Gifford Elementary School

8332 Northwestern Avenue

School District

Racine Unified
Grade

PK, K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:15
Type

public

School Map for Racine Unified School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 03, 2022

this school sucks.They dont do anything about bullying.
Submitted by other on May 05, 2019

In my years at Gifford, I feel I've grown both academically and as a person. Gifford, like anything else, is not without its flaws, but it's a safe and comfortable place. It's home to me.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2018

Great school. We live in the subdivision. Our daughter is in her fourth year going here. Super safe, mostly great teachers, and great experience.
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2017

Awful. Not a child friendly school. More like a soulless institution
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2017

Parents beware if moving to this district with a special needs child! They don't have a special education dept. your child is not welcome at this school. It's a shame they can discriminate against child/children. I moved to this district for a reason. Very disappointed.
Submitted by parent on September 15, 2014

I've had 4 children go to this school and if your child does not have special needs then it is a great school. Over the years budgets have been cut and now the main focus is on test scores, not to forget we have had two principal changes in the last few years. The school has overcrowded classrooms the last few years with 28+ kids per class making it difficult to give any individual attention to the students who would benefit the most from it. My son is diagnosed with ADD and he is required to keep pace with everyone else, most of his work comes home on a daily basis because the classrooms do not have funding for teacher aides and because he tests well he doesn't qualify for and IEP. All my other children did well here but unfortunately the school has their hands tied with not enough funding and I'm out of options.
Submitted by parent on November 21, 2013

LOVE Gifford. I have not one, not two, but FOUR children attending Gifford. Art, music, band, choir, track, off the charts amazing teachers and PTA, most involved parents I've ever seen at any school. I honestly don't see why anyone would waste money at private school if you could get your child into Gifford. It has the highest test scores of any elementary school in RUSD that's not a gifted and talented school. Two of my children are the kind of kids who are always at the top of their class, and Gifford always manages to keep them challenged. Two of my children I did not birth, and spent the first 5 years of their lives in foster care. They have an extreme amount of baggage and tons of emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities. One has an IEP. Gifford has been amazing with these two as well, they bend over backwards to meet their needs, understand their history, meet them where they are, and cheer them on to greatness. I can't say enough about the blessing this school has been to ALL FOUR of my children. P.S. Test scores are amazing considering it includes plenty of children with unique and special educational needs like 2 of mine who do not do well on tests.
Submitted by parent on June 23, 2013

Gifford Elementary School has the best state test scores in the area even compared to the nearby rural schools. Gifford boasts a very active PTA that is highly supported by the school staff and administrators. The class sizes are too large and this is a negative. 28 to 1 is the norm. As one parent spoke regarding the issues caused by having a large number of students eating lunch at one time (150 per grade), a parent needs to keep in mind that lunch is 20 minutes of their day. In the big scope of things, test scores, educational enrichment programs and staff should count heavily and at Gifford you have those.