The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in English language arts. The lowest is 54% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on West Cypress Hills El
West Cypress Hills Elementary sits on Cypress Ranch Boulevard in Spicewood, a rural, low-density community west of Austin in the Texas Hill Country, part of Lake Travis ISD. The school serves prekindergarten through fifth grade and draws from a stretch of Hill Country where large parcels, ranches, and newer master-planned neighborhoods are mixing in real time.
The student body is moderately sized for its grade band, skewing heavily white with Hispanic students making up a meaningful secondary share and a smaller Asian population. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school well below most Travis County campuses on that measure. Data on English learner enrollment and special education rates were not available in what was provided.
On Texas's STAAR assessments, the picture is generally solid, particularly when measured against districts across Travis County. The school's overall proficiency index lands in the top quartile relative to the other districts in Travis County, a real strength. Looking at the underlying grade-by-grade results, third-grade reading and math come in at rates that are respectable but not exceptional, with roughly two-thirds of students meeting the proficiency bar. Reading improves meaningfully by fifth grade, where the large majority of students reach proficiency, a positive arc. Math proficiency hovers in the upper-fifties to mid-sixties range across third through fifth grades. Fifth-grade science sits just above half of students reaching proficiency, which is the softer spot in the profile; a parent may want to ask the school how it addresses science readiness as students move toward middle school. The share of students reaching the highest mastery level across all subjects is modest, worth noting for families whose children are working above grade level. Multi-year trend data was available for only a single year, so there is no trajectory to read.
A graduation rate does not apply here; the school ends at fifth grade.
The community around West Cypress Hills is changing quickly. Spicewood is publicly reported as transitioning from a quiet rural pocket into a growth corridor anchored by Thomas Ranch, a large master-planned development that is bringing new housing at scale, including a multifamily phase slated for delivery in the near future. New-construction home prices in the area run at a premium well above both state and national medians, and the school's zip code reflects that: home values are substantially above the Texas statewide benchmark, and estimated monthly ownership costs are high relative to a typical household income. Rents have ticked up modestly year over year. The community is car-dependent with no walkable core, though a planned downtown district is part of the Thomas Ranch vision.
At the district level, Lake Travis ISD has approved bonds to build a second high school, now scheduled to open in 2028 after being pushed back from 2027 due to slower-than-expected enrollment growth. Boundary rezoning tied to that new campus has been delayed to spring 2026, so families enrolling today should expect that attendance zone lines are subject to change before their children reach high school. The district is also working through successive operating budget shortfalls driven by flat state per-student funding and declining property valuations, and has been eliminating vacant positions to close gaps. Publicly reported coverage notes the district carries a projected shortfall into the coming fiscal year. On the tax side, LTISD has compressed its rate to historically low levels and offers a maximum local homestead exemption that few Greater Austin districts provide, a concrete benefit for homeowners.
For a family moving into the Spicewood area, West Cypress Hills is a well-positioned elementary in a district with a strong county-wide standing, set inside a community that is rural today but building toward something denser. The budget pressures at the district level are real and worth monitoring, particularly as they touch staffing over the next several years.
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