Burleigh Elementary, Brookfield WI

Original Research by School Decision on Burleigh Elementary

Burleigh Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in the Elmbrook School District of Brookfield, Wisconsin. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet school, and state data does not identify it as a Title I school. The enrollment is large for an elementary school, drawing from the suburban residential neighborhoods that surround its location on Burleigh Place.

The school produces strong academic results. On the Wisconsin Forward Exam, the share of students scoring proficient or above in math reached well into the range that the state considers high performance across all tested grade levels. English language arts results were similarly strong, with proficiency levels in each grade that sit comfortably above state averages. Fourth-grade science and social studies scores were also high, with social studies in particular showing a large majority of students meeting the proficiency bar. Compared with other school districts in Waukesha County, Burleigh Elementary’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile. That is a meaningful strength, particularly for families who place a premium on consistent academic achievement in the elementary years.

There is no graduation rate to report because Burleigh serves only elementary grades. No state testing data exists for prekindergarten or kindergarten, which is typical for those grade levels. The school also did not provide data on chronic absenteeism, special education identification rates, or English learner counts in the available records. A parent who wants a full picture of supports for students with disabilities or multilingual learners should follow up directly with the school or the district.

The student body is diverse in racial and ethnic composition. A large majority of students are white, with the next largest group being Asian students, followed by smaller shares of Hispanic, two or more races, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. The proportion of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is modest, reflecting the affluent character of the surrounding community. Brookfield itself is a suburban city with a strong commercial and office base, anchored by Brookfield Square mall and the Bluemound Road shopping corridor. The largest employment sectors are health care, manufacturing, and professional services, and Fiserv is headquartered in the city. Housing values in the area are above the national median, and rents are elevated, consistent with a high-cost, high-demand suburban market near Milwaukee. The median listing price in Waukesha County has risen modestly, and inventory remains tight, making this a competitive housing market for families considering a move.

The Elmbrook School District, which operates Burleigh, has a publicly reported record of consistent top-tier academic rankings within Wisconsin. Both district high schools, Brookfield Central and Brookfield East, are noted for high ACT performance and participation. The district also completed swimming pool renovations at both high schools in 2022, a facility upgrade that originated from a prior capital referendum. No recent district-wide curriculum overhaul or major boundary change was identified in available sources.

Brookfield is car-dependent, with most residents commuting by car to workplaces along the I-94 corridor. The city has off-road bike paths but lacks a traditional walkable downtown; commercial and civic life centers on mall districts, office parks, and separated school campuses. For a family considering this school, the academic picture is very strong by state and county measures. The trade-offs involve a suburban setting that requires driving, elevated housing costs, and a large elementary enrollment that may feel less intimate than a smaller school. The school’s size and demographics suggest a peer environment where most students come from economically stable households, and the academic program appears to deliver consistently high proficiency rates across grades and subjects.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 385%

School 85% · District 84% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 481%

School 81% · District 80% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 589%

School 89% · District 84% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 381%

School 81% · District 83% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 78% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 579%

School 79% · District 78% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Science

Grade 477%

School 77% · District 74% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 489%

School 89% · District 83% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

This schoolElmbrook School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income62%Higher-income84%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income58%Higher-income85%27 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income61%Higher-income82%22 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income81%Higher-income85%4 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income73%Higher-income82%9 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income78%Higher-income91%12 pp gap