Bear Creek Elementary (Austin ISD): Circle C South 78739
Bear Creek Elementary is a public PK-5 school in the Circle C South area of 78739, along the Escarpment Boulevard corridor, part of Austin ISD, and it's one of the top-rated elementary schools in the district. It grades A overall, with reading and math proficiency well above the Austin ISD average, and it sits on the Bear Creek to Gorzycki Middle to Bowie High path, strong at every step. Here's the picture: the ratings, the numbers, the path it feeds, and what being zoned to Bear Creek means for your home search.
Is Bear Creek Elementary a good school?
Yes, it's one of the strongest in Austin ISD. Bear Creek grades A overall on Niche, and the proficiency numbers are the headline: around 82% of students proficient in reading versus the district's 54%, and around 67% in math versus 41%. It earns an A academic grade and an A- teacher grade, roughly 12% of students are in gifted programs, and it's a smaller PK-5 campus of about 582 students with a 14:1 ratio. The free-lunch share, around 4%, reflects the Circle C South community it serves. For a family focused on the elementary years, Bear Creek is a genuine draw, and it starts a feeder path that stays top-rated through middle and high school.
Bear Creek Elementary by the numbers
| Metric | Bear Creek Elementary | Austin ISD |
|---|---|---|
| Overall grade (Niche) | A | A- |
| Reading proficiency | 82% | 54% |
| Math proficiency | 67% | 41% |
| Academic grade (Niche) | A | A- |
| Teacher grade (Niche) | A- | A |
| Gifted students | 12% | N/A |
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | 15:1 |
| Students in free lunch program | 4% | 50% |
| Total enrollment | 582 | 72,830 |
Source: Niche via RPR (Realtors Property Resource), 2026. Niche compiles the letter grades from U.S. Dept. of Education data, community reviews, and other sources, and updates quarterly. Figures change, so I confirm the current numbers when they matter to your decision.
The headline is the reading score: at around 82% proficient, Bear Creek runs nearly 30 points above the district, with math well ahead too. Scores like that, with a low 14:1 ratio and top academic marks, are part of why the Circle C South streets hold their value.
What Bear Creek feeds into
Bear Creek starts a top-rated Austin ISD feeder path in the Circle C area. From Bear Creek, students continue to Gorzycki Middle and then to Bowie High, with strong ratings at every step:
That full path, elementary to middle to Bowie, is one of the most consistently strong in South Austin, and it's a big reason the Circle C South area stays in demand with families. Which exact schools a home feeds depends on the address, so I confirm the current elementary, middle, and high school for any specific property before you write an offer.
Homes in the Bear Creek Elementary zone
Bear Creek serves the Circle C South area of 78739, the newer, southern stretch of Circle C along Escarpment Boulevard, including the Circle C South and Hays Wartha pockets out toward the Meridian edge. These are some of the more recently built streets in Circle C, close to the amenity centers, the Veloway, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, with quick access to the 45 toll and Mopac. Homes here draw steady demand, and the schools are a central reason why. The thing to know: Circle C spans more than one ZIP and attendance zones can shift block to block, so if Bear Creek (and the Gorzycki and Bowie path behind it) is part of why you're buying, I confirm the zone for the exact address.
Circle C South has grown fast, and the newer sections along Escarpment are popular with families drawn to the Bear Creek to Gorzycki to Bowie path. It comes with a premium, so you want to be sure the house you love actually feeds Bear Creek, not just that it's "in Circle C." Zones here shift block to block. I confirm the exact elementary, middle, and high school for every address, so you know the full path before you pay for it.
How to confirm your address is zoned to Bear Creek
Use Austin ISD's official boundary lookup. The district publishes a find-my-school tool where you enter an address and it returns the assigned elementary, middle, and high school. That's the source of truth, not the real estate listing, which can carry outdated school data, and in a fast-growing area like Circle C South the listing claim is worth verifying.
Or ask me. Send me an address or a Circle C South pocket you're considering and I'll confirm whether it's truly zoned to Bear Creek, pull the current middle and high school on the path, and flag anything that affects your decision.
Buying in the Bear Creek Elementary zone?
Tell me what matters most and I'll build your search around it. The path runs up to Bowie High, so start there for the high-school picture, use the Central Texas school districts guide for how the zones fit together, and the South Austin relocation guide if you're moving to the area. When you're ready to look at homes, here's how buying in South Austin works.
Bear Creek Elementary FAQ
What district is Bear Creek Elementary in?+
Is Bear Creek Elementary a good school?+
What schools does Bear Creek Elementary feed into?+
What neighborhoods are zoned to Bear Creek Elementary?+
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South Austin is home base, and the Circle C neighborhoods are a market I know well. With 175+ closed deals since 2016 across South Austin, Buda, Kyle, and Bastrop, and named a FastExpert 2026 Top Agent, I've helped plenty of families land a home in the exact school zone they were after.
Bear Creek into Gorzycki into Bowie is one of the paths Circle C South families ask about, and it carries a premium. I make sure the home you love actually feeds the schools you want, no guessing. If the elementary years are on your mind, I'll give you a straight, local read.
Last updated: September 2026. School ratings and boundaries change, so confirm the current figures and assignment for any specific address.
