The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in English language arts. The lowest is 74% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Meadowbrook Elem School
Meadowbrook Elementary School is a public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Northbrook, an affluent residential North Shore suburb about 25 miles north of Chicago. The school enrollment is small for its grade band, with a substantially diverse racial composition: the majority of students are white, but Asian students make up a meaningful share, with smaller populations of Hispanic, multiracial, and Black students. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not available, so the school's economic profile cannot be assessed from that measure.
On the most recent state assessments in math and English language arts, Meadowbrook showed strong proficiency. In third-grade math and ELA, proficiency rates were in the upper range, with third-grade math notably high. Fourth-grade results were also strong in both subjects. Fifth-grade proficiency dropped somewhat in both subjects, with math notably lower than the earlier grades and ELA declining as well. In fifth-grade science, proficiency was lower still. Illinois revised its cut scores for 2024-25, so year-over-year trend comparison is not available. Relative to the districts in Cook County, Meadowbrook's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile across tested subjects and grades. This is a clear strength and signals solid academic performance, particularly in the lower elementary grades.
The school is part of Northbrook School District 28, which in April 2025 passed a major bond referendum funding a new Meadowbrook School building along with renovations and additions at three other district schools. The new Meadowbrook facility will address a building that is more than 60 years old and will begin construction in summer 2026 as part of a multi-year project. For families enrolling now, this means the current school is aging; however, a modern replacement is in the pipeline. The referendum does carry a lasting property-tax obligation, which parents should factor into housing affordability planning.
The district adopted new elementary math curricula in 2020-21 and has maintained that approach, meaning every student at Meadowbrook learns math through Bridges in Mathematics, a problem-solving and modeling-focused program. This is a pedagogical choice families should feel confident learning more about if math instruction style matters to them.
The community context is affluent, with median home values well above state and national benchmarks and median rents also elevated. The housing market shows moderate supply and modest demand relative to the broader Cook County picture. Northbrook itself is car-dependent overall, though the small downtown core around Shermer and Meadow Roads is walkable and anchored by the Metra station, Village Green, and public library. Major redevelopment of the Northbrook Court mall site is underway, with mixed-use housing and retail planned to begin construction in summer 2026, potentially reshaping the village's character over the next decade.
Enrollment and staffing data were not available from the school's public reports, so detail on class size or staff composition cannot be provided. English learner and special education enrollment counts were also not reported. The school's full course and program offerings beyond the core curriculum were not accessible, so a picture of enrichment, arts, or specialty programs is incomplete. A parent may want to reach out directly to the school to learn more about these aspects of the student experience.
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