5.9public avg / 10

Best Schools in Buda, Texas

16 schools in the directory · 9 Elementary · 3 Middle · 3 High · 1 Other

Last updated: October 2026

Public: 14

Private: 2

Districts: 3

Comparable public avg (13): 5.9/10

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Buda?

Use this page to compare every school in Buda by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Hays CISD. Included in the current public-school comparison; compare it on the map and table below.

The short answer

The top-rated public schools in Buda are Buda EL (7.8/10), Carpenter Hill EL (7.5/10), and Elm Grove EL (7.5/10), among 13 public schools meeting this comparison's coverage rules. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored.

Schools

14 public · 2 private

Avg Score

5.9

13 public schools · out of 10

Districts

serving the city

Schools

14 public · 2 private

Avg Score

5.9

13 public schools · out of 10

Districts

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds

Buda EL

Rates 7.8/10 despite 41% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.9 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Buda public schools in the current comparison.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024

Eric Dahlstrom Middle

STAAR proficiency rose +8.6 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Buda public schools in the current comparison across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Buda

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using public schools that meet the current coverage rules (Top 10 of 13 rated schools; 16 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Buda EL	7.8 / 10	Elementary	+1.9	84th
2	Carpenter Hill EL	7.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.4	77th
3	Elm Grove EL	7.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.4	77th
4	Tom Green EL	6.8 / 10	Elementary	+1.1	59th
5	R C Barton Middle	6.3 / 10	Middle	+0.3	47th
6	Ralph Pfluger EL	6.1 / 10	Elementary	+0.3	43th
7	Alter Impact Ctr	5.7 / 10	Other	+0.0	34th
8	Sunfield EL	5.7 / 10	Elementary	-0.3	34th
9	Doral Academy of Texas	5.0 / 10	Elementary	-0.8	19th
10	Eric Dahlstrom Middle	5.0 / 10	Middle	-1.2	20th

See every school in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Schools in Buda, Texas

Buda, Texas is home to 16 schools, including 14 public schools and 2 private schools. The city's schools span 9 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools.

The 13 public schools in this comparison average 5.9 out of 10 on the MySchoolScout composite scale. The composite blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-scoring public school in this comparison is Buda EL with a composite score of 7.8/10.

Buda is served by 3 school districts: HAYS CISD, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS UNIVERSITY CHARTER SCHOOL, DORAL ACADEMY OF TEXAS. These districts collectively serve 24,168 students.

Browse the schools below to compare ratings, test scores, enrollment, and other key metrics. Use the filters to focus on specific school levels or types that match your family's needs.

Filter by Level:All Levels (16)Elementary (9)Middle (3)High (3)

Filter by Type:All Types (16)Public (14)Private (2)

Filter by Rating:All Ratings (16)Academics (16)Growth (13)Diversity (13)Resources (13)

Filter by ZIP:78610(16)

Elementary Schools

9 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Buda EL 589 students · Pre-K–5th	589	Pre-K–5th	7.8
2	Elm Grove EL 703 students · Pre-K–5th	703	Pre-K–5th	7.5
3	Carpenter Hill EL 597 students · Pre-K–5th	597	Pre-K–5th	7.5
4	Tom Green EL 594 students · Pre-K–5th	594	Pre-K–5th	6.8
5	Ralph Pfluger EL 751 students · Pre-K–5th	751	Pre-K–5th	6.1
6	Sunfield EL 793 students · Pre-K–5th	793	Pre-K–5th	5.7
7	Doral Academy of Texas 346 students · Pre-K–7th	346	Pre-K–7th	5.0
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Santa Cruz Catholic SchoolPrivate 203 students · Pre-K–8th	203	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
2	Lady Bird Montessori SchoolPrivate 73 students · Pre-K–8th	73	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated

Middle Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	R C Barton Middle 841 students · 6th–8th	841	6th–8th	6.3
2	Eric Dahlstrom Middle 873 students · 6th–8th	873	6th–8th	5.0
3	Olympia Hills 22 students · 3rd–8th	22	3rd–8th	—

High Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Jack C Hays H S 2,191 students · 9th–12th	2,191	9th–12th	4.9
2	Moe and Gene Johnson H S 2,802 students · 9th–12th	2,802	9th–12th	4.9
3	Live Oak Academy 194 students · 9th–12th	194	9th–12th	4.1

Other Schools

1 school

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Alter Impact Ctr 79 students · 4th–12th	79	4th–12th	5.7

Schools in Buda

Buda, Texas · 16 schools

Schools by Level

State: Texas
Elementary: 9
Middle: 3
High: 3
Other: 1

Resources

🔍Google "Buda schools"🏫GreatSchools Buda 📊Niche Buda Rankings 📍Google Maps: Schools 🗺️Texas state profile 🗺️All states

School Districts (3)

HAYS CISD

26 schools · 23,313 students

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS UNIVERSITY CHARTER SCHOOL

18 schools · 509 students

DORAL ACADEMY OF TEXAS

1 school · 346 students

Other Major Cities in Texas

Top metros statewide by school count.

Houston931 schools San Antonio623 schools Dallas488 schools Austin341 schools Fort Worth290 schools

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Buda, Texas

How many schools are in Buda, Texas?

Buda has 16 schools, including 14 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Buda, Texas?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for 13 public schools meeting this comparison's coverage rules in Buda is 5.9 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

What is the top-ranked school in Buda, Texas?

The top-ranked school in Buda on MySchoolScout is Buda EL with a composite score of 7.8/10.

What is the best elementary school in Buda, Texas?

The top-ranked elementary school in Buda on MySchoolScout is Buda EL with a composite score of 7.8/10.

What is the best middle school in Buda, Texas?

The top-ranked middle school in Buda on MySchoolScout is R C Barton Middle with a composite score of 6.3/10.

What is the best high school in Buda, Texas?

The top-ranked high school in Buda on MySchoolScout is Jack C Hays H S with a composite score of 4.9/10.

How many school districts serve Buda, Texas?

Buda is served by 3 school districts: Hays CISD, University of Texas University Charter School, Doral Academy of Texas.

Are there private schools in Buda, Texas?

Yes, Buda has 2 private schools alongside 14 public schools. The top-rated private school is Santa Cruz Catholic School with a score of 7.1/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Buda, Texas?

Among 13 public schools in Buda that meet this comparison's coverage rules and report a student-teacher ratio, the average is 14.7:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Buda, Texas?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education sources. Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.