Pickle vs Barrington Elementary: Same Score, Very Different High Schools

Two F Rated Elementaries, Two Miles Apart, in the Same High School Pathway

Pickle Elementary scored a 56 out of 100 on the 2025 TEA report. Barrington Elementary scored a 56. Exactly the same overall number, both rated F, both in Austin ISD, and both located within a couple of miles of each other in northeast Austin. Median home prices are within $6,000 of each other too.

So if the scores are identical and the prices are nearly the same, what is the difference? Less than you might expect on the surface, and that is the interesting part. Both campuses are part of Austin ISD’s Northeast Early College High School family, where students can earn free college credit while finishing their diploma. Where the two zones actually diverge is in the neighborhoods themselves and in the individual domain scores. Lets walk through the real numbers.

Pickle vs Barrington: 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.

The enrollments are virtually identical (406 vs 405) and the student population profiles are strikingly similar. Where they differ is in the domains. Pickle does better in School Progress (60 vs 54), which measures year over year campus improvement. Barrington does significantly better in Closing the Gaps (62 vs 46), which measures how well the school supports its most at risk students. Neither campus earned any TEA distinctions in 2025.

Both campuses were D rated in 2023 (Pickle at 69, Barrington at 68) before sliding to F in 2024 and holding there in 2025. The parallel decline is striking and suggests systemic factors rather than campus specific issues. For full breakdowns visit the Pickle school page or the Barrington school page.

Pickle: St. Johns Character and an Early College Pipeline

Pickle Elementary is named after congressman J.J. “Jake” Pickle and sits in the heart of northeast Austin near the St. John community. The St. Johns neighborhood is the zone’s anchor, with classic Austin bungalows, updated ranch homes, and a street grid that gives the area genuine walkable character.

Pickle is part of Austin ISD’s Northeast Early College High School family. The early college model is one of Austin ISD’s genuine innovations. Students can earn up to 60 college credit hours (sometimes a full associate degree) tuition free while completing their high school diploma. That kind of opportunity changes the math on higher education costs in a meaningful way.

Barrington: Same Early College Pathway, North Lamar Corridor

Barrington’s zone covers Georgian Acres, Dean Terrace, and Mockingbird Hill. These are established north Austin neighborhoods with mid century homes, generous lots, and the settled feel of communities that have been here for decades. The North Lamar Boulevard corridor nearby offers walkable access to independent businesses, restaurants, and the kind of civic energy that defines real Austin.

Barrington sits in the same Northeast Early College High School family as Pickle, so the free college credit pathway applies here too. One thing worth knowing for ambitious families: LASA, the Liberal Arts and Science Academy, is an Austin ISD citywide magnet open by application to any student living inside district boundaries. It is not a zoned feeder for Barrington or any single elementary, but because it draws from every zip code in Austin, a student from either of these zones can apply. Admission is competitive and based on grades, test scores, essays, and an admissions exam.

The Neighborhoods

Both zones sit in northeast Austin with easy access to the North Lamar corridor, Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, and major employment centers. The neighborhoods share a similar mid century character and price range. St. Johns (Pickle zone) has a slightly more walkable, urban feel. Georgian Acres and Dean Terrace (Barrington zone) offer quieter residential streets with larger lot sizes.

Browse all homes zoned to Pickle Elementary or homes zoned to Barrington Elementary.

Which School Fits You?

You might lean toward Pickle if:

• St. Johns neighborhood character and walkability appeal to you
• School Progress trends (D vs F) suggest more campus momentum
• The early college high school pathway and free college credits are a priority

You might lean toward Barrington if:

• Georgian Acres and Dean Terrace’s larger lots and established character fit your lifestyle
• Stronger Closing the Gaps performance (62 vs 46) matters to your evaluation
• You want the same early college pathway with a quieter residential feel

Ok so here is the honest truth. Both campuses are struggling at the elementary level and the scores reflect that. They also share the same Northeast Early College high school pathway, so the long term arc is more alike than the F ratings might suggest. The real decision here comes down to which neighborhood fits your life and which domain trends you weigh more heavily. If you are buying for the long game and thinking about K through 12 outcomes, both zones put an early college pathway within reach in an Austin ISD school zone under $260K.

Ready to Find Your Home?

Northeast Austin under $260K with an early college high school pathway. The elementary data is what it is, but the long game here is genuinely compelling.

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