Sycamore Springs El, Austin TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Sycamore Springs El

Sycamore Springs Elementary is a public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in south Austin, part of Dripping Springs Independent School District. The school sits in a prosperous, growing suburban area where housing values are high and the median household income significantly exceeds the national average. The neighborhood is built for families with school-age children and is experiencing continued residential development.

The school's enrollment is diverse by race and ethnicity, with a White plurality, a substantial Hispanic population, and smaller numbers of Asian, multiracial, and other students. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility is very low, reflecting the affluence of the surrounding community. The enrollment holds steady across the elementary grades, with no significant enrollment boom or decline at the present moment.

In English language arts, performance is a strength. Fourth and fifth graders show proficiency at rates well above the midpoint among Hays County districts. Third graders also achieve proficiency at a solid rate. The school's ELA program appears especially strong in the upper elementary grades. Reading and writing foundations are clearly a priority here.

Mathematics shows more uneven results. Third and fourth grade math proficiency sits in the mid-to-upper range for the county, but fifth grade drops noticeably, falling to below the county median. This suggests the school may want to examine the transition to upper elementary math or the specific content students encounter in that grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade is notably weak, well below county norms, which may be worth a closer look with the school's instructional staff.

Across all subjects, about a modest share of students reach the highest proficiency level (master), while a larger share reaches the "meets" threshold. About nine in ten students meet or exceed the lowest proficiency standard ("approaches"), indicating broad baseline competency but concentration of strong performance among fewer students.

The school offers the standard public elementary curriculum without magnet or special program designation. Staffing data and specific enrichment offerings were not available. Special education enrollment counts and English learner enrollment counts are also not reported in the available data, limiting a fuller picture of how the school serves students with different needs.

The housing market in the school's area is appreciating steadily, with home values in the upper range for central Texas. Rental costs are similarly high. The area draws families with financial means to invest in both housing and private school alternatives, yet Sycamore Springs remains well-supported and positioned within a district that serves an affluent suburban base.

Among Hays County districts, Sycamore Springs ranks in the top quartile on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. That standing reflects stronger-than-median performance overall, though the dip in fifth grade math and science suggests the school has room to strengthen outcomes as students progress into later elementary years. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school directly about math intervention and science instruction in the upper grades, particularly if their child has struggled with these subjects before.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 363%

School 63% · district not reported

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 465%

School 65% · district not reported

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 554%

School 54% · District 65% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 367%

School 67% · District 71% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 78% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Grade 581%

School 81% · district not reported

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Science

Grade 537%

School 37% · district not reported

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

This schoolDRIPPING SPRINGS ISD, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income40%Higher-income68%28 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income40%Higher-income83%43 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income40%Higher-income64%24 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income40%Higher-income54%14 pp gap