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Brookside Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1359^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,488 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 9% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Brookside Elementary is a public elementary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving 241 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Grand Rapids Public Schools district, which has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Brookside Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Michigan elementary schools over the past decade, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of this period. The school's academic performance, as measured by M-Step proficiency rates, is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 19.5% of 4th-grade students were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 42.4% statewide and 23.3% in the Grand Rapids Public Schools district. The school also faces challenges with high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 29.5% to 42.0% over the past few school years.

While the challenges faced by Brookside Elementary are not unique within the Grand Rapids Public Schools district, as nearby schools such as KenOSha Park Elementary, Mulick Park Elementary School, Burton Elementary, and Dickinson Academy also perform poorly, the nearby Gerald Dawkins Academy and Godwin Heights Public Schools district schools show relatively better academic performance and lower rates of chronic absenteeism.

254

Students ?

16.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,307

Per pupil spending ?

74.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2505 Madison Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507-3584

(616) 819-2242

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

Students who attend Brookside Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Alger Middle School
	Blandford School
	Center for Economicology
	John Ball Park Zoo School
High:	City High Middle School
	Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
	Innovation Central High
	Ottawa Hills High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

39.8%

Hispanic:

28.3%

White:

21.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Brookside Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 5th percentile in 2012 → 9th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (15% vs 42% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (9th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (40% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school15%

District avg20%

Michigan avg42%

1,359^th of 1,488

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 9%▼ down 3 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

14^th of 21Elementary Schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools

462^nd of 613Grand Rapids Public Schools among Michigan 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	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	10.0	1359 of 1488	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.6	1328 of 1486	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	11.4	1264 of 1408	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.2	1179 of 1448	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	9.7	1327 of 1466	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	11.3	1382 of 1548	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	13.0	1401 of 1580	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	14.1	1361 of 1533	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	17.5	1344 of 1563	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	10.1	1482 of 1566	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	7.0	1503 of 1552	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	4.0	1525 of 1552	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	7.9	1525 of 1589	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	12.2	1478 of 1577	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	13.4	1468 of 1565	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	17.6	1419 of 1545	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2019	49.2	97 of 212	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.8	218 of 475	54.1%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2018	32.7	196 of 270	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	7.6	1280 of 1342	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	19.5	1196 of 1443	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2019	25.9	65 of 86	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	47.9	102 of 222	54.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2019	20.8	960 of 1134	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.2	1009 of 1397	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	10.2	1255 of 1366	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.5	1049 of 1196	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.8	1106 of 1446	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

African American (2019)54th percentile+44 vs school

English Language Learner (2018)27th percentile+9 vs school

Hispanic (2019)24th percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2019)15th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2025)8th percentile~ school

Female (2024)5th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts20%-23 vs state

Math13%-28 vs state

1.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★0

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3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a student
Wednesday, January 29, 2020

I wouldn't send my dog here. Close Quote

Schools Near Brookside Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PSAT English Language Arts (2025)	PSAT Mathematics (2025)	M-Step English Language Arts (2025)					M-Step Math (2025)					M-Step Science (2025)		M-Step Social Studies (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Brookside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2505 Madison Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2242	254	15	16.6	74.8%	54 (21.3%)	101 (39.8%)	72 (28.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.2%)	10	1359^th of 1488 public elementary schools	8.7%		10.6	1328^th of 1486 public elementary schools	10.6%	31				19.5				11.4	14.3								$19,307	$6,617	$12,691
Burton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2133 Buchanan Ave SW	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2262	365	23	15.5	81.9%	13 (3.6%)	41 (11.2%)	305 (83.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	7.5	1414^th of 1488 public elementary schools	5.0%		5.9	1443^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	2.9%	29			6.2	16.1	15.9			13.8	12.1	7.9			11.1		6.3		$18,790	$6,110	$12,681
Dickinson Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	448 Dickinson St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2505	224	19	11.9	84.4%	5 (2.2%)	87 (38.8%)	114 (50.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.7%)								(n/a)						14.3											$20,224	$5,910	$14,314
Vista Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	711 32nd St SE	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Vista Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 246-6920	641	44	14.5	93.4%	48 (7.5%)	198 (30.9%)	334 (52.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	56 (8.7%)	35	935^th of 1488 public elementary schools	37.2%		23.3	1115^th of 1486 public elementary schools	25.0%	180	50.7	20.5	37.3	39.1	28.6	18.6	27.1	40.3	55.1	25.4	12.9	20.0	27.0	28.9	15.9	27.6	$14,254	$3,192	$11,062
Buchanan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1775 Buchanan Ave SW	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2252	379	23	16.5	84.4%	8 (2.1%)	49 (12.9%)	317 (83.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	8.7	1378^th of 1488 public elementary schools	7.4%		5.5	1452^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	2.3%	74			9.4	12.7	16.4			23.1	7.9	7.3			9.1		10.9		$18,057	$5,434	$12,623
North Godwin Elementary School	Public	2-5	161 34th St SW	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Godwin Heights Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 252-2010	400	24	16.5	90.5%	45 (11.3%)	89 (22.3%)	233 (58.3%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.3%)	17.5	1210^th of 1488 public elementary schools	18.7%		22.9	1128^th of 1486 public elementary schools	24.1%	82			21.6	27.5	21.4			33.6	27.5	13.8			10.9		5.1		$18,920	$3,089	$15,830
River City Scholars Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	944 Evergreen St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	River City Scholars Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 248-3390	286	25	11.4	95.8%	12 (4.2%)	209 (73.1%)	21 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (14.3%)	21.4	1135^th of 1488 public elementary schools	23.7%		15	1249^th of 1486 public elementary schools	15.9%	114	34.6		18.8	15.2	41.4	22.9	15.8	25.0	9.1	17.2	20.0		27.6	14.3	17.2	22.2	$22,373	$4,111	$18,262
KenOSha Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1353 Van Auken St SE	Grand Rapids	49508	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2696	118	8	15.7	94.1%	14 (11.9%)	67 (56.8%)	21 (17.8%)	3 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (11.0%)								(n/a)					20.0								13.6				$17,773	$5,680	$12,092
Mulick Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1761 Rosewood Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2810	264	16	16.0	81.4%	31 (11.7%)	178 (67.4%)	41 (15.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.9%)	13.6	1285^th of 1488 public elementary schools	13.6%		18.5	1191^st of 1486 public elementary schools	19.9%	94			13.2	7.9	31.0			13.2	7.9	14.0			25.0		14.3		$17,775	$5,372	$12,404
Gerald Dawkins Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1050 Fisk St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Gerald Dawkins Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(517) 281-8626	152	13	11.6	96.7%	1 (0.7%)	135 (88.8%)	10 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.9%)	18.4	1189^th of 1488 public elementary schools	20.1%					(n/a)			25.0	33.3				14.3	14.3								$30,193	$8,645	$21,547

Frequently Asked Questions about Brookside Elementary

Is Brookside Elementary a good school?

Brookside Elementary ranks in the bottom 8.7% of Michigan elementary schools.

What district is Brookside Elementary in?

Grand Rapids Public Schools

How many students attend Brookside Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 254 students attended Brookside Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Brookside Elementary attend?

Students who attend Brookside Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Alger Middle School
Middle : Blandford School
Middle : Center for Economicology
Middle : John Ball Park Zoo School
High : City High Middle School
High : Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
High : Innovation Central High
High : Ottawa Hills High School

What is the racial makeup of Brookside Elementary?

Students at Brookside Elementary are 40% African American, 28% Hispanic, 21% White, 10% Two or more races.

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Schools in Grand Rapids, MI

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