Menchaca vs Williams Elementary: D vs C in South Austin

Both Schools Scored a D and a C. The Real Difference Is What Changed in the Last Three Years.

Menchaca Elementary scored a 69 out of 100 on the 2025 TEA accountability rating, earning a D. Williams Elementary scored a 77, good for a C. Both are in Austin ISD, both serve south Austin, and neither one is going to make any “best schools” lists right now. But the trend lines tell a more interesting story than the snapshot.

Menchaca has been sliding. The campus was a B in 2022 with an 89, dropped to a C in 2023, then a D in 2024 and again in 2025. Williams went the other direction in past years but settled at a C with 77 in 2025. If you are shopping south Austin and the budget is in the $430K to $460K range, these are two schools you will encounter. And I want you to understand what you are looking at beyond just the letter grade.

I have been selling homes in south Austin for over 19 years now, and one thing I have learned is that school performance is rarely static. Campuses go through cycles. The question for buyers is whether you are buying at the bottom of a cycle or the beginning of a longer decline. Lets look at the data.

Menchaca vs Williams: 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.

Williams outscores Menchaca across every domain, and the gap is widest in Closing the Gaps where Menchaca earned an F at 55 compared to Williams at 73 (a C). Neither school earned any TEA distinctions in 2025. But Williams at least posted consistent C scores across the board, which suggests a campus that is meeting baseline expectations. Menchaca’s D and F scores suggest deeper struggles.

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

Menchaca Elementary: A Campus That Needs a Turnaround

Menchaca’s trajectory is the concern here. Going from an 89 (B) in 2022 to a 69 (D) in 2025 is a steep decline over three years. The campus serves about 700 students in far south Austin with 44.5% economically disadvantaged and 26.5% English Learners. Those are meaningful challenges, but other Austin ISD campuses with similar populations perform better. The F in Closing the Gaps (55) is particularly concerning because it signals that the students who need the most support are not getting it.

The neighborhoods around Menchaca include affordable options in south Austin along the Manchaca Road corridor. This is a part of the city that has been quietly growing as prices in central Austin push buyers further south. The homes are modest but well built, and the location gives you access to downtown and the tech corridors along MoPac without a terrible commute.

Williams Elementary: Holding Steady at a C

Williams is not going to blow anyone away with its TEA scores, but a C with a 77 represents a campus that is functioning at a reasonable baseline. The consistency across domains (all Cs in the mid 70s) suggests a school that is not great at any one thing but is not failing at anything either. For a buyer on a budget in south Austin, that stability has value.

The Williams zone sits slightly further west than Menchaca, picking up neighborhoods closer to the Slaughter Lane and Brodie Lane corridors. The median home price is about $460K, roughly $27K more than the Menchaca zone. That is not a huge premium for an 8 point TEA score improvement.

The Neighborhoods

South Austin below the Slaughter Lane line is a market I know well. The Menchaca zone tends to run along the Manchaca Road corridor with older, more affordable homes. The Williams zone extends west toward Shady Hollow and the Brodie Lane retail corridor. Both zones have solid access to I-35 and MoPac.

The price difference is about $27,000 at the median. For some buyers that gap matters. For others it is a rounding error in a 30 year mortgage. Either way, you are buying in one of the more affordable corners of Austin ISD.

Browse all homes zoned to Menchaca Elementary or homes zoned to Williams Elementary.

Which School Fits You?

Neither school is going to win awards right now, but one is clearly in a better spot than the other.

You might lean toward Williams if:

• You want the higher TEA score between the two (C vs D)
• Consistent performance across all domains matters to you
• The Brodie Lane and Slaughter Lane corridor appeals to your lifestyle

You might lean toward Menchaca if:

• You need the lowest possible entry point in south Austin ISD
• You believe the campus will rebound from its current D rating
• The Manchaca Road location works better for your commute

Honestly, Williams is the better academic pick right now. An 8 point TEA advantage with more consistent domain scores for about $27K more at the median. That is a reasonable tradeoff for most buyers. But I would keep an eye on both campuses going into the next cycle, because south Austin schools have a history of bouncing back when the district invests in them.

Ready to Find Your Home?

South Austin school zones can be tricky to navigate, and a few blocks can change your feeder pattern entirely. I have been helping people find the right home in this market for over 19 years. Lets set up a time to walk through your options and find the zone that works for you.

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