Ed Neuhaus 
South Austin’s Two Most Underestimated High Schools
Akins Early College High School scored an 81 on its 2025 TEA accountability rating, earning a B and 6 of 7 distinctions. Crockett High School came in at 74, a C rating. So both schools are hitting specific academic benchmarks at a high level even if their overall scores tell slightly different stories. That is a nuance most people miss when they look at ratings and nothing else.
I have been working with buyers in south Austin since 2007, and these two schools get overlooked constantly. People see the scores and immediately start asking about Bowie or Westlake or Anderson. But the reality is that Akins and Crockett serve distinct communities with genuinely different approaches to education, and the price points in both zones are significantly more accessible than what you will find in the “name brand” school zones north and west of town.
Akins sits within Austin ISD and runs an early college model in partnership with Austin Community College. Crockett is also Austin ISD but takes a more traditional approach with strong extracurriculars and a smaller student body. Both schools are less than four miles apart in south Austin, and the median home prices in their zones differ by over $100,000. Lets look at where the numbers diverge and what that means for your search.
Akins vs Crockett: Quick Comparison
| Akins Early College HS | Crockett High School | |
|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | B (81/100) | C (74/100) |
| Enrollment | 2,421 students | 1,543 students |
| Grades | 09 – 12 | 09 – 12 |
| District | Austin ISD | Austin ISD |
| Median Home Price | $416,500 | $485,000 |
| Feeder MS | Paredes Middle School | Bedichek / Covington MS |
TEA School Performance Comparison (2025)
The Texas Education Agency evaluates every public school annually across multiple performance domains. Here is how both campuses performed in the 2025 accountability cycle.
| Performance Metric | Akins Early College HS | Crockett High School |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | B (81/100) | C (74/100) |
| Student Achievement | C (79/100) | C (72/100) |
| School Progress | B (84/100) | C (79/100) |
| Academic Growth | B (83/100) | C (79/100) |
| Closing the Gaps | C (77/100) | C (70/100) |
| Enrollment | 2,421 students (09 – 12) | 1,543 students (09 – 12) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 81.0% | 60.4% |
| English Learners | 30.5% | 27.5% |
| TEA Distinctions | 6 of 7 earned | Not verified |
Akins earned 6 of 7 TEA distinctions, a strong showing that reflects performance across ELA/Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, Academic Progress, Closing the Gaps, and Postsecondary Readiness. While the overall scores have a seven point gap between the two campuses, the distinction count tells me Akins is delivering on multiple individual subject areas, and the overall rating gets pulled down by the composite formula more than any single weakness ([KVUE 2025 TEA ratings](https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/schools/texas-education-agency-tea-rankings-2025-austin-isd/269-f5aec436-ad16-4233-be8c-16b997b5b6aa)).
Akins leads Crockett by five points in School Progress and four points in Academic Growth, which reflects its early college model. When students are taking college level coursework through ACC, the growth metrics tend to reflect that additional rigor. Crockett’s Closing the Gaps score of 70 is the lowest number on its card, but that is still a passing score.
For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history and all distinctions, visit the Akins Early College HS school page or the Crockett High School school page.
Akins Early College: A College Degree Before You Graduate
The headline feature at Akins is the early college partnership with Austin Community College. Students can earn up to 60 college credit hours while completing their high school diploma. Some graduates leave with an associate degree in hand. In a city where the cost of a four year university keeps climbing, that head start is genuinely meaningful. The school’s Career and Technical Education pathways cover healthcare, IT, business, and skilled trades, so students are not just accumulating credits, they are building toward something specific.
Akins serves a heavily south Austin population, and the campus takes its role as a college access point seriously. The counseling and academic support infrastructure is designed around helping students succeed in college level work, which is a different challenge than what most traditional high schools face. I have had buyers tell me that the early college model was the reason they chose the Akins zone over other options in south Austin, and I understand why. It is a tangible, measurable benefit that most high schools simply do not offer.
Crockett High School: Smaller, Traditional, Community Focused
Crockett enrolls about 1,543 students and operates with a more community-focused feel than the larger Austin ISD comprehensive high schools. The school offers a full athletics program, fine arts, and student organizations.
The median home price in the Crockett zone runs about $68,500 higher than Akins, which reflects the mix of south Austin neighborhoods that feed into the school. The Crockett zone includes areas with updated homes and established subdivisions that have appreciated steadily over the last decade ([Neuhaus VOW MLS, trailing 12 months](https://neuhausre.com/homes-for-sale/)).
The Neighborhoods
The Akins zone covers a broad swath of far south Austin, including neighborhoods along Slaughter Lane and south of William Cannon. Home prices here are among the most accessible in all of Austin ISD, with a median around $416,500. Buyers who need to stay under $450K and still want an Austin ISD address consistently end up looking in this zone. The trade off is a longer commute to central Austin, but for people who work in south Austin or along the I-35 south corridor, the location works well.
Crockett’s zone sits closer to the core of south Austin, pulling from neighborhoods around Stassney Lane, William Cannon, and the Westgate area. The median of $485,000 reflects more established and updated housing stock, and the proximity to central Austin is noticeably better. Buyers in the Crockett zone tend to care about walkability, access to South Lamar, and being closer to the things that make Austin, Austin.
Browse all homes zoned to Akins High School or homes zoned to Crockett High School.
Which School Fits You?
This is less about which school is “better” and more about what you want out of the next four years and the next ten years of homeownership.
You might lean toward Akins if:
- The early college model appeals to you and you want students to graduate with college credits or an associate degree
- You need to stay under $450K and want to maximize square footage for the price
- Career and technical education pathways are a priority
You might lean toward Crockett if:
- You prefer a smaller high school environment where students are more than a number
- Proximity to central Austin matters more than the absolute lowest price point
- You value a traditional high school experience with strong extracurriculars and a tight community feel
I will say this. Both schools deserve more credit than they get. Akins earning 6 of 7 distinctions is something that plenty of “name brand” schools in Austin cannot match outright, and Crockett continues to serve its community at a level that the C overall rating alone does not fully capture. South Austin buyers who do their homework on the actual data, not just the letter grade, tend to feel a lot better about these options than they expected to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Find Your Home?
South Austin has more going on than most people realize, and I would love to show you what is available in both of these school zones. I have been helping buyers find the right fit in Austin for over 19 years, and sometimes the best value is in the places that do not get the most attention. Lets connect and figure out what works for you.
