Ed Neuhaus 
What Happens When a B Rated School and an F Rated School Share the Same Middle School Feeder?
Reilly Elementary earned a B with an 82 on the 2025 TEA accountability rating. Brown Elementary earned an F with a 59. Both are Austin ISD campuses in central Austin, and both feed into either Lamar or Webb Middle School. The 23 point gap is significant, but what makes this comparison particularly interesting is that some addresses in the Brown zone and the Reilly zone end up at the same middle school, which means the elementary years are where the paths really diverge.
Brown Elementary has 97% economically disadvantaged students and 77.4% English Learners. Reilly has 42.1% and 40.7% respectively. So while the raw TEA scores favor Reilly clearly, the two campuses serve meaningfully different student populations. And the median home price in the Brown zone ($425,000) is about $110,000 less than Reilly ($535,000), which puts both schools in the range where central Austin buyers are actively searching.
I work with buyers in this corridor regularly, and the school zone question always comes up. So lets dig into the numbers.
Brown vs Reilly: Quick Comparison
| Brown Elementary | Reilly Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | F (59/100) | B (82/100) |
| Enrollment | 495 students | 349 students |
| Grades | PK through 5 | PK through 5 |
| District | Austin ISD | Austin ISD |
| Median Home Price | $425,000 | $535,000 |
| Feeds Into | Bailey/Dobie/Lamar/Webb MS, Austin/Navarro HS | Lamar/Webb MS, McCallum/Northeast 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 | Brown Elementary | Reilly Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | F (59/100) | B (82/100) |
| Student Achievement | F (43/100) | B (85/100) |
| School Progress | F (57/100) | B (81/100) |
| Academic Growth | F (57/100) | B (81/100) |
| Closing the Gaps | D (67/100) | C (76/100) |
| Enrollment | 495 students (PK through 5) | 349 students (PK through 5) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 97.0% | 42.1% |
| English Learners | 77.4% | 40.7% |
| TEA Distinctions | Not eligible (F-rated) | 6 of 7 earned |
The Student Achievement gap is 42 points (43 vs 85). That is one of the widest elementary school spreads I have seen in Austin ISD between two campuses this close together. Brown’s F across Student Achievement, School Progress, and Academic Growth shows the school is struggling in all three growth and performance metrics. The one positive is the Closing the Gaps score of 67 (D), which is at least above the F threshold and suggests some targeted efforts are reaching specific student groups.
Reilly’s consistent B ratings across the board (81 to 85 range) show a school that is performing well in every dimension. The 6 of 7 distinctions reinforce that the campus is not just hitting the overall marks but excelling in specific subject areas.
For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history and all distinctions, visit the Brown Elementary school page or the Reilly Elementary school page.
Reilly: A Compact Campus With Consistent Results
Reilly is one of Austin ISD’s smaller elementary campuses with just 349 students. It sits in the Wooten neighborhood area near Burnet Road and North Lamar, and it has maintained solid performance for several years. The B rating with 6 of 7 distinctions at a campus with 42% economically disadvantaged and nearly 41% English Learners is a strong result. This is not a school coasting on affluent demographics. It is earning its grade.
The school feeds primarily into Lamar Middle School (which scored a 90 on TEA, an A) and then into McCallum High School. That elementary to middle to high school pathway is one of the stronger ones in Austin ISD, and it gives buyers in the Reilly zone a clear academic trajectory to plan around.
Brown: An F Rated Campus in a Changing Neighborhood
Brown Elementary serves 495 students in the east central Austin area near Airport Boulevard. With 97% economically disadvantaged and 77.4% English Learners, this campus faces some of the most challenging instructional conditions in the district. The F rating reflects those challenges showing up in student outcomes, particularly in the 43 Student Achievement score.
Brown feeds into multiple middle schools including Bailey, Dobie, Lamar, and Webb, depending on the specific address. The high school feeders include Austin High and Navarro Early College. The neighborhoods around Brown have been changing rapidly as east Austin gentrification pushes further along Airport Boulevard, but the school demographics have not shifted to match the rising home prices.
The Neighborhoods
Reilly draws from the Wooten and North Burnet corridor neighborhoods. The median of $535,000 gets you into a mix of 1960s ranch homes (some renovated, some not) and newer infill construction. This part of Austin is close to the Domain and the growing tech employment centers along Burnet Road. The area has a lot of character and walkability that newer suburbs cannot match.
Brown’s zone covers parts of east central Austin near Airport Boulevard and the Mueller development area. The median of $425,000 is more accessible, and the housing stock ranges from older bungalows and duplexes to some newer townhome construction. The area is changing fast, and home prices have been climbing steadily.
Browse all homes zoned to Brown Elementary or homes zoned to Reilly Elementary.
Which School Fits You?
The TEA data makes this comparison fairly one sided from an academic perspective.
You might lean toward Reilly if:
- A B rated campus with consistent performance matters to your decision
- The Lamar Middle School (A rated) to McCallum High School pathway is appealing
- A smaller campus with 349 students fits your preference
- You want the North Burnet corridor lifestyle with Domain proximity
You might lean toward Brown if:
- Your budget works better at the $425,000 median price point
- You want to be in the east Austin corridor near Mueller and Airport Boulevard
- The Austin High School feeder pathway is your preferred option
A 23 point gap is hard to talk around. Reilly is clearly the stronger school right now. But I also know that east Austin’s price appreciation has been among the fastest in the city, and some buyers choose Brown’s zone for the investment potential even if the school data is not where they want it to be. Everyone weighs these factors differently. The important thing is that you know the data before you sign a contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Find Your Home?
Central Austin school zones can be tricky, especially when two nearby schools share some of the same middle school feeders. I have been helping buyers sort through these decisions for 19 years. Lets connect and figure out which zone lines up with your priorities.
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