Ed Neuhaus 
Pickle Scored an F at 56. Reilly Scored a B at 82. They Share the Same North Central Austin Zip Code.
Reilly Elementary earned an 82 out of 100 on the 2025 TEA accountability rating, a solid B. Pickle Elementary, less than a mile east, scored a 56 and received an F. Both are in Austin ISD. Both serve the 78752 and 78757 zip codes. And the 26 point gap between them is one of the starkest in all of north central Austin.
This comparison trips up buyers constantly. You see a house listed in the Crestview or North Loop area, assume it is in a decent school zone, and then discover the street falls in the Pickle zone instead of the Reilly zone. Happens all the time. And the median home price gap ($400,000 for Pickle versus $535,000 for Reilly) tells you that the market has already priced in the school difference.
So lets look at what the data says and talk about how these two zones compare for different types of buyers.
Pickle vs Reilly: Quick Comparison
| Pickle Elementary | Reilly Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | F (56/100) | B (82/100) |
| Enrollment | 406 students | 349 students |
| Grades | EE – 05 | EE – 05 |
| District | Austin ISD | Austin ISD |
| Median Home Price | $400,000 | $535,000 |
| Feeds Into | Burnet / Webb MS, Reagan / LBJ HS | Burnet / Lamar MS, McCallum / Reagan 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 | Pickle Elementary | Reilly Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | F (56/100) | B (82/100) |
| Student Achievement | F (51/100) | B (85/100) |
| School Progress | D (60/100) | B (81/100) |
| Academic Growth | D (60/100) | B (81/100) |
| Closing the Gaps | F (53/100) | B (80/100) |
| Enrollment | 406 students (EE – 05) | 349 students (EE – 05) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 95.3% | 42.1% |
| English Learners | 82.0% | 40.7% |
| TEA Distinctions | Not eligible (F-rated) | 1 of 7 earned |
Reilly outscores Pickle in every domain by 20 or more points. The Closing the Gaps gap is 27 points (80 vs 53), and Student Achievement shows a 34 point difference (85 vs 51). Pickle serves a much higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (95.3% vs 42.1%) and English Learners (82.0% vs 40.7%), which explains much of the performance gap. But the numbers are what they are for buyers making a school zone decision.
For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history and all distinctions, visit the Pickle Elementary school page or the Reilly Elementary school page.
Reilly Elementary: Crestview’s Consistent Performer
Reilly benefits from its location in the heart of some of Austin’s most walkable and in demand neighborhoods. Crestview, Brentwood, and Northfield are all in the zone. The B rating with solid 80s across every domain shows a campus that is performing well and consistently. At 349 students, it is small enough to feel personal but large enough to offer a full range of programming.
Pickle Elementary: Affordable, But Struggling Academically
Pickle serves the neighborhoods east of North Lamar Boulevard in the Rundberg corridor. The $400,000 median represents one of the most affordable entry points in central Austin ISD. But the F rating at 56 with an F in Student Achievement at 51 tells you the campus is facing serious academic challenges. Nearly 95% of students are economically disadvantaged and 82% are English Learners. The school needs more support than it is currently getting.
The Neighborhoods
The Reilly zone covers the established, walkable neighborhoods west of North Lamar. The Pickle zone covers the more affordable, transitioning neighborhoods east of North Lamar. The $135K price gap at the median reflects both the neighborhood differences and the school performance gap. For buyers who can stretch to $535K, the Reilly zone delivers dramatically better school performance. For buyers at $400K, the Pickle zone gets you into Austin ISD in a location that is still close to everything.
Browse all homes zoned to Pickle Elementary or homes zoned to Reilly Elementary.
Which School Fits You?
You might lean toward Reilly if:
- TEA performance is a priority (B vs F, 26 point gap)
- Crestview and Brentwood neighborhood character appeals to you
- Your budget can reach the $535K range
You might lean toward Pickle if:
- Budget is the primary constraint and you need to stay under $400K in central Austin
- You are buying for investment and location rather than school performance
- You plan to use private school or charter options
Reilly is the clear academic choice. But the $135K savings in the Pickle zone is real money, and for some buyers that math is what drives the decision. Just know exactly what you are trading off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Find Your Home?
North central Austin school boundaries can literally change from one block to the next. I have spent 19 years helping buyers find the right zone. Lets talk about what matters most to you.
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