The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in Social studies. The lowest is 18% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Woodward Elementary School
Woodward Elementary School is a small PreK through fifth-grade school in Brookhaven serving a student body with distinct economic and demographic characteristics that shape both the academic environment and the peer experience a child would encounter there.
The enrollment leans heavily toward students from families with lower household incomes: a very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with much smaller shares of Black, Asian, and white students. Race and ethnicity data are reported; a parent may want to reach out to the school directly to understand the linguistic and cultural composition more fully, as the data provided does not break out English learner enrollment.
On the academic side, state testing results from the most recent year show weak proficiency across tested grades and subjects. In third grade, students reached proficiency in a small share of math and English language arts assessments. By fourth and fifth grades the rates improve slightly, but remain well below what state assessments typically show for higher-performing schools. Fifth-grade science proficiency was somewhat stronger than ELA or math, though still modest. Considered together, these results reflect an elementary school where the vast majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level academic standards. A parent choosing Woodward should understand that this is a school in which learning to read and master foundational math is actively in progress for most of the student body, and academic acceleration or advanced work is not the primary focus of instruction.
When compared with other elementary schools in DeKalb County, Woodward's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, meaning it ranks higher than the lowest-performing schools in the county but below several peers. This placement reflects a school working with significant academic challenges but not isolated at the very bottom of the county's performance landscape.
Brookhaven itself is a rapidly expanding suburb northeast of Atlanta, shaped by major healthcare and higher-education investments. The opening of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's large pediatric hospital in 2024 and Emory University's adjacent medical campus expansion are driving substantial new residential and mixed-use development, including apartment complexes and townhome projects along and near Buford Highway. Housing values in the area are moderate to upper-moderate for the metro region. Walkability is uneven, with concentrated walkable zones around the Dresden Drive commercial district and newer development near the Brookhaven MARTA station, while most residential streets remain car-dependent. Parks, including Murphey Candler and Blackburn, are strong anchors for community life.
A family with young children in the Brookhaven area should be aware of a significant ongoing shift in DeKalb County schools. The district launched the Student Assignment Project in 2024, a multi-year redistricting and school consolidation effort aimed at closing or consolidating dozens of schools to address excess capacity. Initial scenarios flagged numerous schools for possible closure, and cluster-specific recommendations are expected by late 2026. This process will reshape attendance boundaries and school assignments across multiple clusters, and it creates real uncertainty about which schools will remain open and how attendance zones will shift. For any family purchasing a home in Brookhaven to be assigned to Woodward or other DeKalb schools, checking the district's Student Assignment Project timeline and scenarios is essential due diligence before committing to a location.
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