The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in Social studies. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Austwell-tivoli El
Austwell-Tivoli Elementary is a small rural school serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in Tivoli, a modest unincorporated community in northeastern Refugio County. The school draws from a population with median household incomes close to the national average and a housing market where home values reflect rural Texas conditions. About half the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is split fairly evenly between Hispanic and white students, with a small African American enrollment.
The school's recent test results reveal a mixed academic picture. In reading, students show solid ground across the grade levels tested. In math, third and fourth graders are working below grade level, but fifth graders jump to strong proficiency. Science proficiency in fifth grade was zero, which is a serious gap worth exploring directly with the school. Fifth-grade social studies performance was solid when tested in earlier years, but recent state test data for that subject is sparse. Overall, across all tested content, about half of students met or mastered grade-level standards, with the larger share approaching standards. These numbers should be understood in the context of a very small testing cohort—the school tests between about ten and a dozen students per grade per year—so individual student outcomes carry more weight than they would in a larger school.
The district is investing in career and technical education, having received a grant to launch a phlebotomy certification program. For a district this size, that signals a real commitment to creating pathways that let students leave high school with industry credentials and direct entry to jobs. Agriculture and medical courses are already in the catalog. This matters for families thinking about their child's trajectory after middle school, particularly if they lean toward workforce-based futures rather than four-year universities.
The school is small. Enrollment sits around seventy students across eight grades, which means your child will know nearly every other student in the building. Class sizes are tiny, and staff can know individual learners deeply. That environment suits some families and not others. The town itself is rural, aging, and economically steady but not growing. The housing market values are modest relative to state benchmarks, and population has been flat to slightly declining over the past few years.
A parent considering this school should ask the staff directly about what is driving the science performance gap and what supports are in place for students who are below grade level in early math. The overall testing footprint is limited because the school does not serve tested grades above fifth, so the data window into academic outcomes is narrow. Enrollment, staffing, and program particulars beyond the CTE expansion are not detailed in available public records, so those are worth confirming in a visit. For families rooted in or committed to the Tivoli area, this is the local elementary option; for those with mobility, it is worth weighing against alternative schools in the broader region.
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