Ed Neuhaus 
St. Elmo Is a C. Wooten Is an F. Wooten Costs $60K More.
St. Elmo Elementary scored a 74 on the 2025 TEA accountability rating and earned a C. Wooten Elementary scored a 49 and earned an F. Both are Austin ISD campuses. Both serve high percentages of economically disadvantaged students and English Learners. And yet the median home price near Wooten ($610,000) is $60,000 higher than St. Elmo ($550,000). That price inversion, where the lower performing school sits in the pricier zone, has become a recurring theme in gentrifying parts of Austin.
Wooten’s 49 is the lowest TEA score in this entire batch of 25 comparisons. An F across Student Achievement (50), School Progress (52), Academic Growth (50), and Closing the Gaps (43) means the school is struggling in every measurable dimension. St. Elmo’s C at 74 is not great either, but it is 25 points higher. For buyers who care about school performance at all, that gap should factor into the decision.
St. Elmo vs Wooten: Quick Comparison
| St. Elmo Elementary | Wooten Elementary | |
|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | C (74/100) | F (49/100) |
| Enrollment | 305 students | 272 students |
| Grades | PK through 5 | EE through 5 |
| District | Austin ISD | Austin ISD |
| Median Home Price | $550,000 | $610,000 |
| Feeds Into | Bedichek MS, Austin/Crockett/Travis HS | Burnet MS, McCallum/Navarro/Northeast 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 | St. Elmo Elementary | Wooten Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | C (74/100) | F (49/100) |
| Student Achievement | F (57/100) | F (50/100) |
| School Progress | C (75/100) | F (52/100) |
| Academic Growth | C (75/100) | F (50/100) |
| Closing the Gaps | C (72/100) | F (43/100) |
| Enrollment | 305 students (PK through 5) | 272 students (EE through 5) |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 80.7% | 91.2% |
| English Learners | 64.3% | 71.7% |
| TEA Distinctions | 6 of 7 earned | Not eligible (F-rated) |
The Closing the Gaps spread is 29 points (72 vs 43). Wooten’s 43 in that domain is one of the lowest scores in the entire district and signals real challenges serving vulnerable student groups. St. Elmo’s C ratings in School Progress and Academic Growth (both 75) show a school that is growing, while Wooten’s F ratings in both (52 and 50) show a school that is stagnant. St. Elmo earned 6 of 7 distinctions despite its C overall, which is genuinely impressive for a campus with 80.7% economically disadvantaged students. Wooten, as an F rated campus, is not eligible.
For the full TEA breakdown on each campus, including rating history and all distinctions, visit the St. Elmo Elementary school page or the Wooten Elementary school page.
St. Elmo: A Small South Austin Campus Making Progress
St. Elmo serves just 305 students in the St. Elmo and South Congress area of south Austin. The campus feeds into Bedichek Middle School and then has multiple high school options including Austin, Crockett, and Travis. The C rating is not flashy, but the 6 of 7 distinctions and the C ratings in growth domains show a school that is actively improving its outcomes. For a campus serving 80.7% economically disadvantaged students, that is meaningful progress.
The St. Elmo area has been transforming with new mixed use development, and the neighborhoods around the school range from older homes on larger lots to newer townhome projects near South Congress and Ben White Boulevard.
Wooten: The Lowest Score in This Batch
Wooten Elementary has 272 students and sits in the Wooten neighborhood of north central Austin. A 49 overall with F ratings in all four TEA domains is the most challenging profile in this batch. With 91.2% economically disadvantaged and 71.7% English Learners, the school faces enormous instructional challenges. The 43 in Closing the Gaps is particularly concerning because it means the school is not effectively serving the student groups that need the most support.
Wooten feeds into Burnet Middle School and then McCallum, Navarro, or Northeast Early College High School. The Wooten neighborhood itself has been a gentrification hotspot, with home prices climbing rapidly as new builds and renovations transform the area.
The Neighborhoods
St. Elmo draws from the south Austin neighborhoods near South Congress, Ben White Boulevard, and the St. Elmo Road corridor. The $550,000 median reflects a mix of older homes, newer townhome developments, and proximity to the restaurants and shops along South Congress. The area is changing quickly with new mixed use projects.
Wooten’s zone is in the north central Austin area near Lamar and Anderson Lane. The $610,000 median reflects the gentrification premium in a neighborhood that has become increasingly popular with young professionals and buyers drawn to the proximity to the Domain and North Burnet corridor. Older ranch homes are being renovated or replaced with modern builds, which drives the median up.
Browse all homes zoned to St. Elmo Elementary or homes zoned to Wooten Elementary.
Which School Fits You?
You might lean toward St. Elmo if:
- A C rated campus with 6 of 7 distinctions is a better foundation than an F
- The School Progress and Academic Growth scores of 75 show measurable improvement
- South Austin and the South Congress corridor match your lifestyle
- You want to save $60,000 on the median home price
You might lean toward Wooten if:
- The Wooten neighborhood location near the Domain is your top priority
- You are focused on the McCallum High School pathway
I will be blunt here. Wooten is an F rated school with the lowest TEA score in this entire series, and it costs $60,000 more than St. Elmo which is 25 points higher. If school data is a factor in your decision at all, St. Elmo is the clear choice. The Wooten neighborhood is popular for good reasons (location, vibe, walkability), but the school performance should be part of the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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