The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Math. The lowest is 24% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cottonwood Creek El
Cottonwood Creek Elementary is a school within Hutto ISD, a district experiencing rapid growth in Williamson County. The school serves pre-K through fifth grade and draws from a diverse population that spans socioeconomic, racial, and linguistic backgrounds. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is substantial for an elementary school serving these grades.
The community Cottonwood Creek sits within is transforming quickly. Hutto itself has grown into one of the fastest-expanding suburbs in the nation, driven by semiconductor and data center development along a corridor anchored by Samsung's Taylor facility, coupled with housing demand from people seeking lower costs than Austin while staying within commuting distance. The district is responding to this growth with a major capital program approved in 2023, which includes two new elementary schools, a second comprehensive high school being built from the former ninth-grade center, and expanded facilities across existing campuses. Hutto ISD enrollment is projected to nearly double by the early 2030s, so families should understand they are choosing a school and district in active expansion mode.
Recent state testing data shows Cottonwood Creek's proficiency rates running below the midpoint among other Williamson County districts. In math, grade-level results across third, fourth, and fifth grades cluster in a range where roughly a third to less than half of students score at the proficient level or above. English language arts shows similar patterns, with about a third of fourth-grade students meeting proficiency and notably lower performance in fifth-grade ELA. A small number of fifth graders took an ELA assessment in Spanish, with limited proficiency. Science testing in fifth grade shows about one-quarter of students meeting or exceeding the standard. Across all subjects, the school's overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint of the county's district averages.
Across all tested grades and subjects, roughly two-thirds of students are at the "approaches" level or higher, meaning they are not far from proficiency, while roughly one in seven students scores at the "masters" level. Math performance falls somewhat higher on the approaches scale than reading, and social studies proficiency is comparatively lower. The school does test in both English and Spanish, reflecting the population it serves.
A parent considering Cottonwood Creek should understand that this is a school whose academic performance is below the county average, and test results suggest students here face meaningful proficiency gaps, particularly in reading and science. Data showing what instructional practices, support structures, or demographic shifts may be affecting these results was not available, so a parent may want to look into this further directly with the school and district. The school is brand-new in a newly developing part of town and sits within a district that is actively expanding. That expansion, combined with Hutto's dramatic population growth, shapes the environment: students are arriving from families relocating to the area, neighborhoods are still being built out, and the district itself is adding significant new capacity. For families drawn to Hutto for its affordability, growth potential, and position as an Austin suburb, Cottonwood Creek offers access to a neighborhood school in an area of new construction, but prospective families should be prepared for the academic performance they will encounter here relative to other district options in the county.
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