Barton Hills vs Becker Elementary: TEA Scores and South Austin Living

Two B-Rated Schools, Two Very Different South Austin Neighborhoods

Barton Hills Elementary scored an 88 out of 100 on its 2025 TEA accountability rating. Becker Elementary, about a mile and a half east, came in at 81. Both are solid B ratings in Austin ISD, and both sit in neighborhoods that make people rearrange their entire home search just to land in the right zone. So what actually separates these two campuses?

I get this question a lot. Buyers reach out, they have South Austin circled on the map, and they want to know: Barton Hills or Becker? The answer depends on what matters most to you. And honestly, there is no wrong answer here. Both schools pull from some of the most iconic residential streets in the city, both feed into strong Austin ISD secondary campuses, and both come with the kind of neighborhood culture that is impossible to manufacture. But the details matter, so lets dig in.

I have been selling homes in South Austin for 19 years now, and the Barton Hills and Bouldin Creek areas remain two of the neighborhoods I get asked about most. These are not interchangeable zones. They feel different, they attract different buyers, and the schools reflect those differences in ways that go beyond the scorecard.

Barton Hills vs Becker: Quick Comparison

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.

Ok so here is what jumps out. Barton Hills wins on raw Student Achievement with a 93, which is an A rating in that domain. That is a genuinely impressive number for any public elementary in Austin. But Becker actually outperforms Barton Hills in School Progress (82 vs 79), Academic Growth (82 vs 70), and Closing the Gaps (80 vs 77). Those last three domains measure how well a school is improving student outcomes over time and serving all student groups, not just what the score looks like on test day. So Barton Hills has higher top-line scores, and Becker is doing better work moving the needle for its students. Both earned 6 of 7 TEA distinctions, which puts them in a pretty elite group statewide.

For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history and all distinctions, visit the Barton Hills Elementary school page or the Becker Elementary school page.

Barton Hills Elementary: The Greenbelt School

Barton Hills Elementary is small. 286 students small. And that is one of its defining characteristics. The campus sits in the heart of the Barton Hills neighborhood, which is this pocket of South Austin that feels almost like a separate town. Mature live oaks, limestone outcrops, and streets that wind through rolling terrain rather than following a grid. The school takes on that personality. Parents know each other. Teachers know every kid by name. The PTA is not just active, it is basically a second operating budget for the campus.

The school has bounced between A and B ratings over the past several years (it was an A at 96 in 2022, then 92 in 2023, and has settled at 88 in 2025). That Student Achievement score of 93 tells you the academic baseline is very high. The lower growth numbers reflect the reality that when your students are already performing well, demonstrating further growth on standardized measures gets harder. That is a good problem to have.

And then there is the location. The Barton Creek Greenbelt runs along the edge of the neighborhood. Zilker Park is right there. Barton Springs Pool is a bike ride away. Kids in this zone grow up with access to outdoor recreation that people in other cities fly to Austin specifically to experience. It shapes the campus culture in ways that are hard to quantify but easy to feel.

Becker Elementary: South Austin’s Creative Heart

Becker is a bigger school, 502 students, and it serves a more diverse student body. That is reflected in the demographics (19.5% English Learners compared to Barton Hills’ 1.4%) and in the school’s approach. Becker earned a B in every single domain on the TEA evaluation, including Academic Growth and Closing the Gaps. For a school serving a wider range of student needs, those scores represent genuinely strong work by the teaching staff.

The campus sits in Bouldin Creek, which is one of those Austin neighborhoods that has its own gravitational pull. South Congress Avenue is blocks away. The housing stock ranges from original 1940s bungalows to modern custom builds that architects use in their portfolios. It is walkable, it is creative, and it is one of the few places in Austin where the neighborhood identity has survived decades of growth without losing itself. Becker reflects that energy. This is a campus where the community investment runs deep and the school culture mirrors the neighborhood around it.

The Neighborhoods

The Barton Hills zone covers the Barton Hills subdivision (Sections 01 through 03), Barton Terrace, Horseshoe Bend, West Park, and several condo communities like Greenview and Springhollow Condo. Think quarter-acre lots, mid-century ranches, and renovated homes with genuine character. The terrain is hilly and wooded, which gives the whole area a feel that is distinctly different from the rest of South Austin.

The Becker zone centers on Bouldin Creek proper, along with Southwood, Loma Linda, and Bouldin Court Condos. The housing here is more eclectic. You will find everything from original craftsman bungalows to sleek contemporary new construction on the same block. The lots tend to be smaller and the streets are flatter, but the walkability and proximity to South Congress give it an urban energy that the Barton Hills zone does not quite match.

Both zones sit at the same $1,090,000 median, which surprised me a little when I pulled the numbers. The value proposition is different though. In Barton Hills, you are paying for lot size and outdoor access. In Bouldin Creek, you are paying for walkability and cultural proximity. Browse all homes zoned to Barton Hills or homes zoned to Becker.

Which School Fits You?

Both schools are strong performers in Austin ISD with devoted parent communities. But they attract somewhat different buyers.

You might lean toward Barton Hills if:

• A smaller campus with a tight-knit community is your top priority
• You want easy access to the Greenbelt, Zilker, and Barton Springs
• The highest Student Achievement score in the comparison matters to you
• You prefer larger lots with more space between homes

You might lean toward Becker if:

• A walkable, urban neighborhood with South Congress access matters most
• Strong Academic Growth and Closing the Gaps scores are what you look for
• The pre-K program is important (Barton Hills starts at kindergarten)

If I am being honest, the neighborhood choice is going to drive this decision for most buyers more than the TEA scores. Both schools are earning B ratings with 6 of 7 distinctions. The real question is whether you want to wake up near the Greenbelt or near South Congress. I have worked with plenty of buyers in both zones, and I have never had anyone regret either choice.

Ready to Find Your Home?

If you are trying to decide between Barton Hills and Bouldin Creek, lets grab coffee and walk both neighborhoods. That is genuinely the best way to figure out which one clicks for you. I have been helping buyers navigate South Austin for 19 years, and I can show you homes in both zones that you will not find scrolling online.

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