Best Public Schools in Zip Code 78753

The 78753 zip code in Austin, Texas, is home to 15 schools serving a diverse range of students from Pre-K through 12th grade, with a high level of economic disadvantage reflected in an average Free/Reduced Lunch rate of nearly 80%.

Standout schools in the area include Nyos Lamar Secondary, which ranks in the 82nd percentile statewide and boasts a 94.4% graduation rate, and Idea Rundberg College Preparatory, which achieves strong test scores despite a 94.3% Free/Reduced Lunch rate. In contrast, Dobie Middle School faces severe challenges, ranking in the 3rd percentile with critically low proficiency rates and a 7.5% dropout rate. The Harmony Science Academy - Austin and Barrington Elementary also struggle, ranking in the 2nd and 5th percentiles respectively. The Diboll school, run by The Excel Center (For Adults), is an anomaly with a high dropout rate but surprisingly high test scores, likely serving a non-traditional adult student population.

Key takeaways for parents include a stark performance divide among charter schools, with Nyos Charter School outperforming others like Harmony Public Schools - Central Texas and Cedars International Academy. The middle school years appear to be a critical breaking point, as Dobie Middle School's performance is an outlier compared to some elementary and high schools. Across nearly all schools, math proficiency rates are significantly lower than reading rates, indicating a systemic challenge. The average student-teacher ratio is 14.5:1, with Nyos Lamar Secondary offering the most favorable ratio at 11.5:1 and Idea Rundberg Academy the most crowded at 22.3:1.