Cowan Elementary is in the Austin ISD and earned a 8/10 rating from Great School’s as of October 2026. The campus sits at 2817 Kentish Dr. in South Austin’s 78748 zip code and serves Pre-K through 5th grade. Cowan was not part of Austin ISD’s November 2025 consolidation plan, so its attendance zone did not change for 2026-27. The zone is split at the next level: depending on address, students go on to Covington or Bailey Middle School and to Bowie or Akins Early College High School. Scroll down to read more about homes near Cowan Elementary School.
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Cowan Elementary School Snapshot
- Address: 2817 Kentish Dr., Austin, TX 78748
- Phone: (512) 841-2700
- School District: Austin ISD
- Grades Served: Pre-K through 5th grade
- Enrollment: 551 students (2025-26)
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 12.5:1 (TEA, 2025-26)
- Principal: Alison Balic
- School Hours: 7:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
- Mascot: the Coyotes
- Opened: 1999
- GreatSchools Rating: It is 8/10 as of October 2026.
Cowan opened in 1999 in South Austin and is named for longtime educator Dennis E. Cowan. It is one of the larger elementary schools in this part of South Austin, with 551 students in 2025-26, of whom 26.5% were economically disadvantaged, 9.6% were emergent bilingual and 26.1% received special education services, according to TEA. That special education share reflects the campus’s SCORES, social behavioral skills, Life Skills and early childhood special education programs. No changes were announced for Cowan in 2026-27. GreatSchools and TEA measure different things. GreatSchools weighs test results against schools with similar student populations, while TEA’s rating, below, is the state’s official accountability measure.
Academic Performance: Texas Education Agency Accountability Rating
In TEA’s 2025-26 accountability ratings, released in August 2026, Cowan Elementary earned an overall B with a score of 85, the same score as in 2024-25. Cowan was an A campus in 2021-22 (95) and 2022-23 (90), then dropped to a B (81) in 2023-24 before recovering to 85.
- Overall TEA Rating (2025-26): B (85)
- Student Achievement: B, 83 out of 100 (based on STAAR performance)
- School Progress: B, 88 out of 100 (Academic Growth B/88, Relative Performance D/67)
- Closing the Gaps: C, 79 out of 100
- Prior Overall Ratings: A (95) in 2021-22, A (90) in 2022-23, B (81) in 2023-24, B (85) in 2024-25
- Austin ISD (2025-26): B (81) district-wide
Under TEA’s scale, an A reflects exemplary performance, B is recognized, C is acceptable, D needs improvement, and F is unacceptable. Cowan’s overall rating in 2025-26 is carried by School Progress, which rose from 86 to a B (88) on Academic Growth of 88. Student Achievement, the share of students meeting STAAR standards, slipped from 86 to a B (83). Relative Performance, which compares results with schools serving similar shares of economically disadvantaged students, fell to a D (67), and Closing the Gaps, which measures results for student groups, dropped from a B (83) to a C (79). Cowan earned four distinction designations in 2021-22, including ELA/Reading and Comparative Academic Growth, and none in the years since. The campus is not identified for state improvement support.
Source: Texas Education Agency accountability summaries for Cowan Elementary (campus 227901183), 2022 through 2026 (2025-26 ratings released August 2026). The 2022-23 and 2023-24 ratings were delayed by litigation and released in 2025. TEA issues updated ratings annually, so verify the current rating directly with Austin ISD or TEA before making a decision based on it.
Programs at Cowan Elementary
These are the programs Austin ISD and the Cowan campus list for this school. Cowan has a larger special education program than many nearby campuses, with several specialized classrooms.
- Pre-K: Cowan offers Pre-K, including tuition-supported Pre-K for qualified families. TEA counted 48 Pre-K 4 students and no Pre-K 3 students in 2025-26.
- Special education programs: Cowan’s special education team includes SCORES (for students on the autism spectrum), SBS (social behavioral skills), Life Skills and Early Childhood Special Education staff, plus reading specialists and speech pathologists. 26.1% of students received special education services in 2025-26 (TEA).
- Gifted and Talented: Identified students are served within the general education classroom through Austin ISD’s cluster grouping model led by GT-trained teachers. All 2nd graders take a nonverbal universal screener each fall, and families can refer students during the fall referral window.
- Creative Learning Initiative: Cowan uses Austin ISD’s Creative Learning Initiative, and students take art, music and P.E.
- Social and emotional learning: Cowan pairs SEL with a Cultural Proficiency and Inclusiveness focus, and the counselor teaches classroom lessons about every three weeks.
- After-school: CDC Cowan Crew (Circle C Child Development Center) runs on-campus after-school care. Other providers that serve Cowan include Dittmar Recreation Center and several private programs, plus seasonal clubs such as chess, film, piano and cooking.
- PTA: Cowan has an active PTA (cowanpta.com) that runs volunteer programs and family events.
No program moves were announced for Cowan in 2026-27. For current details on Pre-K, gifted and talented services, special education or after-school care, contact Cowan Elementary at (512) 841-2700.
Where is Cowan Elementary School?
Cowan Elementary is located at:
2817 Kentish Dr.
Austin, TX 78748
Cowan Elementary Attendance Zone Map
Cowan’s zone covers neighborhoods around the campus in 78748, including Sendera, Sendera South, several Cherry Creek sections (9-A, 10-A, 11, 14, 16 and 17), Pheasant Run, Castlewood Forest, Tanglewood Forest, Deer Haven, Davis Hill Estates and Oak Valley Park. The zone did not change for 2026-27. Because the zone is split at the middle and high school level, two homes zoned to Cowan can go to different secondary schools.
Austin ISD plans Phase 1 boundary changes for 2027-28, with a board vote expected in fall 2026, and a district-wide boundary and feeder realignment for fall 2028, so confirm any address with Austin ISD’s school finder before buying.
Homes Zoned to Cowan Elementary: Market Stats
The figures below cover single-family homes sold through Unlock MLS whose addresses fall inside Cowan Elementary’s 2026-27 attendance zone, based on Austin ISD’s official SY 2026-27 boundary map, not the school typed into each listing. The largest groups of sales were in Cherry Creek, Sendera, Sendera South, Pheasant Run and Castlewood Forest.
3-Year Closed Sales Trend
| Period | Homes Sold | Median Sale Price | Median $/Sq Ft | Sale-to-List Ratio | Median Days on Market |
| Sept 2022 – Aug 2023 | 89 | $545,000 | $299.05 | 99.0% | 20 days |
| Sept 2023 – Aug 2024 | 93 | $557,000 | $295.83 | 98.6% | 16 days |
| Sept 2024 – Aug 2025 | 93 | $532,500 | $282.68 | 98.4% | 26 days |
| Trailing 12 Months (Sept 2025 – Aug 2026) | 92 | $521,000 | $283.99 | 98.9% | 20 days |
Data sourced from Unlock MLS. Statistics deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Single-family homes only. Each Austin ISD listing was geocoded and matched to Austin ISD’s SY 2026-27 Cowan Elementary attendance boundary, so the figures reflect today’s zone rather than the school typed into each listing.
The median sale price in the Cowan zone has eased, from $545,000 in 2022-23 to $521,000 over the trailing twelve months, a change of about -4.4%. Median price per square foot moved from $299.05 to $283.99 (-5.0%), while the median home sold grew slightly, from 1,868 to 1,946 square feet.
Sales volume has been steady, at 89 homes in 2022-23 and 92 in the past twelve months. Median days on market was 20 days in both periods, and sellers received a median of 98.9% of their final list price over the past year, close to 99.0% in 2022-23.
Current Inventory Snapshot
As of October 2, 2026
| Status | Count | Median List Price | Median Days on Market |
| Active | 15 | $565,000 | 27 days |
| Active Under Contract | 9 | $600,000 | 18 days |
| Pending | 1 | $515,000 | – |
Data sourced from Unlock MLS. Statistics deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Single-family homes only, same zone method as above.
25 homes are currently active, under contract, or pending in the Cowan Elementary zone. With 15 active listings against about 7.7 sales a month over the past year, the zone has roughly 2.0 months of inventory, a seller’s market.
The median active list price of $565,000 is above the trailing-twelve-month median sale price of $521,000, and active listings have been on the market a median of 27 days.
Homes for Sale Near Cowan Elementary School
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Neighborhoods Zoned to Cowan Elementary
The neighborhoods below have their own guides and are zoned to Cowan Elementary for 2026-27. Cherry Creek is a large subdivision split among several schools, and only about a quarter of its sales fall inside the Cowan zone, so check the specific address and section there.
The zone also includes Tanglewood Forest and Oak Valley Park, which don’t have separate guides.
Castlewood Forest
3-5 beds, 2-4 baths, 1,700-3,000 sqft, Low $500,000s – High $900,000s
Cherry Creek
2-6 beds, 1-4 baths, 800-3,635 sqft, Mid $200,000s – Low $800,000s
Davis Hill Estates
3-5 beds, 2-3 baths, 1,800-3,300 sqft, High $400,000s – High $500,000s
Deer Haven
3-5 beds, 2-4 baths, 2,100-3,400 sqft, Mid $600,000s – Mid $700,000s
Pheasant Run
3-4 beds, 2-3 baths, 1,100-2,000 sqft, Mid $300,000s – Mid $400,000s
Sendera
3-5 beds, 2-5 baths, 1,500-3,900 sqft, Low $400,000s – Low $800,000s
Sendera South
3-5 beds, 2-4 baths, 1,500-3,300 sqft, High $400,000s – Low $800,000s
Feeder Middle and High Schools
For 2026-27, Cowan feeds two middle schools and two high schools by address. About 57% of the zone’s home sales fall in the Covington Middle School zone and about 43% in the Bailey Middle School zone, while about 65% fall in the Bowie High School zone and about 35% in the Akins Early College High School zone.
Feeder Middle Schools
- Covington Middle School and Fine Arts Academy (about 57% of the zone’s home sales)
3700 Convict Hill Road, Austin, TX 78749
Great Schools Rating: 6/10 - Gordon A. Bailey Middle School (about 43% of the zone’s home sales)
4020 Lost Oasis Hollow, Austin, TX 78739
Great Schools Rating: 6/10
Feeder High Schools
- James Bowie High School (about 65% of the zone’s home sales)
4103 W. Slaughter Ln., Austin, TX 78749
Great Schools Rating: 9/10 - Akins Early College High School (about 35% of the zone’s home sales)
10701 S. 1st St., Austin, TX 78748
Great Schools Rating: 4/10
Source: Austin ISD’s official SY 2026-27 attendance boundary and school reassignment layers (updated July 30, 2026); shares are based on where the zone’s single-family home sales since Sept 2022 fall. Feeder patterns can change, and Austin ISD plans boundary changes for 2027-28 and a district-wide realignment for fall 2028, so confirm with the district.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ratings and Zoning
Cowan earned a B with a score of 85 in TEA’s 2025-26 accountability ratings, released in August 2026, the same score as in 2024-25. It was an A in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and a B (81) in 2023-24.
Academic Growth was a solid B (88), but Relative Performance was a D (67) and Closing the Gaps fell to a C (79). Student Achievement slipped from 86 to 83.
No. Cowan was not part of Austin ISD’s November 2025 consolidation plan, and its zone and feeder split are the same as before.
The zone includes Sendera, Sendera South, Pheasant Run, Castlewood Forest, Tanglewood Forest, Deer Haven, Davis Hill Estates and several Cherry Creek sections. Only about a quarter of Cherry Creek’s sales fall in the Cowan zone.
Use Austin ISD’s school finder, which also shows the middle and high school for the address. Austin ISD plans Phase 1 boundary changes for 2027-28 and a district-wide realignment for fall 2028.
Programs, Feeder Schools and Home Prices
Cowan has SCORES for students on the autism spectrum, social behavioral skills (SBS), Life Skills and Early Childhood Special Education, plus reading specialists and speech pathologists. About 26.1% of students received special education services in 2025-26.
Yes. Cowan offers Pre-K, including tuition-supported Pre-K for qualified families, and TEA counted 48 Pre-K 4 students in 2025-26. CDC Cowan Crew runs on-campus after-school care.
It depends on the address. About 57% of the zone’s home sales are in the Covington Middle School zone and 43% in Bailey’s, and about 65% are in the Bowie High School zone and 35% in Akins Early College’s.
Over the trailing twelve months, 92 single-family homes sold in the zone at a median of $521,000, down about 4.4% from $545,000 in 2022-23. Homes sold in a median of 20 days at 98.9% of list price.
As of October 2, 2026, there were 15 active single-family listings in the zone against about 7.7 sales a month, roughly 2.0 months of inventory. That is a seller’s market, and active listings had a median list price of $565,000.
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Broker Associate, CRS, ABR, SFR · Eleven Oaks Realty
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