Best Public Schools in Zip Code 78757

The seven schools in zip code 78757, all part of the Austin Independent School District (Isd), present a starkly divided educational landscape, with high-performing schools like Gullett Elementary and Lamar Middle ranking in the top 10% statewide, while Pillow Elementary and Burnet Middle rank in the bottom 25%.

The standout performers are Gullett Elementary and Brentwood Elementary, which consistently earn 4-5 star ratings and have very low free/reduced lunch rates (7.72% and 14.01%, respectively). Lamar Middle is the top middle school, scoring in the 91st-92nd percentile and significantly outperforming district averages. In contrast, Burnet Middle ranks in the bottom 4% of Texas middle schools with a 92.45% free/reduced lunch rate and a high dropout rate of 4.2%. Pillow Elementary similarly struggles, with test scores far below district averages. An anomaly is Rosedale, an alternative school with a moderate poverty rate but extraordinarily high per-student spending of $44,014, reflecting its intensive resources. Greenleaf Ncc is a tiny 12th-grade-only campus with no test scores, making it a statistical outlier.

Key metrics reveal a strong correlation between poverty rates and performance, with high-poverty schools spending more per student ($12,144 at Pillow, $12,305 at Burnet) yet achieving lower results than wealthier schools. A notable finding is the "7th Grade Math Cliff," where math proficiency drops dramatically across all schools, suggesting a systemic curriculum issue. Additionally, Pillow Elementary is the only school with STAAR Spanish test scores, and students taking the test in Spanish perform worse than those in English, raising questions about bilingual program effectiveness. Overall, this zip code exemplifies how a student's address can determine access to a top-tier or struggling school, with socioeconomic factors playing a central role.