The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hornsby-dunlap El
Hornsby-Dunlap Elementary is a small elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in southeast Austin, part of Del Valle ISD. The school enrolls a diverse student body in a neighborhood experiencing rapid growth and substantial economic change.
The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This composition reflects the wider economic profile of the area: median home values in the school's zip code sit below state benchmarks, and rental costs remain modest compared to many Austin neighborhoods. The school serves families navigating significant affordability pressures in an expensive housing market, and a large share of students are bilingual learners.
Del Valle ISD has made the two-way dual language program available at all nine of its elementary schools beginning in pre-K, a district-wide pedagogy offering that allows Spanish-speaking and English-speaking students to learn together. This distinguishes the district from many peers that reserve dual language only for select campuses. Additionally, the district and city secured federal funding to expand free, full-day dual-language pre-K to all interested four-year-olds living in the district, eliminating tuition barriers for early bilingual education in an area identified as a child care desert.
On state assessments, Hornsby-Dunlap's performance reflects a school with significant academic gaps. Among the grades tested, fourth grade in English language arts showed the strongest proficiency rate at around forty percent. Mathematics proficiency in fourth grade ran similarly at roughly one-third of students. Third-grade performance in both subjects was lower. Fifth-grade results in both English language arts and mathematics fell below third and fourth grade. Across all tested subjects and grades, about one in seven students reached the highest performance level. These numbers place the school above the midpoint among Travis County districts in overall proficiency, though the absolute proficiency levels remain modest.
The school's assessment results reflect a particular pattern: small cohorts of Spanish-language test-takers in some grades have insufficient numbers for reportable results, while larger English-language groups reveal the proficiency picture. This testing pattern mirrors the school's bilingual composition and the complexity of measuring proficiency across languages. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how English language proficiency is measured and supported at each grade level, given the bilingual population and the wide range of learner stages.
The district is experiencing rapid enrollment growth of roughly one school-site-sized cohort per year, and the broader Austin metro is adding housing units at one of the highest rates in the country. This growth context shapes school capacity and staffing. Del Valle ISD voters approved a significant bond to build a second comprehensive high school, though its opening has been delayed to fall 2028. For families with young children at Hornsby-Dunlap, the district is also expanding career and college pathways, including a new Early College High School and P-TECH Center that began operations in 2024.
A parent considering Hornsby-Dunlap should expect a school serving a multilingual, economically diverse student body in a fast-growing area, with a district-wide commitment to bilingual education from pre-K onward. The school's proximity to major employment hubs and its access to early dual-language learning are its distinctive strengths. The reading of state assessment results should be weighed alongside conversations with school staff about English language supports, the pace of student progress, and how the school scaffolds instruction for learners across the proficiency spectrum.
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