Kipp Paseo Preparatory School, Austin TX

Original Research by School Decision on Kipp Paseo Preparatory School

KIPP Paseo Preparatory School is a charter school serving grades five through nine in Austin with an enrollment of roughly four hundred students, the vast majority Hispanic and a very substantial majority qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. It is part of KIPP Texas Public Schools, a network that recently announced significant restructuring. In December, the KIPP Texas Board voted to close seven campuses across Austin and San Antonio starting in the 2026-2027 school year due to multi-year enrollment declines. Families at affected schools are guaranteed placement at another KIPP campus, but this consolidation carries real implications for which schools remain available and where children will attend if they enroll now.

The school's state assessment results show weak proficiency across tested domains. In math, measured proficiency for sixth grade and seventh grade is very low—around one in seven students scoring at or above the passing level. English language arts shows more strength, with about four in ten sixth graders and two in ten seventh graders meeting proficiency, and a stronger showing by eighth grade where about four in ten reach proficiency. Science proficiency for eighth grade is also around four in ten, and social studies slightly higher at four in ten. Overall across all tested subjects and grades, the school's proficiency index places it below the midpoint when compared to other districts in Travis County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school and understand the scope of academic support and intervention in place, particularly in math.

The school's peer environment is predominantly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged. The student body is nearly entirely Hispanic, with a small number of students across other racial and ethnic groups. Nearly nine in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves a middle-grades cohort spanning the transition from elementary to high school, an age span during which many students experience shifts in motivation and engagement. KIPP schools are known nationally for college-preparatory culture and extended school days, and the charter model typically emphasizes accountability and continuous improvement, though performance data here shows the school is still in early or strengthening stages.

Austin itself is a rapidly growing city dominated by technology, semiconductors, state government, and the University of Texas. Housing costs are moderately above the state benchmark, and rents reflect upward pressure from the city's popularity and growth. Downtown and established neighborhoods like Hyde Park offer walkable, residential character, while newer mixed-use zones and suburban areas serve different family preferences. The city has a strong civic core anchored by the State Capitol and the Central Library, extensive park and trail systems, and a bus and commuter rail network, though much of the broader metro remains car-oriented.

The immediate context for this school's sustainability is the network-level announcement of closures. Parents considering enrollment should understand that the broader charter network is consolidating in response to enrollment pressures, and confirm directly with KIPP Paseo or the district office which campuses will remain open and where displaced students will be placed. That said, KIPP Texas as a district has posted a meaningful academic gain, moving from a district accountability rating of D in 2023 to B in 2025. For families drawn to the charter model and willing to navigate the present uncertainty, the school represents a entry point into a network that has shown overall improvement, though this particular campus's proficiency data warrants careful conversation with school leadership about instructional priorities and student support.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 24% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 715%

School 15% · District 25% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 47% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 722%

School 22% · District 44% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 842%

School 42% · District 54% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Science

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 40% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 24% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

This schoolKIPP TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 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 5Lower-income41%Higher-income57%16 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income40%Higher-income63%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income24%Higher-income0%24 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income42%Higher-income38%4 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income24%Higher-income57%33 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income15%Higher-income13%2 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income15%Higher-income14%1 pp gap