Ed Neuhaus 
Georgetown ISD’s Two D Rated Elementaries: Similar Scores, Very Different Student Bodies
Annie Purl Elementary scored a 66 on the 2025 TEA accountability rating. James E. Mitchell Elementary scored a 67. Both earned D ratings. Both sit in Georgetown ISD, one of the fastest growing districts in Texas. And both are within a few miles of each other in Georgetown. But the similarities stop at the overall score. The student populations, the neighborhood character, and the specific TEA domain results paint a very different picture for each campus.
Annie Purl has 72% economically disadvantaged students and 43.3% English Learners. Mitchell has 42.2% and 11.4%. That demographic gap is significant, and it shows up in where each school struggles on the TEA metrics. Annie Purl posted an F in Student Achievement (52) while Mitchell posted a D (60). But Annie Purl actually edged Mitchell slightly in School Progress and Academic Growth (both 65 vs 65, so identical) and in Closing the Gaps (69 vs 70, nearly the same). So despite serving a much more challenging population, Annie Purl is keeping pace with Mitchell in the growth and progress domains.
Georgetown buyers ask me about these two schools all the time because the median home prices are within range of each other and both feed into Georgetown ISD’s two high schools. Lets look at what actually matters.
Annie Purl vs James E. Mitchell: Quick Comparison
| Annie Purl Elementary | James E. Mitchell Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | D (66/100) | D (67/100) |
| Enrollment | 690 students | 682 students |
| Grades | EE through 5 | PK through 5 |
| District | Georgetown ISD | Georgetown ISD |
| Median Home Price | $440,000 | $365,000 |
| Feeds Into | Forbes/Tippit MS, East View/Georgetown HS | Tippit/Forbes MS, Georgetown/East View HS |
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 | Annie Purl Elementary | James E. Mitchell Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | D (66/100) | D (67/100) |
| Student Achievement | F (52/100) | D (60/100) |
| School Progress | D (65/100) | D (65/100) |
| Academic Growth | D (65/100) | D (65/100) |
| Closing the Gaps | D (69/100) | C (70/100) |
| Enrollment | 690 students (EE through 5) | 682 students (PK through 5) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 72.0% | 42.2% |
| English Learners | 43.3% | 11.4% |
| TEA Distinctions | 6 of 7 earned | 6 of 7 earned |
The domain by domain comparison is remarkably close. School Progress and Academic Growth are identical at 65 for both schools. Closing the Gaps is separated by a single point (69 vs 70). The biggest gap is Student Achievement, where Mitchell’s 60 edges Annie Purl’s 52 by 8 points. But here is the thing that jumps out: both schools earned 6 of 7 TEA distinctions despite their D ratings. That means both campuses are performing well in specific academic areas even though the overall scores are dragging. Georgetown ISD is investing in both schools, and those distinction counts suggest the improvements are starting to take hold in targeted areas.
For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history and all distinctions, visit the Annie Purl Elementary school page or the James E. Mitchell Elementary school page.
Annie Purl: The Larger, More Diverse Georgetown Campus
Annie Purl sits in central Georgetown and serves 690 students with one of the more diverse student bodies in Georgetown ISD. At 72% economically disadvantaged and 43.3% English Learners, Annie Purl’s population looks more like an Austin ISD campus than what most buyers associate with Georgetown. The school feeds into Forbes and Tippit Middle Schools and then into either East View or Georgetown High School depending on address.
The neighborhoods around Annie Purl include some of the older, more established parts of Georgetown near the downtown area and the San Gabriel River. The median home price of $440,000 reflects a mix of older homes, some fixer uppers, and a few newer builds interspersed throughout the zone. This is Georgetown with a more urban feel (as urban as Georgetown gets, anyway) and walkable access to the historic square.
Mitchell: Lower Price Point, Less Linguistic Diversity
James E. Mitchell Elementary has 682 students and sits in the eastern part of Georgetown. With 42.2% economically disadvantaged and just 11.4% English Learners, the demographic profile is notably different from Annie Purl’s despite the nearly identical TEA scores. The D rating at 67 suggests the school has room to grow, but the 6 of 7 distinctions show progress in specific areas.
Mitchell feeds into Tippit and Forbes Middle Schools and then to Georgetown or East View High School. The median home price of $365,000 is $75,000 less than Annie Purl, making it one of the more affordable entry points into Georgetown ISD.
The Neighborhoods
Annie Purl draws from central Georgetown neighborhoods near the downtown square, including areas along Austin Avenue and the San Gabriel corridor. At $440,000 median, these neighborhoods offer the charm and walkability that brought so many buyers to Georgetown in the first place. The trade off is that some of the housing stock is older and may need updates.
Mitchell’s zone covers parts of eastern Georgetown where newer subdivisions have been going up rapidly. The $365,000 median makes this one of the more accessible areas in the district, and buyers here get newer construction, community amenities, and a Georgetown ISD address at a price point that competes with Pflugerville and Hutto.
Browse all homes zoned to Annie Purl Elementary or homes zoned to James E. Mitchell Elementary.
Which School Fits You?
With a 1 point TEA difference, this decision is almost entirely about neighborhood and price.
You might lean toward Annie Purl if:
- Proximity to downtown Georgetown and the historic square matters to you
- You value the walkable, older neighborhood character of central Georgetown
- The 6 of 7 distinctions and identical growth metrics give you confidence in the campus trajectory
You might lean toward Mitchell if:
- The $365,000 median fits your budget better than $440,000
- You prefer newer construction in developing communities
- A slightly higher Student Achievement score (60 vs 52) matters to your assessment
Honestly, at a 1 point overall difference, I would not let the TEA score be the deciding factor here. Both schools are D rated, both earned 6 of 7 distinctions, and both are in a growing district that is actively investing in improvement. Pick the neighborhood that fits your life and your budget. Georgetown ISD is working on both campuses, and the trajectory is worth watching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Find Your Home?
Georgetown is one of the most active real estate markets in Texas, and understanding the school zones helps you make a smarter purchase. Lets get together and I will walk you through what is available in both zones. I have been doing this for 19 years and I know Georgetown well.
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