The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Menchaca El
Menchaca Elementary sits on FM 1626 in Manchaca, a community in the southern reaches of Travis County, and is part of Austin ISD. It serves prekindergarten through fifth grade, making it a full elementary pathway from early childhood through the end of primary school. The enrollment is on the larger side for an elementary campus, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with White students making up a meaningful secondary share and smaller populations of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Close to half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a range of household economic circumstances. Specific data on English learner enrollment and students with IEPs were not reported in what we received.
The academic picture from state STAAR testing is mixed, and a parent should look at it with some care. The overall proficiency index places the school below the midpoint among districts in Travis County, though it is worth noting that this comparison is against districts rather than individual campuses, which can affect how the position reads. Within the school, the tested grades show a split worth understanding. The third-grade math results on the English-language STAAR were meaningfully stronger than the fourth- and fifth-grade results, but the fourth-grade math and reading results came from a much smaller group of students assessed on the Spanish-language STAAR, which reflects a subset of the school's population and should not be read as representing all students at that grade. The Spanish-language results across grades three, four, and five in reading were low, as were fifth-grade science results on the Spanish-language test. The English-language third-grade math result was more moderate. Across all subjects combined, a solid majority of students reached the "approaches" threshold on STAAR, but far fewer reached the "meets grade level" standard, and the share reaching "masters" grade level was quite small. Because only one year of data is available, there is no trend to report.
The presence of both Spanish- and English-language STAAR administrations across grades tells you something about this school's population: a portion of students, concentrated in certain grades, are being instructed and assessed in Spanish, which typically indicates a dual-language or bilingual program pathway. Families considering Menchaca would want to ask the school directly about its bilingual program structure, how students are placed, and what the transition looks like in upper elementary.
The district context matters here. Austin ISD is navigating a period of real institutional change. Voters publicly approved a large bond package intended to fund campus rebuilds and modernizations across the district, and several campuses have already seen completed work, so facility quality is improving district-wide. Separately, voters approved a property tax rate increase to fund staff raises and address a budget gap, which directly affects homeowners near the school. Perhaps most consequential for families: the district publicly announced a school consolidation plan closing ten campuses before the next school year and reassigning a substantial number of students, while also relocating dual-language programs and implementing two dozen state-mandated turnaround plans. Menchaca Elementary is not listed among the schools closing, but the redistribution of dual-language programs and shifting attendance boundaries mean the enrollment composition and program offerings at nearby schools may change. A parent planning around this campus or considering it because of its bilingual program should confirm with Austin ISD that programming, boundaries, and feeder patterns remain stable for the coming year.
On housing, the Manchaca zip code carries home values well above the Texas state median and the national median, and the estimated monthly carrying cost of ownership is substantial. Home values in the area have edged down year over year, though prices remain elevated in absolute terms. Rents in the zip are high relative to income benchmarks, though still meaningfully below the cost of ownership. The locale brief for Manchaca came back without usable detail on walkability, employers, or community character, so we left that section out rather than generalize.
Menchaca Elementary fits a family that wants a large, diverse campus with a bilingual program pathway, situated in a high-cost corner of southern Travis County. The academic results, particularly at the "meets" and "masters" levels, are an area worth exploring with the school, and the district's active consolidation and restructuring process is worth tracking closely before making a housing or enrollment decision.
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