The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 63% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Burns Park Elementary School
Burns Park Elementary School sits in the heart of Ann Arbor, a city shaped by the University of Michigan and a thriving technology sector. The surrounding neighborhood is highly walkable, with the university campus blending into downtown shops, cafes, and bookstores. The University of Michigan and its medical complex anchor the local economy, alongside offices for major automotive and tech companies and a growing startup scene. Publicly reported growth driven by university research and development is a recurring theme in local politics, and the city's park system and the Nichols Arboretum give residents accessible green space. Housing here is expensive relative to state and national benchmarks, with home values well above the Michigan median and rents that absorb a meaningful slice of household income. For families considering the area, the cost of entry is real, and the price-to-income ratio suggests buyers need strong earnings to comfortably purchase.
As a school, Burns Park serves kindergarten through fifth grade and is part of Ann Arbor Public Schools. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary building, with a fairly even spread across grade levels. The student body is majority white, with Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students each making up smaller but visible portions of the population. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch is low compared with many Michigan schools, which reflects the generally affluent surrounding community. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those support services.
Academic results from the most recent M-STEP testing place Burns Park in the top quartile among schools evaluated relative to districts in Washtenaw County for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. Third grade results are the weakest link in the school's profile, with math and English language arts proficiency both landing at modestly above-average levels. Fourth grade is a clear bright spot, with strong majorities of students reaching proficiency in both math and English. Fifth grade holds steady in math and science, with English language arts and social studies falling between the third and fourth grade marks. No trend data was available for year-over-year comparison, so it is hard to say whether these patterns are stable or shifting. Participation rates were also missing from the data set.
Because Burns Park is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. Discipline, course access, staffing details, and attendance figures were all absent from the provided data, so those dimensions of school climate cannot be characterized here.
The district context matters for families looking ahead. Ann Arbor Public Schools is in the midst of a long-range facilities bond program funding a new elementary school, classroom renovations, and infrastructure improvements across the system. Voters recently renewed an operating millage that supports day-to-day programming, which helped avoid deeper cuts. At the same time, the district has approved budget reductions for the current year and anticipates further trimming to address structural deficit spending. A parent may want to look into how those reductions affect class sizes, specialist programming, and support staffing at Burns Park specifically. The district is also exploring a project-based New Tech High School option, which would give families an alternative pathway at the secondary level, though that is several years away from Burns Park families.
What Burns Park offers is a well-resourced elementary experience in a prosperous, educated community, with test performance that ranks among the stronger schools in the county. The tradeoffs come in the form of high housing costs and a district navigating real financial pressure even as it invests in facilities. Families drawn to Ann Arbor's walkable, university-adjacent lifestyle and who can manage the housing market will find a school with solid academic outcomes and a peer group that reflects the city's professional and academic character.
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