a)			18.0						20.0						$24,130
Side By Side Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	10 Chestnut St.	Norwalk	06854	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Side By Side Charter School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(203) 857-0306	236	15	16.1	60.6%	23 (9.7%)	52 (22.0%)	144 (61.0%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.9%)								(n/a)	486.0	800.0	2398.0	2428.0	2471.0	2519.0	2543.0	2582.0	2426.0	28.6	36.4	2537.0	2570.0	2597.0	$15,744
Tokeneke Elementary School	Public	K-5	7 Old Farm Rd.	Darien	06820	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Darien School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 655-9666	439	42	10.5	1.6%	350 (79.7%)	4 (0.9%)	26 (5.9%)	23 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.2%)	94.2	6^th of 492 public elementary schools	98.8%		91.4	21^st of 493 public elementary schools	95.7%	15	85.5		89.7	84.3	92.1				2530.0	84.3	2608.0				$23,536
Rowayton School	Public	PK, KG-5	1 Roton Avenue	Norwalk	06853	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 899-2940	402	34	11.8	30.8%	225 (56.0%)	34 (8.5%)	119 (29.6%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.7%)	69.2	183^rd of 492 public elementary schools	62.8%		57.9	230^th of 493 public elementary schools	53.3%	47	70.3		65.5	50.0	75.0				72.7	54.3	60.9				$24,076
Kendall College & Career Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	57 Fillow Street	Norwalk	06850	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 899-2880	416	39	10.8	63.0%	24 (5.8%)	68 (16.3%)	297 (71.4%)	14 (3.4%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.4%)	10.1	433^rd of 492 public elementary schools	12.0%		11.1	424^th of 493 public elementary schools	14.0%	9	472.0		25.0	26.6	2448.0				12.5	25.0	2452.0				$24,592
Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	75 Van Buren Avenue	Norwalk	06850	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(203) 899-2870	457	38	12.0	64.6%	34 (7.4%)	60 (13.1%)	306 (67.0%)	34 (7.4%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.2%)	38.2	298^th of 492 public elementary schools	39.4%		18.2	379^th of 493 public elementary schools	23.1%	81	47.1		43.2	44.4	54.3				45.9	47.6	32.9				$23,226
Royle Elementary School	Public	K-5	133 Mansfield Ave.	Darien	06820	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Darien School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 655-0044	342	32	10.5	4.4%	255 (74.6%)	2 (0.6%)	41 (12.0%)	16 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.2%)	93.7	9^th of 492 public elementary schools	98.2%		90.7	29^th of 493 public elementary schools	94.1%	20	81.0		89.3	91.7	82.5				89.3	91.7	79.4				$27,838
Fox Run Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	228 Fillow Street	Norwalk	06850	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 899-2860	398	36	11.0	52.5%	99 (24.9%)	64 (16.1%)	196 (49.2%)	17 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.5%)	51.8	251^st of 492 public elementary schools	49.0%		36.3	297^th of 493 public elementary schools	39.8%	46	56.9		61.0	41.4	61.5				66.1	36.2	44.6				$26,394
Marvin Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	15 Calf Pasture Beach Road	Norwalk	06855	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 899-2890	375	30	12.5	51.5%	90 (24.0%)	39 (10.4%)	219 (58.4%)	11 (2.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.0%)	40.2	289^th of 492 public elementary schools	41.3%		35.5	301^st of 493 public elementary schools	38.9%	12	57.8		32.1	44.4	53.8				41.5	46.0	43.8				$24,886

Frequently Asked Questions about Brookside Elementary School

Is Brookside Elementary School a good school?

Brookside Elementary School ranks 362^nd of 492 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Brookside Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Brookside Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Roton Middle School
High : Brien McMahon High School

How many students attend Brookside Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 408 students attended Brookside Elementary School.

What district is Brookside Elementary School in?

Norwalk School District

What is the racial makeup of Brookside Elementary School?

Students at Brookside Elementary School are 69% Hispanic, 13% White, 12% African American, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Rate Brookside Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

CTConnecticut Elementary School Rankings

CTConnecticut District Rankings

Schools in Norwalk, CT

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Brookside Elementary School!

Latest Connecticut data All new data »

2024–25 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesAug 31, 2026

2025–26 NGSS, SAT & SBAC test scoresAug 31, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataApr 2, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataNov 6, 2025

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