Summary
Winn Montessori is a public Montessori magnet school in the Austin Independent School District (Isd), serving 370 students from Pre-K through 5th grade in Austin, TX, with a high level of economic disadvantage (60.5% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch). The school has experienced a dramatic academic turnaround, jumping from the 5th percentile statewide in 2022-2023 to the 57th percentile in 2025-2026, making it one of the most improved schools in the area. This recovery is particularly notable when compared to nearby schools like Blanton Elementary, which consistently ranks in the 74th-81st percentile, and Pecan Springs Elementary and Jordan Elementary, which have remained in the 1st percentile or lower.
Winn Montessori excels in serving specific student groups, ranking in the 80th percentile for its White students and the 72nd percentile for its Special Education students in 2025-2026, suggesting the Montessori model's individualized approach is particularly effective for these populations. However, the school struggles significantly with its Low Socio-Economic Status students (12th percentile) and English Language Learners (4th percentile in 2024-2025), creating an uneven "Montessori effect" where benefits are not evenly distributed. The school spends $15,846 per student, over 50% more than Blanton Elementary ($10,142), which likely funds specialized Montessori materials and a low student-teacher ratio of 13.2:1.
Located just 0.51 miles from Magnolia Montessori For All, another public Montessori school serving a more affluent population (41.5% free/reduced lunch), Winn Montessori's recent surge is closing the performance gap, though demographic differences remain a key factor. Despite its improvement, Winn still lags behind Blanton Elementary in core subjects like Math and Reading—for example, 5th Grade Math proficiency is 38.5% at Winn versus 70.6% at Blanton. The school's performance on Spanish-language STAAR tests is mixed, but it often outperforms district and state averages in specific areas like 4th Grade Reading (30% vs. 28.5% district and 37.1% state), indicating a potential strength in its bilingual program.
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