9525 Graceland Trl
Austin, TX 78717

I'm a current student here. I'm going to try to give a review that'll help people who will might go to this school.This school and its teachers talk a whole lot about how many students pass the STAAR tests and have good grades in classes. What I'll say is this is true, even ones that have learning complications do pass in grades. This is because this school does have a decent amount of wonderful teachers that teach splendidly and keep us all engaged. I am someone who is great at math, however I struggle with English and other languages, yet I've had very good language teachers that teach their lessons in an organized, easy to understand manner. Even if you struggle, most teachers will come to you and teach the information to you one-on-one. But the key word is MOST...I have had far too many teachers, who were quite unpleasant. I'm not just talking about them being strict and giving too much homework, these teachers simply don't understand the way a child's brain develops. They teach the subject through a slideshow, then they don't bother to help you and expect you to do the homework even if you still don't understand. Some have even criticized me for simply asking a question or making a mistake. These types of teachers can be super unpleasant for a student's self-esteem and even mental health, because of the way they treat and talk to students. Honestly, this district is super oblivious when it comes to the people they hire. Another thing, some teachers and other staff members are very unorganized and never communicate, which is definitely a pain if you're a parent.A huge problem in this school that is never addressed is the bullying and a student's well-being. Look I get it, this school as over 1,000 students who learn here so of course you won't know the problems of every kid. But if a fight, argument, or even talks of suicide, come along, and talks of it spread about like wildfire in the school, nobody will do anything about it. Something that I absolutely hate about this school that almost disgusted me, was that the principal and staff are constantly talking about how a peaceful, bully free school this is. PARENTS! THIS IS NOT THE CASE! I guarantee no matter how introverted your child may be, they will always hear talks of fights and such. And the staff does nothing, NOTHING about it. They'll only do something if it affects the image of the school, which is selfish and gross honestly.This school gets the learning job done, that's it.

Brushy Creek Elementary does indeed focus on feelings and how to manage them. These, of course, help children build their social and emotional skills. Good soft skills beget lasting friends. Per Harvard researchers, Raj Chetty et al., having friends is most likely the best ingredient for economic mobility! That's awesome! His research suggests having a great Kindergarten teacher can increase a child’s lifetime earnings by $300,000. Great teachers are in turn defined by how well they manage a classroom including with disruptive children, how well they inspire kids, not how well they explain an academic concept. But don’t take my word for it, Google him or check out his guest appearance discussing these matters on NPR’s Hidden Brain (podcast) episode: “Zipcode Destiny”. My child has a 504 plan. He works with the 504 specialist every week. When given a recent assignment from the main teacher to write a letter to any staff or teacher at BCE, my child chose to write a thank you letter to the 504 specialist for helping them read. Moreover, I and my spouse can tell a huge difference in our child’s reading ability since working with their 504 specialist. Huge difference. My child's fifth grade teacher has emailed my spouse and I several times when our child is struggling to stay focused in school and finish assignments. The teacher offers suggestions. She clearly engages with parents to help her students. I routinely see BCE staff including the principal and vice principal greeting kids by name when they arrive at school. Wow. They are out there building relationships and safe environments for children. Who doesn’t want that?!Thank you, BCE staff and teachers, for guiding our kids to develop the requisite skills for life in addition to academics.

This school has been amazing for my son. As an advanced student, he’s had access to great classes that have challenged him while still allowing him to perform well. The school added a science and technology wing in 2022 to reduce overcrowding. The Engineering wing is amazing with lots of great technology and tools. Those teachers have real world experience to help back what they’re teaching.The teachers are a mix of good, great and just Ok. But overall, we feel our student is well prepared. We love the great mix of electives! The music department is stellar. The students consistently win lots of academic awards in Debate, Business, Robotics, Computer Science and Engineering. I would definitely recommend especially for advanced kids!