Ed Neuhaus 
Maplewood Just Earned Its First A Rating. Wooten Dropped to an F. They Are Four Miles Apart.
Maplewood Elementary scored a 91 out of 100 on the 2025 TEA accountability report, earning an A rating for the first time in its history. Wooten Elementary, located about four miles northwest in the same Austin ISD district, scored a 49. That is an F. And if you are looking at homes in central Austin right now, both of these zones are probably on your radar because the median prices are within $5,000 of each other.
So what is actually going on here? Two elementary schools in the same district, four miles apart, with almost identical home prices but a 42 point TEA gap. The answer, as it usually is in Austin real estate, comes down to the specific neighborhoods and the communities each campus serves. And the data is genuinely worth understanding before you write a check.
I have sold homes in both of these zones. The buyers who end up happiest are the ones who walked in with their eyes open about what each campus offers and what trade offs they were making. Lets look at the numbers.
Maplewood vs Wooten: Quick Comparison
| Maplewood Elementary | Wooten Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | A (91/100) | F (49/100) |
| Enrollment | 403 students | 272 students |
| Grades | PK – 05 | EE – 05 |
| District | Austin ISD | Austin ISD |
| Median Home Price | $394,875 | $400,000 |
| Feeds Into | Kealing / O. Henry / Lamar / Marshall MS → Austin / McCallum HS | Burnet / Lamar MS → McCallum 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 | Maplewood Elementary | Wooten Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | A (91/100) | F (49/100) |
| Student Achievement | A (92/100) | F (50/100) |
| School Progress | A (93/100) | F (52/100) |
| Academic Growth | A (93/100) | F (50/100) |
| Closing the Gaps | B (86/100) | F (43/100) |
| Enrollment | 403 students (PK – 05) | 272 students (EE – 05) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 24.8% | 91.2% |
| English Learners | 7.2% | 71.7% |
| TEA Distinctions | 6 of 7 earned | Not eligible (F-rated) |
The contrast here is stark. Maplewood earned A ratings in three of four domains and a B in Closing the Gaps. Wooten received an F in all four. The student population differences are significant: Maplewood’s economically disadvantaged rate is 24.8% while Wooten’s is 91.2%. English Learner percentages are 7.2% versus 71.7%. These are fundamentally different campuses serving fundamentally different communities, even though they sit just a few miles apart in the same school district.
What makes this comparison more complicated is that Wooten held a B rating as recently as 2022 with an 89 out of 100. That is not ancient history. The campus has experienced a dramatic decline over three years, and understanding whether that trajectory continues or reverses matters a lot if you are buying in the zone. For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, visit the Maplewood school page or the Wooten school page.
Maplewood: Mueller’s Elementary School Just Hit Its Stride
Maplewood’s zone includes Mueller, the master planned community built on the site of Austin’s old airport. Mueller is one of the most walkable, amenity rich neighborhoods in all of Austin. Sunday farmers market, Lake Park, splash pads, restaurants and coffee shops you can actually walk to. It is the kind of place that makes people from other cities say “wait, this exists in Austin?”
The school itself has been on a clear upward trajectory. It went from a B in 2019 to a B plus range through 2022 and 2023, then jumped to an A in 2025 with a 91. That is the kind of trend line that gets a real estate agent excited (well, this real estate agent anyway). The zone also includes established East Austin neighborhoods like Delwood and Dancy, which offer mid century charm and proximity to East Sixth Street’s dining scene.
The feeder pattern offers multiple middle school options including Kealing, which has one of Austin ISD’s most competitive magnet programs. High school options include Austin High and McCallum.
Wooten: Great Neighborhoods, Tough TEA Numbers
Here is where things get genuinely tricky for buyers. The neighborhoods zoned to Wooten Elementary are some of North Austin’s most desirable addresses. Crestview has become one of the most vibrant and engaged communities in the city, with local shops along Burnet Road and a neighborhood identity that people fight to be part of. Allandale North and Wooten Terrace offer classic mid century ranch homes on generous lots with towering live oaks.
The campus scored a 49 in 2025 and the trend has been moving in the wrong direction since 2022. But the feeder pattern still leads to McCallum High School, which is one of the most celebrated campuses in Austin ISD with a nationally recognized Fine Arts Academy. So the elementary rating and the high school destination tell very different stories.
I will say this honestly: some buyers look at the Wooten TEA score and move on. Other buyers look at the Crestview neighborhood and the McCallum feeder and decide the elementary years are worth navigating because the long game is strong. Neither approach is wrong.
The Neighborhoods
The Maplewood zone offers Mueller’s planned community living alongside East Austin’s established residential pockets. Mueller homes tend toward newer construction with modern floor plans. Delwood offers vintage ranch homes that have become hot commodities for buyers who want character and an east side address. Median home prices in the zone sit around $394,875.
The Wooten zone covers Crestview, Wooten Terrace, Allandale North, and Lanier Terrace. These are legacy Austin neighborhoods with 1950s and 1960s homes, mature tree canopies, and the Burnet Road corridor right at your doorstep. Median prices are around $400,000. The location is arguably more central than Maplewood, which matters if your daily life revolves around downtown or the UT campus.
Browse all homes zoned to Maplewood Elementary or homes zoned to Wooten Elementary.
Which School Fits You?
This is one of those comparisons where there is no easy answer, and anyone who tells you otherwise is oversimplifying.
You might lean toward Maplewood if:
- TEA accountability scores are a primary factor in your home search
- Mueller’s walkable, master planned community lifestyle appeals to you
- The upward trend from B to A over recent years gives you confidence in the campus direction
- Access to Kealing’s magnet program at the middle school level is on your radar
You might lean toward Wooten if:
- Crestview’s neighborhood identity and Burnet Road walkability are non negotiable for you
- McCallum High School’s Fine Arts Academy is a long term priority
- You value mid century home character on generous lots with mature trees
The median prices are essentially the same. You are making a neighborhood and school philosophy decision here, not a budget decision. And for what it is worth, I have seen buyers thrive in both zones. The ones who do best are the ones who knew exactly what they were choosing and why.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Find Your Home?
Whether you are drawn to Mueller’s modern walkability or Crestview’s vintage Austin charm, the right call depends on your priorities. I have spent 19 years helping buyers work through exactly this kind of decision, and it is one of my favorite conversations to have because there is no wrong answer, just the right answer for you.
Lets figure it out together. Schedule a consultation with Ed Neuhaus at Neuhaus Realty Group. Be safe, be good, and be nice to people.
