Live Oak vs Pond Springs Elementary: A Breakout Year vs Steady B

Live Oak Just Jumped From a C to an A. Pond Springs Has Held a B for Six Years.

Live Oak Elementary scored a 90 out of 100 on the 2025 TEA report, earning an A rating after three consecutive years at C. That is one of the most dramatic single year improvements you will find anywhere in Round Rock ISD. Pond Springs Elementary, just over half a mile away in the same district, came in at its usual B with an 83. Steady as always.

Both campuses sit in northwest Austin along the Parmer Lane corridor. Both are in Round Rock ISD. The median home prices are close, with Live Oak around $475,000 and Pond Springs around $494,000. But the TEA stories could not be more different: one campus just had a breakout year, the other has been the model of consistency.

So which one do you trust more, the campus that just earned an A or the campus that has been a B since before the pandemic? That is the real question here, and it is more interesting than it sounds. Lets look at the data.

Live Oak vs Pond 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.

Student Achievement is identical at 83 for both schools. The difference shows up in School Progress, Academic Growth, and especially Closing the Gaps. Live Oak earned an A (91) in Closing the Gaps while Pond Springs landed at a C (75). That 16 point gap in the domain measuring how well a school serves its most at risk students is significant, and it is the main reason Live Oak’s overall score is seven points higher.

Live Oak also earned 3 of 7 TEA distinctions this cycle while Pond Springs earned none. But Pond Springs has been a rock solid B every single year since 2019 (82, 89, 89, 85, 83). Live Oak went C, B, C, C, then jumped to A. That inconsistency is something to consider. For full TEA breakdowns visit the Live Oak school page or the Pond Springs school page.

Live Oak: A Breakout Year and Smaller Class Sizes

With 391 students, Live Oak is one of the smaller elementary campuses in Round Rock ISD. That smaller enrollment often translates to a campus where teachers know every student and the community feels tighter. The zone draws from neighborhoods like Springwoods, Turtle Rock Estates, and portions of Milwood, offering a mix of established single family homes and condo communities.

The 2025 jump from C to A is dramatic. Whether it holds remains to be seen (and I am watching carefully), but the Closing the Gaps performance at 91 suggests the campus made meaningful structural improvements, not just lucky test results. The feeder pattern leads to Deerpark Middle School and then McNeil or Round Rock High School.

Pond Springs: The Definition of Reliable

There is something genuinely comforting about a campus that has held a B rating for six consecutive years across wildly different circumstances including a pandemic. Pond Springs just keeps performing. The zone is anchored by Milwood, which is one of the most beloved established neighborhoods in all of northwest Austin. Tree lined streets, brick homes from the late 80s and 90s, and a community that genuinely feels settled.

Barrington Oaks and Los Indios add additional housing options within the zone. The feeder pattern can lead to Canyon Vista or Deerpark Middle School, then to McNeil or Cedar Ridge High School. Median home prices sit around $494,000.

The Neighborhoods

Both zones share portions of the Milwood community, which means some addresses along the boundary could go either way. The neighborhoods are quintessential northwest Austin: established, tree covered, and within easy reach of the Parmer Lane employment corridor, the Domain, and everyday amenities.

Live Oak’s zone extends further into the condo and townhome communities along Parmer Lane, including Amber Oaks Condos and San Felipe Townhomes. Pond Springs’ zone leans more into established single family neighborhoods like Barrington Oaks.

Browse all homes zoned to Live Oak Elementary or homes zoned to Pond Springs Elementary.

Which School Fits You?

You might lean toward Live Oak if:

• You are encouraged by the A rating and want to bet on continued improvement
• Smaller campus size with 391 students appeals to you
• Strong Closing the Gaps performance (91/100) signals a campus serving all students well
• Condo or townhome options within the zone fit your housing needs

You might lean toward Pond Springs if:

• Consistency matters more to you than a single breakout year
• You want Milwood’s core established neighborhoods and Barrington Oaks
• The Canyon Vista middle school feeder is a draw

I lean slightly toward treating Pond Springs as the safer bet and Live Oak as the higher upside play. But honestly, both are in Round Rock ISD, both sit in great neighborhoods, and both deliver solid elementary education. You are splitting hairs in the best possible way.

Ready to Find Your Home?

Two Round Rock ISD campuses, half a mile apart, both in northwest Austin’s most established neighborhoods. The nuances between them are real but subtle. Lets talk through which zone fits your priorities.

Schedule a consultation with Ed Neuhaus at Neuhaus Realty Group. Be safe, be good, and be nice to people.