The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Math. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Brooks Elementary
Brooks Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Raleigh, one of the larger schools in that grade band within Wake County Schools. The school enrolls students from its attendance zone in a residential area of Raleigh; the school sits on Northbrook Drive near the northern part of the city.
The student body reflects Raleigh's diversity. White students make up just over half the enrollment, while Black and Hispanic students each represent a sizable share, and a smaller number of Asian and multiracial students attend. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that many families in the attendance zone fall below or near federal income thresholds. Data on special education and English learner enrollment were not available in the school's public records.
On North Carolina's End-of-Grade tests for grades three through five, Brooks' results show uneven performance across subjects. In math, just over three-fifths of tested students met proficiency standards. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was slightly lower, at just over half. Science proficiency, measured only for a smaller subset of tested students due to grade-band testing, was at fifty percent. These numbers place the school below the midline for proficiency. No multi-year trend data were available to show whether performance has been moving, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about whether and how results have shifted year to year.
Raleigh itself is North Carolina's capital and a mixed-use city dominated by downtown office and retail, walkable historic residential neighborhoods, and spreading suburbs. The downtown core along Fayetteville Street and in districts like the Warehouse District is pedestrian-friendly and home to the State Capitol, museums, and cultural venues. Most of the broader city is car-dependent, though pockets like Midtown/North Hills and neighborhoods such as Five Points and Oakwood offer more walkability. The city anchors a major regional growth corridor; Wake County now has well over a million residents, and downtown Raleigh has absorbed a large pipeline of new residential and commercial development in recent years. The local economy centers on technology, healthcare, higher education, and professional services: WakeMed Health & Hospitals is the county's largest employer, while IBM, Cisco, Red Hat, Lenovo, First Citizens Bank, and NC State University all maintain major footprints locally. Nearby Research Triangle Park houses more than one hundred companies including major research and engineering operations.
Housing in the Raleigh zip code where Brooks sits carries values above the state median, reflecting steady demand and the city's growth trajectory. Rents are considerably lower than the estimated monthly mortgage payment for area homes, making rental more affordable relative to ownership for many households.
Wake County Schools, the parent district, is a large system managing growth and significant curriculum shifts. The district has undertaken Science of Reading training across its elementary schools over the past two years, shifting how early literacy is taught. A substantial school construction bond approved by voters in 2022 is funding five new schools and renovations to existing buildings across the county; Brooks is not among the schools receiving renovation funding, so a parent may want to ask about the age and condition of facilities. The district also adopted a new cellphone policy effective the 2025-26 school year, requiring elementary and middle students to keep devices silenced and stored away all day. More immediately, the district has implemented large-scale student reassignments to fill new schools and manage enrollment growth in high-growth areas, meaning families with children in certain zones may face unexpected moves to different schools in coming years.
See more original research from School Decision →