Summary:
This analysis examines five elementary schools in zip code 78729 (Austin, Texas), all part of the highly-rated Round Rock Independent School District (Isd), serving grades PK-5, with four standard schools and one specialized program (El Daep).
For parents, the standout schools are Jollyville Elementary and Pond Springs Elementary, both earning 4-star ratings and ranking in the top 25% of Texas elementary schools. Jollyville is the consistent high performer with the highest enrollment (638 students) and strong math scores, while Pond Springs leads in 5th-grade reading (74.29%) and shows an upward trajectory. Live Oak Elementary is a remarkable turnaround story, jumping from a 2-star school (42nd percentile) to a 4-star school (70th percentile) in just two years. Forest North Elementary has the highest per-student spending ($14,327) and the highest poverty rate (48.59%), but ranks lower (69th percentile), suggesting spending is directed at addressing greater needs. The specialized El Daep program, with only 9 students and extremely high per-student spending ($910,671), is an outlier and not comparable to the other schools.
Key findings include an inverse correlation between spending and performance—Jollyville spends the least ($11,867) but ranks highest, while Forest North spends the most but ranks lowest—highlighting that socioeconomic factors are a primary driver of outcomes. A notable anomaly is that every school reported a perfect 100% proficiency rate in 6th-grade math for two consecutive years, which is likely a data error. Overall, the area offers strong options, with Jollyville and Pond Springs as top choices, Live Oak as an impressive improver, and Forest North as a resource-rich school serving a higher-need population.
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