Campbell vs Oak Springs Elementary: D vs F in East Austin

Campbell Is a D at 69. Oak Springs Is an F at 58. For East Austin Buyers, These Are the Realistic Options.

Oak Springs Elementary scored a 58 out of 100 on the 2025 TEA accountability rating. That is an F. Campbell Elementary, about a mile north in the same Austin ISD, scored a 69 and earned a D. Neither number is going to excite anyone, but for buyers looking at East Austin under $625K, these are two of the school zones you will encounter. And I would rather you know exactly what you are walking into than find out after closing.

East Austin has changed dramatically over the past decade. The homes are better, the restaurants are incredible, and the investment potential is real. But the elementary school performance in this corridor has not kept pace with the neighborhood transformation. That is the honest reality, and pretending otherwise does not help anyone make a good decision.

So lets look at the numbers, talk about what each campus is working with, and figure out what makes sense for different types of buyers in this market.

Campbell vs Oak Springs: 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.

Campbell outscores Oak Springs across every domain by a meaningful margin. The widest gap is in Student Achievement, where Campbell scored a 62 compared to Oak Springs at 45. That 17 point difference in raw achievement is significant. Both schools are very small (180 and 215 students respectively), which means individual student performance swings can have an outsized impact on campus wide scores. But the pattern is consistent across all domains.

Oak Springs serves a campus where 96.7% of students are economically disadvantaged. That is one of the highest rates in Austin ISD. Campbell is also high at 73.9%, but the gap between them likely plays into the performance difference. Neither school earned TEA distinctions.

For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history and all distinctions, visit the Campbell Elementary school page or the Oak Springs Elementary school page.

Campbell Elementary: Small Campus in a Changing Corridor

Campbell is one of the smallest campuses in Austin ISD at 180 students. The school sits in the East Austin corridor that has been ground zero for Austin’s gentrification conversation over the past 15 years. The neighborhood mix is shifting, new construction sits next to older homes, and the student population reflects that transition. A D rating at 69 is not great, but for a campus this small serving a high need population, the scores tell you the school is functioning and making some progress.

The median home price in the Campbell zone is around $525,000, which puts you in the heart of East Austin with quick access to downtown, the East Side entertainment district, and I-35.

Oak Springs Elementary: The Toughest Numbers in This Comparison

Oak Springs is in a tough spot. An F rating with a 45 in Student Achievement means the campus is struggling to get students to grade level proficiency. The 96.7% economically disadvantaged rate speaks to the challenges the school faces. But Oak Springs is also in one of East Austin’s most rapidly appreciating corridors, which is why the median home price ($625,000) is actually $100K higher than the Campbell zone.

Buyers purchasing in the Oak Springs zone are typically buying for location and investment upside, not for the elementary school. That is a legitimate strategy in a market like Austin where real estate appreciation has historically rewarded East Side buyers. But you should go in knowing that the school performance is at the bottom of the district.

The Neighborhoods

Both zones are in East Austin, both are close to downtown, and both have seen significant real estate appreciation. The Campbell zone sits slightly north and tends to be more affordable at $525K median. The Oak Springs zone sits closer to the East Riverside and Holly corridors, commanding a $625K median that reflects its proximity to downtown and the lake.

Browse all homes zoned to Campbell Elementary or homes zoned to Oak Springs Elementary.

Which School Fits You?

You might lean toward Campbell if:

• You want the higher TEA score between the two East Austin options
• A lower entry point ($525K vs $625K) matters
• A very small campus environment (180 students) appeals to you

You might lean toward Oak Springs if:

• Proximity to downtown and the lake is your top priority
• You are buying primarily as an investment and are less focused on school scores
• You plan to use private school or charter options for K through 5

If school performance is in your top three priorities, Campbell is the clear pick between these two. A D is better than an F, and you save $100K at the median. But East Austin real estate decisions are rarely just about the school. The location premium in the Oak Springs zone exists for a reason, and some buyers are willing to pay it.

Ready to Find Your Home?

East Austin school zones present unique tradeoffs between location, investment potential, and school performance. I have been navigating this market for 19 years and can help you think through all the variables. Lets connect and figure out what works for you.

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