Ed 
Two A Rated Elementary Schools, Same Williamson County, Very Different Feeder Paths
Cactus Ranch Elementary scored a 97 out of 100 on the 2025 TEA accountability rating (TEA 2025 Accountability). Parkside Elementary scored a 91. Both earned A ratings. Both sit in northwest Williamson County, twenty minutes apart. But one is Round Rock ISD and the other is Leander ISD, and that single distinction shapes everything else about the decision (the middle school, the high school, the property tax rate, even the construction era of the neighborhoods).
Ok so here is the thing buyers ask me first: which school is “better”? That is the wrong question for two A rated campuses. The better question is which district pipeline, which neighborhood profile, and which price point fits how you actually want to live. Parkside feeds Stiles Middle, then Rouse High School. Cactus Ranch feeds Walsh Middle, then Round Rock High School. Those are two completely different secondary experiences, and the homes feeding them are priced very differently in 2026.
The median sold price for the Parkside zone over the last 12 months was $651,400 across 161 closed homes. Cactus Ranch ran $745,000 across 46 closed homes. Lower volume, higher price. That’s a meaningful spread, right, and it inverts what a lot of buyers assume going in.
Parkside vs Cactus Ranch: Quick Comparison
| Parkside Elementary | Cactus Ranch Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | A (91/100) | A (97/100) |
| Enrollment | 804 students | 693 students |
| Grades | KG through 5 | EE through 5 |
| District | Leander ISD | Round Rock ISD |
| Median Sold Price (12 mo) | $651,400 (n=161) | $745,000 (n=46) |
| Feeds Into | Stiles MS, Rouse HS | Walsh MS, Round Rock HS |
TEA School Performance Comparison (2025)
The Texas Education Agency evaluates every public school annually across three accountability domains: Student Achievement, School Progress, and Closing the Gaps. Here is how both campuses performed in the 2025 cycle.
| Performance Metric | Parkside Elementary | Cactus Ranch Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | A (91/100) | A (97/100) |
| Student Achievement | A (92/100) | A (97/100) |
| School Progress | A (93/100) | A (96/100) |
| Closing the Gaps | B (85/100) | A (96/100) |
| Enrollment | 804 students (KG-5) | 693 students (EE-5) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 3.1% | 2.9% |
| English Learners | 19.7% | 16.9% |
The biggest spread is in Closing the Gaps: 96 versus 85, a full letter grade apart. That domain measures how well a school serves every student subgroup it tracks, and Cactus Ranch is doing it at a near-elite level. Parkside’s B in Closing the Gaps is still solid, but it is the one place where the data quietly suggests room to grow. Student Achievement and School Progress are tighter, with Cactus Ranch holding a 3 to 5 point edge.
For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history back to 2019, visit the Parkside Elementary school page or the Cactus Ranch Elementary school page.
Cactus Ranch: A Mature Round Rock ISD Zone With Established Inventory
Cactus Ranch sits in northwest Round Rock, with the bulk of its 693 students coming from Behrens Ranch, Sendero Springs, Walsh Ranch, and Brushy Creek North. These are not brand new master plans. They are settled, lived-in communities where the trees are mature, the HOAs are functional, and the home tours include phrases like “fully updated kitchen” more often than “still under builder warranty.” The $745,000 median reflects that established inventory profile.
The secondary pathway is the part Round Rock ISD parents talk about a lot. Walsh Middle School is one of the better middle school campuses in the district, and Round Rock High School is the flagship, with a comprehensive program covering AP, dual credit, fine arts, and athletics at a scale you only get from a big legacy campus. If you are buying with high school in mind, this pipeline matters.
The other thing worth noting (and I say this as somebody who has driven this corridor on a Tuesday at 4pm more times than I can count) is the commute. SH-45 and US-183 give you reasonable access to the Domain, north Austin tech, and downtown. Not perfect, but reasonable.
Parkside: Newer Construction, Stronger Volume, Lower Median
Parkside is the newer story. The campus has 804 students, the highest enrollment in this comparison, and the homes feeding it are mostly built in the last 10 to 15 years across Parkside on the River, Parkside Mayfield Ranch, and surrounding sections of Leander and northern Georgetown. New construction from Perry Homes, Coventry, Highland Homes. That kind of stuff.
That newer profile is why the median is $651,400 instead of higher. Volume is also dramatically different: 161 closings versus 46 at Cactus Ranch in the same 12 months. If you want options and turnover, the Parkside zone has it.
The feeder runs through Stiles Middle School and into Rouse High School, which is a strong Leander ISD campus but a noticeably different experience from Round Rock High. Smaller, newer, with its own AP and fine arts strengths. Not better or worse. Just different.
The Neighborhoods
Cactus Ranch buyers are usually choosing a specific community first and the school second. Behrens Ranch and Walsh Ranch are the marquee zones, with Sendero Springs and Brushy Creek North offering more accessible entry points. Lot sizes are generous by suburban standards. Trail access via the Brushy Creek Regional Trail is a genuine lifestyle amenity, not just a marketing line.
Parkside buyers are usually choosing the new-build experience. Parkside on the River, with its South San Gabriel River frontage and master-planned trail system, is the dominant draw. The homes are bigger on average (3,000+ sqft is common), the floor plans are newer, and the warranties are still in play on a lot of the inventory.
Browse all homes zoned to Parkside Elementary or homes zoned to Cactus Ranch Elementary.
Which School Fits You?
Both are A rated, both are in strong districts, both sit in northwest Williamson County. The decision is about lifestyle and the secondary pipeline.
You might lean toward Cactus Ranch if:
- The 96 in Closing the Gaps and 97 in Student Achievement matter to you (it’s a meaningfully higher score across every domain)
- You want a settled, lived-in neighborhood profile rather than new construction
- The Walsh Middle to Round Rock High flagship pipeline is the secondary path you want
- You are comfortable with a higher median price ($745K) and lower turnover
You might lean toward Parkside if:
- Newer construction with builder warranties and modern floor plans is the priority
- The $651K median and stronger inventory volume gives you more options to choose from
- The Leander ISD feeder through Stiles and Rouse fits your plan
Honestly, if I’m being direct: the TEA data favors Cactus Ranch by a real margin, especially in Closing the Gaps. But Parkside is no slouch, and the price/volume math at $651K with 161 recent comps versus $745K with 46 makes Parkside the easier zone to actually buy into right now. The decision usually comes down to whether you want established neighborhood character or newer build inventory. Both work, lets just be honest about which one matches the way you want to live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Find Your Home?
Picking between two A rated elementary schools in two strong Williamson County districts is a good problem to have. The right answer comes from matching the neighborhood, the price point, and the secondary feeder to how your household actually wants to live. Lets talk through it.
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