Serene Hills El, Austin TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Serene Hills El

Serene Hills Elementary is a public school in the north Austin suburb area served by Lake Travis ISD, teaching pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It enrolls a small population of students across seven grade levels, with the bulk concentrated in grades one through five. The student body is predominantly white, with a secondary presence of Asian and Hispanic students; a very small share qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a highly affluent attendance zone.

On the most recent state assessment in reading and language arts, the school's performance varies by grade. Third graders showed proficiency at a moderate rate, while fourth graders were somewhat stronger. Fifth graders were notably higher, with proficiency well above the school's average overall. In mathematics, third grade struggled at the lower end of the school's range, fourth grade improved markedly, and fifth grade posted the school's strongest math result. Science results were available only for fifth grade and fell in the mid-range. Across all subjects and achievement levels, the school's overall proficiency index ranked in the top quartile when compared with other districts in Travis County, a strong position.

Looking at the data more closely, a parent should understand that this school shows a clear upward trajectory as students progress from third to fifth grade in both reading and math, which could reflect either stronger instruction in upper elementary or more selective student composition by grade. The younger grades, particularly third grade math, represent the school's softest academic area and warrant close attention if your child is in or approaching that grade. The school does not report participation rates on the state assessment, so a parent may want to inquire with the school about test participation and whether any students were exempted or absent.

Serene Hills sits in north Austin's rapidly developing areas, where housing values are high and the market remains active despite recent softness in the broader metro. The district itself is navigating significant growth constraints. Slower-than-expected enrollment led the district to delay opening a second high school from 2027 to 2028 and to postpone an additional elementary school and boundary rezoning to spring 2026. Meanwhile, the district faces persistent budget pressure from declining property values and flat state funding, and has been cutting positions. Yet the district's property tax rate has fallen to a historic low due to state-mandated compression, and Lake Travis offers one of the few local property tax relief options available in the greater Austin area. For families in this school's zone, the trajectory matters: new housing development is occurring, but conservation land purchases by Travis County have capped growth projections, meaning the rapid expansion that drove past housing demand may moderate.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 354%

School 54% · District 10% · ▲ 44 pts above district

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

Grade 462%

School 62% · District 62%

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 578%

School 78% · District 65% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 368%

School 68% · District 73% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 464%

School 64% · District 71% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 586%

School 86% · District 77% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Science

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 0% · ▲ 69 pts above district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 51 pts above county median

This schoolLAKE TRAVIS ISD, 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 3Lower-income55%Higher-income70%15 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income40%Higher-income66%26 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income83%Higher-income86%3 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income18%Higher-income58%40 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income20%Higher-income64%44 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income67%Higher-income79%12 pp gap