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Briarcliff Elementary

Summary:

Briarcliff Elementary is a public elementary school in Cary, North Carolina, serving 448 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Wake County Schools district, which is ranked 59th out of 242 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Briarcliff Elementary consistently performs above the state and district averages in standardized test scores, particularly in mathematics and science. In the 2023-2024 school year, 5th-grade students achieved 76.7% proficiency in mathematics, compared to 67.8% for the Wake County Schools district and 58.1% for the state of North Carolina. The school's 5th-grade students also achieved 73.3% proficiency in science, compared to 72% for the district and 66.2% for the state. Briarcliff Elementary's performance in reading is also strong, with 3rd-grade students achieving 53.4% proficiency, compared to 59.5% for the district and 48.7% for the state.

While Briarcliff Elementary's overall performance is impressive, the school has identified potential opportunity gaps for Hispanic and low socioeconomic status students, who perform relatively lower than their peers. The school's diverse student population, which includes significant representation of White, Hispanic, and Asian students, is a notable achievement, and the school's ability to serve this diverse population effectively is commendable. Briarcliff Elementary's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from a high of 130 out of 1,514 schools in 2021-2022 to a low of 526 out of 1,489 schools in 2020-2021, highlighting the competitive nature of the educational landscape in North Carolina.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1220 Pond St
       Cary, NC  27511-4418

(919) 460-3443

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
440th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,299 Help


Students who attend Briarcliff Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Reedy Creek Middle
High:    Cary High
    Wake Early College of Health and Science
    Wake STEM Early College High School
    Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  456

Racial breakdown:

White:
60.5%
Hispanic:
19.3%
Asian:
10.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  31.6% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Briarcliff Elementary ranks better than 70.8% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 59th among 115 ranked elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.17. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (60.5%), Hispanic (19.3%), Asian (10.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 31.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Briarcliff Elementary is 14. 83 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Briarcliff Elementary employs 32.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Briarcliff Elementary is $10,299, which is the 44th highest among 115 elementary schools in the Wake County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Briarcliff Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Briarcliff Elementary 440th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Briarcliff Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Wake County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wake County Schools 59th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Briarcliff Elementary.

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Rank History for Briarcliff Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 62.95 480th 1276 62.4%
2007 65.04 444th 1293 65.7%
2008 69.77 353rd 1324 73.3%
2009 80.20 200th 1354 85.2%
2010 83.43 141st 1363 89.7%
2011 82.07 164th 1381 88.1%
2012 84.88 114th 1388 91.8%
2013 84.23 171st 1403 87.8%
2014 85.02 170th 1390 87.8%
2015 76.12 301st 1440 79.1%
2016 76.05 293rd 1425 79.4%
2017 77.03 283rd 1429 80.2%
2018 71.97 365th 1434 74.5%
2019 78.35 254th 1473 82.8%
2021 62.64 526th 1489 64.7%
2022 88.05 130th 1514 91.4%
2023 75.99 303rd 1502 79.8%
2024 68.17 440th 1505 70.8%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.34 100th 421 76.2%
2019 52.58 183rd 497 63.2%
2021 42.94 178th 385 53.8%
2022 63.27 101st 485 79.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.49 578th 1332 56.6%
2019 61.68 456th 1361 66.5%
2021 54.96 495th 1329 62.8%
2022 76.79 183rd 1366 86.6%
2023 50.42 712th 1437 50.5%
2024 25.04 1220th 1450 15.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.83 484th 1405 65.6%
2019 79.56 219th 1424 84.6%
2021 64.73 438th 1440 69.6%
2022 86.33 139th 1458 90.5%
2023 60.50 550th 1459 62.3%
2024 55.39 622nd 1455 57.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.50 61st 897 93.2%
2019 91.21 31st 878 96.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 51.87 433rd 612 29.2%
2022 69.71 79th 500 84.2%
2023 51.70 411th 582 29.4%
2024 42.62 565th 669 15.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.29 252nd 1413 82.2%
2019 74.15 299th 1430 79.1%
2021 57.73 580th 1444 59.8%
2022 85.62 158th 1464 89.2%
2023 81.65 206th 1461 85.9%
2024 73.73 324th 1464 77.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.91 235th 927 74.6%
2019 74.92 149th 949 84.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.48 479th 851 43.7%
2019 53.84 373rd 865 56.9%
2021 40.79 475th 843 43.7%
2022 56.68 317th 893 64.5%
2023 33.18 641st 915 29.9%
2024 14.02 908th 951 4.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Briarcliff Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.58 138th 1178 88.3%
2019 84.14 123rd 1183 89.6%
2021 62.20 413th 1172 64.8%
2022 88.23 72nd 1194 94.0%
2023 82.17 153rd 1183 87.1%
2024 78.23 221st 1166 81.0%
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.

Briarcliff Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
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Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Friday, January 29, 2016

Open Quote I have worked at the front desk at Briarcliff Elementary since 1999. Briarcliff is impressive, inviting, genuine, warm. A HAPPY, loving school!

The teaching staff is just amazing & first rate! EVERY SINGLE person who works here is sensational! The ENTIRE staff the best there is! Encouraging, kind, supportive, nurturing, going above & beyond. We ALL truly CARE about our students and their families, we care about each other. Our students are incredible!

We are SO BLESSED to have wonderful parents & families. I feel so fortunate to work w/such a strong, respectful, inspiring and caring Staff. It takes a WHOLE school to educate a child. You will hear me I say "You will love this school!" Our kids and their families are so amazing! Our PTA is Top Notch!

I LOVE coming to work here each and every day. I truly LOVE my job!

It is a PLEASURE to work with such great people and have such remarkable students/families, an honor and privilege and I can not thank you enough. I am so proud of this school & of our outstanding students and their families and our staff.

Briarcliff is a lovely and much LOVED school. It is Cary's Best Kept Secret! We all are family here, when you attend Briarcliff, consider yourself our FAMILY. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, January 29, 2015

Open Quote We have two boys at Briarcliff and couldn't be happier with their education. I know all Cary schools are good but Briarcliff is small (under 650 students) and that is 30% smaller than some Cary/Wake schools. Trust us it matters, not only do the principals know the kids by name but they know the parents too and that matter.
The entire staff is amazing from the classroom teachers to administration. The art teacher is truly amazing (as are all the specialists) her class room is like a museum. Like the real world Briarcliff is truly diverse and they have figured out how to capitalize on that. The PTA is very active (raised of $85,000 last year) and if you have kids at the school they will have plenty of opportunities to help. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, November 6, 2014

Open Quote Briarcliff is like The Little Engine That Could. It's a small school, tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, that no one has heard of. However, it is a gem. Each child is taught to the level he or she needs to be appropriately challenged. The teachers have full control over their classrooms, and student behavior is outstanding. The administration is attentive, effective, and caring. The PTA is very active. There is a huge amount of parental support and involvement, including many parent-run before and after school clubs and activities, and an entirely parent-run tutoring and enrichment program. Do not let the school's Title 1 status mislead you. This school is excellent for all children lucky enough to attend. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Briarcliff Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 515 110 10 7 1 n/a n/a 0 643
1989 584 121 18 6 2 n/a n/a 0 731
1990 447 95 21 6 0 n/a n/a 0 569
1991 474 80 27 6 0 n/a n/a 0 587
1992 438 83 19 10 1 n/a n/a 0 551
1993 428 85 17 16 3 n/a n/a 0 549
1994 416 99 16 18 2 n/a n/a 0 551
1995 481 98 23 17 3 n/a n/a 0 622
1996 481 98 23 17 3 n/a n/a 0 622
1997 452 91 26 13 3 n/a n/a 0 585
1998 454 220 24 20 3 n/a n/a 0 721
1999 409 222 39 27 5 n/a n/a 0 702
2000 370 156 37 39 4 n/a n/a 0 606
2001 358 127 26 53 9 n/a n/a 0 573
2002 297 126 12 82 3 n/a n/a 0 520
2003 297 126 12 82 3 n/a n/a 0 520
2004 260 144 16 100 2 n/a n/a 0 522
2005 232 112 15 101 3 n/a n/a 0 463
2006 227 117 7 108 2 n/a n/a 0 461
2007 253 96 11 149 4 n/a n/a 28 541
2008 301 107 20 126 4 n/a n/a 34 592
2009 307 112 13 123 5 n/a n/a 0 560
2010 304 130 20 90 6 n/a n/a 0 550
2011 303 89 16 151 4 0 28 0 591
2012 331 95 16 155 4 0 30 0 631
2013 295 99 26 183 1 0 36 0 640
2014 286 93 28 157 2 0 35 0 601
2015 269 105 35 183 4 0 30 0 626
2016 253 100 28 166 2 0 25 0 574
2017 273 86 29 156 4 0 26 0 574
2018 278 83 24 133 3 0 23 0 544
2019 297 80 23 114 2 0 21 0 537
2020 325 69 25 108 2 0 25 0 554
2021 292 55 24 87 2 0 24 0 484
2022 279 46 35 90 1 0 21 0 472
2023 271 38 35 89 0 0 15 0 448
2024 276 29 49 88 0 0 14 0 456

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 Briarcliff Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 643 36.0 17.8 14
1989 731 36.0 20.3 13.3
1990 569 29.0 19.6 15.3
1991 587 37.0 15.8 14.8
1992 551 37.0 14.8 12.3
1993 549 33.0 16.6 17.3
1994 551 33.0 16.7 17.2
1995 622 37.0 16.8 18
1996 622 37.0 16.8 18
1997 585 37.0 15.8 13.3
1998 721 47.0 15.3 10.7
1999 702 46.0 15.3 31.9
2000 606 46.0 13.2 38.6
2001 573 40.0 14.3 35.1
2002 520 41.0 12.7 41
2003 520 41.0 12.7 41
2004 522 41.0 12.7 41.8
2005 463 43.0 10.8 40.4
2006 461 40.0 11.5 44.7
2007 541 n/a n/a 47
2008 592 42.6 13.9 n/a
2009 560 42.0 13.3 n/a
2010 550 40.9 13.4 36.5
2011 591 41.1 14.3 39.4
2012 631 41.6 15.1 39.5
2013 640 42.9 14.8 41.7
2014 601 43.5 13.8 41.3
2015 626 44.0 14.2 46.6
2016 574 38.0 15.1 42.5
2017 574 36.2 15.8 42.7
2018 544 34.3 15.8 44.3
2019 537 35.8 14.9 41.7
2020 554 36.5 15.1 37.7
2021 484 35.0 13.8 27.1
2022 472 34.5 13.6 19.5
2023 448 34.2 13.0 34.8
2024 456 32.5 14.0 31.6

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 Briarcliff Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 643 36.0 17.8 14
1989 731 36.0 20.3 13.3
1990 569 29.0 19.6 15.3
1991 587 37.0 15.8 14.8
1992 551 37.0 14.8 12.3
1993 549 33.0 16.6 17.3
1994 551 33.0 16.7 17.2
1995 622 37.0 16.8 18
1996 622 37.0 16.8 18
1997 585 37.0 15.8 13.3
1998 721 47.0 15.3 10.7
1999 702 46.0 15.3 31.9
2000 606 46.0 13.2 38.6
2001 573 40.0 14.3 35.1
2002 520 41.0 12.7 41
2003 520 41.0 12.7 41
2004 522 41.0 12.7 41.8
2005 463 43.0 10.8 40.4
2006 461 40.0 11.5 44.7
2007 541 n/a n/a 47
2008 592 42.6 13.9 n/a
2009 560 42.0 13.3 n/a
2010 550 40.9 13.4 36.5
2011 591 41.1 14.3 39.4
2012 631 41.6 15.1 39.5
2013 640 42.9 14.8 41.7
2014 601 43.5 13.8 41.3
2015 626 44.0 14.2 46.6
2016 574 38.0 15.1 42.5
2017 574 36.2 15.8 42.7
2018 544 34.3 15.8 44.3
2019 537 35.8 14.9 41.7
2020 554 36.5 15.1 37.7
2021 484 35.0 13.8 27.1
2022 472 34.5 13.6 19.5
2023 448 34.2 13.0 34.8
2024 456 32.5 14.0 31.6

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 Briarcliff Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $630 (6.1%) $9,670 (93.9%) $10,299

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Briarcliff 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 254th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 303rd of 1502 Elementary schools
 2.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Briarcliff Elementary)8254.7
 27.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)69.467.4
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Briarcliff Elementary)68.559.3
 9.2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)6658.7
 7.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Briarcliff Elementary)74.180.7
 6.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6565
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Briarcliff Elementary)6077.2
 17.2%
   4th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)63.265.7
 2.5%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Briarcliff Elementary)7571.9
 3.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wake County Schools)6665.6
 0.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Briarcliff Elementary)66.765.6
 1.1%
   5th Grade Reading (Wake County Schools)60.659.1
 1.5%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Briarcliff Elementary)85.778.1
 7.6%
   5th Grade Science (Wake County Schools)71.370.6
 0.7%
   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 Students537448
 16.6%
African American8038
 52.5%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian2335
 52.2%
Hispanic11489
 21.9%
Pacific Islander00
White297271
 8.8%
Two or More Races2115
 28.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients41.7%34.8%
 6.9%

Schools Near Briarcliff Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Briarcliff Elementary

In the 2023-24 school year, 456 students attended Briarcliff Elementary.

Students at Briarcliff Elementary are 61% White, 19% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 6% African American, 3% Two or more races.

Briarcliff Elementary ranks 440th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


Rate Briarcliff Elementary!



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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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