Ed 
Under $300K in Austin ISD? These Two School Zones Make It Possible.
Langford Elementary earned a C from the Texas Education Agency in 2025, a meaningful jump from the prior year F (Texas Tribune Schools Explorer). Widen Elementary received an F (Texas Tribune Schools Explorer). Both are Austin ISD elementary schools in southeast Austin where entry-level homes under $300,000 still trade in the 78744 ZIP code (Austin ISD home search). One important note up front: Austin ISD has voted to close Widen at the end of the 2025-26 school year, with Widen students reassigned to Rodriguez and Houston Elementary (AISD Consolidation Plan). That changes the calculus for any buyer who is choosing a home for the school.
Langford’s attendance zone covers the Dove Springs area of southeast Austin, where affordable single family homes and townhomes make up the bulk of the inventory. Widen’s zone sits just to the east along Nuckols Crossing. For first time buyers, relocating buyers on a budget, or investors looking at the most affordable end of Austin ISD, this comparison is worth your time.
Langford vs Widen Elementary: Quick Comparison
| Langford Elementary | Widen Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 TEA Rating | C | F |
| Enrollment | 319 students | 339 students |
| Grades | PK – 05 | PK – 05 |
| District | Austin ISD | Austin ISD (closing 2026) |
| Middle School Feeder | Mendez Middle School | Bedichek Middle School |
| High School Feeder | Akins High School | Akins High School |
Enrollment and demographic figures sourced from Texas Tribune Schools Explorer. Feeder pattern from the 2024-25 AISD District Feeder Patterns chart.
TEA School Performance Comparison (2025)
The Texas Education Agency evaluates every public school annually across three performance domains: Student Achievement, School Progress, and Closing the Gaps. Here is how both campuses performed in 2025.
| Performance Metric | Langford Elementary | Widen Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | C | F |
| Student Achievement | F | F |
| School Progress | C | F |
| Closing the Gaps | C | D |
| Enrollment | 319 students (PK – 05) | 339 students (PK – 05) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 97.8% | 91.5% |
Domain grades from Texas Tribune Schools Explorer (Langford) and Texas Tribune Schools Explorer (Widen).
Langford outperforms Widen in School Progress and Closing the Gaps, while both campuses share an F in Student Achievement. The story behind those numbers is meaningful. Langford serves a student body that is nearly 98% economically disadvantaged and pulled itself from an F in 2024 to a C in 2025, which is genuine year-over-year movement in a community where that is hard to do. Widen has received an F for three consecutive years, which is why the school is on the closure list.
For more school detail, visit the Langford school page or the Widen school page.
Langford Elementary: Climbing Back from F
Langford’s zone is in the Dove Springs area of southeast Austin, a community known for affordability and tight knit neighborhood culture. The school serves a population that is nearly 98% economically disadvantaged, and the move from F to C in a single year is a real accomplishment. The campus is currently operating from portable buildings at the Palm Elementary site at 7601 Dixie Dr while the original Langford campus is being fully modernized under the 2022 bond. The new campus is scheduled to reopen in spring 2027 (AISD Bond Project page). Buyers considering Langford should factor that physical relocation into their plans.
Widen Elementary: Closing in 2026
Widen Elementary is scheduled to close at the end of the 2025-26 school year, with students reassigned to Rodriguez Elementary and Houston Elementary (AISD Consolidation Plan). The school has earned an F from the TEA for three consecutive years, which triggered the closure decision. For homebuyers in the Widen attendance zone, this is the most important fact in the comparison. The school you are buying near today will not be your child’s school starting in 2026-27.
The Neighborhoods
Both zones cover the 78744 ZIP code in southeast Austin where small single family homes, townhomes, and older apartments make up the housing stock. This part of Austin does not look like the postcard version of the city, but it is one of the few corners of the Austin city limits where homes under $300,000 still close regularly. In the trailing twelve months ending May 2026, 78744 recorded 91 sales between $100,000 and $320,000 with a median close of $280,000 (source: ACTRIS MLS via Neuhaus Realty Group internal data). The ZIP-wide median across all price points was higher at $375,000, so the sub-$300K opportunity is real but it is the lower slice of the market.
Browse all homes zoned to Langford or homes zoned to Widen.
Which School Fits You?
You might lean toward Langford if:
- School quality matters and you want a campus that is trending in the right direction
- You are comfortable with the temporary Palm campus location through spring 2027
- You want the Mendez Middle to Akins High feeder pattern
You might lean toward Widen if:
- The absolute lowest price point in 78744 is your target
- You are buying for investment purposes and the 2026 school closure is not a factor in your decision
- You plan to evaluate Rodriguez Elementary as the reassigned campus starting 2026-27
For any owner-occupant buyer with school-age children, Langford is the clear choice in this comparison. Widen is closing. If schools matter at all in your decision, that single fact decides it. The Widen zone may still make sense for investors or for buyers without children who simply want the lowest entry point inside Austin city limits, but the school comparison is no longer the right frame for that zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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