The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in Math. The lowest is 55% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Ethel M Burke Elementary School
Ethel M Burke Elementary School is a regular public elementary school in Bellmawr, New Jersey, serving kindergarten through fourth grade as part of the Bellmawr Public School District. Because it covers only the early grades, there are no high school outcomes such as a graduation rate to consider; the school’s academic picture is drawn entirely from state assessments in math and English language arts for third and fourth graders.
On those measures, Burke Elementary shows a mixed but generally strong performance that places its overall proficiency index in the top quartile of schools when compared with other districts in Camden County. That position is driven by a standout result in third-grade math, where a very large majority of students met or exceeded state standards. Third-grade reading was solid, with about three in five students reaching proficiency. By fourth grade, the numbers slipped notably: math proficiency was roughly in the middle of the range, and reading proficiency dipped to about half of students. The drop between grade levels is not unusual for elementary schools, but a parent may want to ask the school how it supports students as they move from primary to upper elementary content. No trend data across multiple years was available, so it is not possible to say whether this pattern is persistent or a single-year snapshot.
The student body is modest in size and fairly diverse. White students make up the largest share, followed by Hispanic and Asian students; a smaller but notable number of students identify as two or more races. Just over two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a middle-income community with a meaningful share of families facing economic strain. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the available data. As a school that ends at fourth grade, Burke feeds into a district that includes a middle school and high school elsewhere in Bellmawr, so families should expect a transition after these early years.
Bellmawr itself is a borough in Camden County, part of the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area. The housing market in the county has been active. Home values in the ZIP code area are broadly aligned with national medians, and the county has seen a steady flow of new listings and pending sales, with homes typically selling fairly quickly. Rents in the area are moderate relative to incomes. This suggests a stable, accessible market for families looking to live within the school’s attendance zone.
The Bellmawr Public School District, which operates Burke Elementary, was searched for recent major changes such as a referendum, curriculum overhaul, or property-tax shift, but no specific parent-relevant developments that cleared the impact bar were found. The district’s online profile and enrollment data were available, but nothing indicated a significant shift in programming or funding that would affect current families. That is not unusual for a small district, and it may simply mean that operations have been steady.
For a parent considering Burke Elementary, the school offers a strong start in math for its youngest tested students and a top-quartile overall proficiency standing within Camden County. The decline between third and fourth grade is worth exploring, but the school’s early-grade results are a clear strength. The community is a typical South Jersey suburb with manageable housing costs and a diverse student population. Families who want a neighborhood elementary school where their child can build foundational skills before moving to a larger middle school will find a solid option here. Those looking for extensive program offerings, special education details, or extracurriculars in the early grades should request that information directly from the school, as it was not available in the data reviewed.
See more original research from School Decision →