Brookside Elementary

Summary:

Brookside Elementary is a public elementary school in Gastonia, North Carolina, serving 502 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. While the school has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, its academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages.

Brookside Elementary's racial makeup is 37.25% White, 31.27% African American, and 21.91% Hispanic, which is more diverse than the surrounding schools. However, the school's academic performance lags behind, with only 43% of 3rd-grade students proficient in math, compared to 54.2% in the Gaston County Schools district and 62.7% statewide. Brookside has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina elementary schools over the past 10 years, with its ranking declining from 3 stars to just 1 star in recent years. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic students outperforming their White peers.

Interestingly, some nearby schools, such as Carr Elementary, have stronger academic results, with 3rd-grade math proficiency at 65.4%. Additionally, Brookside Elementary has an extremely high percentage of students (over 99%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population, which may contribute to the school's challenges.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1925 Auten Rd.
       Gastonia, NC  28054


(704) 866-6283

District: Gaston County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1174th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,017 Help


Students who attend Brookside Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Holbrook Middle
High:    North Gaston High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.5 Help
Number of students:  502

Racial breakdown:

White:
37.3%
African American:
31.3%
Hispanic:
21.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.4% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Brookside Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Brookside Elementary ranks worse than 78% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 16th among 26 ranked elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.38. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Brookside Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (37.3%), African American (31.3%), Hispanic (21.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Brookside Elementary is 14.5, which is the 12th best among 26 elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Brookside Elementary employs 34.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Brookside Elementary is $9,017. 15 elementary schools in the Gaston County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Brookside Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Brookside Elementary 1174th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Brookside Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Gaston County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Gaston County Schools 158th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Brookside Elementary.

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Your rating for Brookside Elementary?

Rank History for Brookside Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 54.14 642nd 1276 49.7%
2007 32.93 989th 1293 23.5%
2008 37.74 898th 1324 32.2%
2009 41.69 893rd 1354 34.0%
2010 37.85 962nd 1363 29.4%
2011 40.10 917th 1381 33.6%
2012 47.56 807th 1388 41.9%
2013 39.43 861st 1403 38.6%
2014 42.79 803rd 1390 42.2%
2015 57.39 618th 1440 57.1%
2016 46.21 811th 1425 43.1%
2017 41.67 893rd 1429 37.5%
2018 23.84 1165th 1434 18.8%
2019 21.61 1239th 1473 15.9%
2021 33.41 970th 1489 34.9%
2022 33.61 1028th 1514 32.1%
2023 20.24 1251st 1502 16.7%
2024 26.38 1174th 1505 22.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 20.37 134th 154 13.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 55.66 151st 485 68.9%
2023 45.64 246th 514 52.1%
2024 16.90 509th 533 4.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 20.20 735th 801 8.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.04 1040th 1332 21.9%
2019 25.03 1130th 1361 17.0%
2021 49.85 588th 1329 55.8%
2022 31.87 995th 1366 27.2%
2023 21.84 1236th 1437 14.0%
2024 33.36 1054th 1450 27.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.91 1106th 1405 21.3%
2019 24.58 1166th 1424 18.1%
2021 36.42 888th 1440 38.3%
2022 34.29 989th 1458 32.2%
2023 21.38 1229th 1459 15.8%
2024 25.91 1148th 1455 21.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 22.89 781st 878 11.0%
2021 22.47 578th 646 10.5%
2022 35.32 398th 634 37.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.85 1178th 1413 16.6%
2019 21.68 1216th 1430 15.0%
2021 31.00 974th 1444 32.5%
2022 33.32 1014th 1464 30.7%
2023 21.03 1210th 1461 17.2%
2024 28.49 1112th 1464 24.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.47 541st 927 41.6%
2019 42.30 563rd 949 40.7%
2021 51.83 329th 896 63.3%
2022 34.36 630th 927 32.0%
2023 30.53 687th 933 26.4%
2024 26.37 751st 924 18.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.13 767th 851 9.9%
2019 23.98 749th 865 13.4%
2021 40.12 485th 843 42.5%
2022 56.35 320th 893 64.2%
2023 42.01 538th 915 41.2%
2024 39.39 605th 951 36.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Brookside Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.75 1119th 1178 5.0%
2019 11.58 1129th 1183 4.6%
2021 19.86 1031st 1172 12.0%
2022 30.23 915th 1194 23.4%
2023 10.48 1131st 1183 4.4%
2024 24.26 981st 1166 15.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Brookside Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1.8)
20%

0%

0%

0%

80%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, October 14, 2019

Open Quote My child attends Brookside and I have to disagree with the other reviews. The school is very helpful in the IEP program and has helped my daughter tremendously. There is no principal McGuire, in fact Mr. Hovis (the actual principal) is a very nice man. He has always been helpful in resolving situations and in fact Brookside earned an accreditation as a quality school. This is a great school. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, September 5, 2019

Open Quote Very poor school. Seems very low key racially and segregated towards African Americans. Find ways to deter students of their education proper education and support. Claims it haves a special Education department and class but clearly they are not properly trained or know what they are doing. Just trying to put a label on kids and causing further damage to their own issues that they are supposed to be learning to cop with and do better. Close Quote


by a parent
Sunday, April 29, 2018

Open Quote It is a battlefield for bullies, which includes some of the teachers, and the principal who is the commander in chief..The African American students are labeled “bad & troublemakers” by Principal McGuire... There are 28 kids to 1 teacher..lazy teachers set up the students to FAIL by testing them on areas they didn’t teach, all in the name of “covering the curriculum.”
When there is an issue with black vs black, they couldn’t care less. However, if it’s black vs
white student, principal McGuire always punish the black students even when they’re the victim, while he presents the white student with a badge of honor..This is the only school in the 20th century where white students are allowed to call black kids NEGRO without consequence. Some students are now taking anti-depressants from emotional abuse received from principal McGuire and some of the teachers, not to mention the physical abuse from students..
Some parents have withdrawn their children to homeschool, among other options..
PARENTS, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Check STATISTICS, RATINGS & REVIEWS, This school is a WAR ZONE with a RACIST leader, named principal McGuire.. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Brookside Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 619 113 10 4 0 n/a n/a 0 746
1996 619 113 10 4 0 n/a n/a 0 746
1997 632 117 10 8 1 n/a n/a 0 768
1998 487 91 9 8 1 n/a n/a 0 596
1999 515 98 9 14 1 n/a n/a 0 637
2000 541 98 10 19 1 n/a n/a 0 669
2001 507 61 6 25 1 n/a n/a 0 600
2002 480 71 4 38 3 n/a n/a 0 596
2003 480 71 4 38 3 n/a n/a 0 596
2004 444 85 5 51 3 n/a n/a 0 588
2005 452 95 7 80 3 n/a n/a 0 637
2006 440 104 9 71 4 n/a n/a 0 628
2007 457 118 9 92 5 n/a n/a 20 701
2008 454 112 6 91 3 n/a n/a 29 695
2009 446 156 8 102 3 n/a n/a 0 715
2010 407 170 8 115 4 n/a n/a 0 704
2011 370 110 9 111 1 0 45 0 646
2012 374 119 9 95 3 0 29 0 629
2013 330 89 12 58 1 0 22 0 512
2014 348 96 8 59 0 1 29 0 541
2015 343 98 10 75 0 1 24 0 551
2016 322 104 10 86 0 1 28 0 551
2017 336 111 8 90 1 1 32 0 579
2018 322 154 4 84 2 0 34 0 600
2019 269 162 6 87 2 1 32 0 559
2020 233 165 6 99 2 1 32 0 538
2021 219 157 3 93 2 0 29 0 503
2022 195 140 2 82 2 1 28 0 450
2023 187 157 2 110 2 1 43 0 502

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Brookside Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 746 41.0 18.2 30.8
1996 746 41.0 18.2 30.8
1997 768 40.0 19.2 28.8
1998 596 36.0 16.6 39.4
1999 637 37.0 17.2 41.1
2000 669 37.0 18.1 39.9
2001 600 37.0 16.2 43.7
2002 596 37.0 16.1 47
2003 596 37.0 16.1 47
2004 588 35.0 16.8 46.1
2005 637 35.0 18.2 56.4
2006 628 35.0 17.9 56.8
2007 701 n/a n/a 55.1
2008 695 48.5 14.3 12.8
2009 715 45.3 15.8 12.6
2010 704 43.8 16.0 71.7
2011 646 45.2 14.2 73.2
2012 629 36.5 17.2 74.1
2013 512 34.0 15.0 75
2014 541 32.1 16.8 74.7
2015 551 34.0 16.2 99.5
2016 551 32.0 17.2 99.5
2017 579 33.8 17.1 99.5
2018 600 34.8 17.2 99.5
2019 559 37.9 14.7 99.5
2020 538 36.0 14.9 99.1
2021 503 33.9 14.8 99.4
2022 450 30.5 14.7 99.3
2023 502 34.6 14.5 99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Brookside Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 746 41.0 18.2 30.8
1996 746 41.0 18.2 30.8
1997 768 40.0 19.2 28.8
1998 596 36.0 16.6 39.4
1999 637 37.0 17.2 41.1
2000 669 37.0 18.1 39.9
2001 600 37.0 16.2 43.7
2002 596 37.0 16.1 47
2003 596 37.0 16.1 47
2004 588 35.0 16.8 46.1
2005 637 35.0 18.2 56.4
2006 628 35.0 17.9 56.8
2007 701 n/a n/a 55.1
2008 695 48.5 14.3 12.8
2009 715 45.3 15.8 12.6
2010 704 43.8 16.0 71.7
2011 646 45.2 14.2 73.2
2012 629 36.5 17.2 74.1
2013 512 34.0 15.0 75
2014 541 32.1 16.8 74.7
2015 551 34.0 16.2 99.5
2016 551 32.0 17.2 99.5
2017 579 33.8 17.1 99.5
2018 600 34.8 17.2 99.5
2019 559 37.9 14.7 99.5
2020 538 36.0 14.9 99.1
2021 503 33.9 14.8 99.4
2022 450 30.5 14.7 99.3
2023 502 34.6 14.5 99.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Brookside Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,395 (15.5%) $7,622 (84.5%) $9,017

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Brookside Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1239th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 1251st of 1502 Elementary schools
 0.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Brookside Elementary)42.340.3
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)56.455.9
 0.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Brookside Elementary)41.429.9
 11.5%
   3rd Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)51.840.6
 11.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Brookside Elementary)37.244
 6.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)49.547.5
 2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Brookside Elementary)40.444
 3.6%
   4th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)53.648.9
 4.7%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Brookside Elementary)4440
 4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Gaston County Schools)52.548.6
 3.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Brookside Elementary)47.328.2
 19.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Gaston County Schools)50.642.7
 7.9%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Brookside Elementary)64.843.6
 21.2%
   5th Grade Science (Gaston County Schools)69.360
 9.3%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students559502
 10.2%
African American162157
 3.1%
American Indian22
Asian62
 66.7%
Hispanic87110
 26.4%
Pacific Islander11
White269187
 30.5%
Two or More Races3243
 34.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.5%99.4%
 0.1%


Schools Near Brookside Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Brookside Elementary

Brookside Elementary ranks in the bottom 22.0% of North Carolina elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 502 students attended Brookside Elementary.

Students who attend Brookside Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Holbrook Middle
High : North Gaston High

Students at Brookside Elementary are 37% White, 31% African American, 22% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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