Also called the world's “Live Music Capital,” Austin, TX, hosts some of the country's premier music festivals in hundreds of live music venues. However, a unique music experience is one of many things you'll get in this renowned city.
Besides its profound educational history, the region also houses some of the best schools in the country and state.
Of course, one person's “best” pick may not tickle another parent's fancy, but we all want a safe and serene learning environment that focuses on learners' complete growth. You're on the right site if you're looking for such a learning facility.
This comprehensive piece will take you through the city's best elementary, middle, and high schools based on state-recommended test scores, online reviews, and GreatSchools.org summary ratings.
Best Elementary Schools
Casis Elementary
2710 Exposition Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78703
This facility opened its doors in 1951 as a collaborative enterprise between the University of Texas and Austin Public Schools. It comprises a regular school program, instruction and facilities for physically disabled learners, and a state education demonstration and observation center.
The facility is named after Jamaican-born Josephine Ramona Casis and Lilia May Casis. These two sisters are reputable for their immense contribution to the region's education system.
Casis Elementary serves PK-5 to 569 students. This population comprises 53% male learners and 47% girls. Furthermore, the school has a minority scholar enrollment of 23% and maintains a 9% enrolment for economically limited learners.
A total of 45 qualified and experienced tutors take care of the student population alongside a school counselor. This number achieves a student-teacher ratio of 13:1, much better than the district's average. This percentage could be the reason for the school's impressive rankings.
Compared to all the elementary schools in the state, Casis takes up the 140th position. The facility also ranks #4 in the independent school district regarding state-required tests and students' high school preparedness.
Moreover, the school ranks 47 and 235 in reading and math proficiency. Here, 82% attained or surpassed the proficient level for reading, while 76% did the same for math. Moreover, the school has a 9/10 GreatSchools.org summary rating.
Doss Elementary
7005 Northledge Drive, Austin, Texas 78731
Doss Elementary is in northwest Austin. Boasting a Blue Ribbon School accolade, families in this exemplary elementary school speak 25 different home languages, making it one of the most diverse. Furthermore, its exceptional academic standards, positive culture, and conducive learning environment welcome students from diverse backgrounds.
Doss Elementary serves 749 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Of this population, 51% are males, and 49% are female. The facility also designates 19% of its enrollment to young learners from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, and 38% of students are from minority communities.
Doss Elementary's 55 full-time teachers offer a comprehensive curriculum comprising diverse enrichment programs. The staff team also comprises one school counselor. Thus, the student-teacher ratio here stands at 14:1, similar to the local district's percentage.
Doss is also among the top-ranked middle schools in Austin concerning students' performance in state-provided assessments. Statewide, the facility takes up the 118th position. On the other hand, the facility ranks as third best among the city's Independent School Districts.
The school also performed well in reading and math proficiency, ranking in position 101 and 152, respectively. Here, 78% of learners made it to or exceeded the proficiency level for reading, and 79% passed the math proficiency level. Furthermore, the school has an 8/10 GreatSchools summary rating.
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Clayton Elementary
7525 La Crosse Avenue, Austin, Texas 78739
The Circle C Community is fortunate to have another remarkable facility ranking among the best elementary schools in Austin and the state, Clayton Elementary School. Founders named this facility after Nan Clayton, a former AISD Board President and community leader.
Upwards of 723 middle-schoolers benefit from the one-of-a-kind school culture emphasizing problem-solving and independent thinking. Of the population, 51% are girls, while 49% are boys. Furthermore, the school sets aside 9% of enrolments for learners from economically limited households.
Clayton Elementary School has 51 teachers working full-time alongside a school counselor. This means every teacher cares for 14 learners, equal to the local district's ratio. The tutors strive to provide a nurturing and safe learning environment that encourages cooperation and teamwork while instilling an appreciation for diversity.
Looking at the elementary school's performance in state-required exams and graduation, the efforts of staff and faculty have paid off. Clayton takes the 88th position among the state's elementary schools and ranks #2 among its peers at the district level.
The facility also performs exceptionally well in math and reading proficiency, ranking in the 123rd and 56th positions. In this school, 81% of learners managed or surpassed the math Proficient level, while 81% attained the same for reading Proficiency. Moreover, the facility boasts a GreatSchools summary rating of 9/10.
Kiker Elementary
5913 La Crosse Avenue, Austin, Texas 78739
Tucked into Southwest Austin's Circle C Ranch, Kiker Elementary school ranks as the best among its peers in the Austin Independent School District Elementary Schools. The facility prides itself as home to respectful and kind staff and students who acknowledge their struggles and strengths and use their differences to improve each other's lives.
The learner-focused facility takes care of 800 students spread between preschool to the fifth grade. This population is male-dominated, with boys representing 52% and girls making up 48%. Moreover, the minority student enrolment is 37%, and the school policy designates 10% of enrolment opportunities to economically disadvantaged learners.
All these learners leverage the guidance and care of 55 teachers working alongside two school counselors full-time. Naturally, therefore, the student-teacher ratio is 15:1, higher than the district's percentage. But this doesn't impact performance, as evident in the school's impressive rankings.
Kiker Elementary School ranks #35 among its 4446 peers in the state. Moreover, the facility takes up the first position among the elementary schools in the Austin Independent School District. These competitive ranks depend on how learners perform on state-required examinations.
Learners in this school also demonstrate excellent reading and math proficiency, ranking in the 93rd and 12th positions, respectively. In addition, 87% of them managed or exceeded the proficient level for math, while 83% achieved the same for reading proficiency. Finally, the school scores an 8/10 GreatSchools summary rating.
Best Middle Schools
Kealing Middle School
1607 Pennsylvania Avenue, Austin, Texas 78702
Named after Theodore Hightower Kealing, Austin's 19th-century editor, author, and activist, Kealing Middle School won't miss out on any review of the best middle schools in Austin.
The facility opened its doors in 1930 to serve African-American junior high school students. While the city's desegregation efforts led to its closure in 1971, it later on after, the school reopened 15 years later in 1986. It offers an innovative and rigorous 6–8 program to 1,280 learners from the Kealing neighborhood and throughout the district.
The student population here comprises 54% male and 46% female learners, with 35% coming from economically disadvantaged setups. Furthermore, Kealing M S has a 64% minority student enrolment, which is quite impressive.
This facility also boasts a seasoned team of 86 tutors working full-time alongside two school counselors. Simplified, every teacher is responsible for 15 learners, which is more burdensome than the Austin Independent School District's ratio. However, this doesn't hinder performance in any way.
Kealing Middle School is the 87th best in state rankings. The facility is also the district's third best and ranks 134 and 80 for math and reading proficiency. Its GreatSchool.org summary rating is 7/10.
Gorzycki Middle
7412 Slaughter Ln, Austin, TX 78749
Enclosed in a 42-acre pace, Austin's Gorzycki Middle School opened in the 2009–10 academic year. The person behind the facility's name is Diane Elain Gorzycki, a longtime band director and music educator who served the district for three decades. The facility serves grades 6, 7, and 8.
Upwards of 1,330 learners go to Gorzycki Middle School. This entire populace comprises 52% male learners and 48% females, with a 36% minority student enrolment. Moreover, the faculty and staff set aside 8% of enrolment opportunities for students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
The school has 77 certified tutors and three counselors, all working full-time. So on average, each teacher is responsible for 17 learners, way higher than the district's ratio. But despite the larger workload, the team always ensures a collaborative, secure learning environment for scholars to design, create, challenge, and gain leadership skills.
Gorzycki Middle School has the edge over its peers regarding state-required examinations and the high school preparation level. The latest rankings place it at the 78th position across the state, and it's also the second best among its competitors within the Independent School District.
Moreover, 83% of learners attained or surpassed the math proficiency threshold, while 77% reached reading proficiency. The impressive results ranked the facility in the #66 and #67 positions for math and reading proficiencies, respectively. It also boasts an 8/10 GreatSchools summary rating.
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Richards School for Young Women Leaders
2206 Prather Lane, Austin, Texas 78704
One of the top-ranked middle schools in the state and nationwide, the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders considers itself a sisterhood that's out to build communities and change the world. This all-girls facility provides rigorous academics while encouraging learners to develop practical service projects.
Richards School challenges its 883 learners to lead compassionately and courageously while solving everyday societal problems ethically and creatively. While the population here is 100% female, the facility sets aside 42% of enrolment opportunities for young learners from families facing financial hardships.
Fifty-four tutors in Richards School for Young Women Leaders work full-time alongside one school counselor. Simplified, this translates to one teacher handling 16 students. But while this ratio is way higher than the district's average, the dedicated staff team still manages to outshine most of their peers in other schools in state-required examinations.
The school ranks 76 among the state's middle schools and has a GreatSchools summary rating of 5/10. It's also the top middle school in the Austin Independent School District. Moreover, it ranks 61 and 165 for reading and math Proficiency, respectively. In addition, 77% of the learners here managed or exceeded the math proficient level, while 83% attained the same for reading.
Best High Schools
Richards School for Young Women Leaders
2206 Prather Ln, Austin, Texas 78704
Since opening its doors in 2007, the all-girls Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders personifies its namesake's lifetime passion for young women's empowerment, education advancement, and protecting girls from hurdles that hold them back from their full potential. The top-ranking learning facility got its name from Ann Richards, the former Texas Governor.
The facility has a relatively average student population of 439. Learners from financially disadvantaged households form 42% of the total population, and the school has 70% minority enrolment. Moreover, the free lunch program takes care of 40% of the populace, while the reduced-price lunch program is available to 2%.
Richards School's staff team comprises 54 experienced and qualified teachers. This leads to a 16:1 student-teacher ratio. Learners can enroll in the Advanced Placement program and sit for examinations. Moreover, the school's AP participation rate is 100%.
Performance-wise, this reputable high school stands out as one of the best nationally and in local rankings. Students can participate in extracurricular activities such as soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, cross country, and track and field.
Chaparral Star Academy
14046 Summit Drive, Austin, Texas 78728
Chaparral Star Academy is an attractive option for parents looking for the right learning environment to ensure full growth. This top-ranking public charter school was established in 1998 and has grown to join the league of the most reputable high schools in the nation.
The public charter school serves 100 scholars. Of the total student population, 9% come from financially disadvantaged households. Moreover, the public charter school's free lunch program caters to 9% of the population.
Students at Chaparral Star Academy depend on 27 experienced and licensed tutors working full-time. Therefore, on average, each teacher takes care of 14 learners, a sufficient ratio to ensure each student gets the deserved attention.
The staff team at the Star Academy strives to align and even outstrip the state's Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum. The top-ranking facility runs on an accelerated curriculum that follows a packed four-hour schedule. Scholars may choose between morning or afternoon class sessions.
Learners must adhere to strict attendance and homework policies because of its fast-paced system. There's no lunch break, recess, or cafeteria, and most classes don't exceed 15 learners.
Notably, the facility only offers a few extracurricular activities, including gymnastics, national figure staking, and horse riding. Still, Chaparral Star Academy is one of the best schools in Austin.
Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA)
7309 Lazy Creek Drive, Austin, Texas 78724
LASA is among the most populous, top-ranking high schools in Austin. The facility began operations in 2002 after merging the Liberal Arts Academy and LBJ Science Academy, the city's first magnet program.
The facility serves 1,254 scholars, and 14% of this population comprises total financially disadvantaged learners. Moreover, 13% of the students are under the free lunch program, while 1% are in the reduced-price lunch program.
Liberal Arts and Science Academy has 76 seasoned full-time teachers who strive to ensure the best learning environment. This sets the student-teacher ratio to 17:1.
The school's prospective students compete for admission opportunities through test score evaluations, prior achievements, and teacher recommendations. Once successful, they'll undergo a rigorous, advanced curriculum comprising 121 honors courses and 30 Advanced Placement programs.
Interestingly, the faculty designed the classes more puzzling than the standard district and state requirements. Learners partake in signature courses, which are joint sessions where learners examine, craft, implement, and present academic projects spanning various humanities and science subjects. Academics aside, learners can also experience stimulating extracurricular activities, including wrestling, football, swimming, golf, softball, volleyball, and baseball.
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Choose the Right Directing for Your Child’s Education
Residents in Austin, TX, have many options for finding the right learning facilities for their kids. But while this review covers all the reputable and top-ranking schools in the city, choosing correctly is more challenging than it may seem. This is because there are numerous options with impressive rankings and school cultures.
Fortunately, you can beat the confusion by prioritizing some key consideration factors. For instance, consider the staff members' qualifications, experience, and student-teacher ratio. You also want a facility whose learning programs align with your student's capabilities and future ambitions. Finally, you'll always be at home when you go for an institution that shares the same personal values as yours. Consider these factors when looking at schools in Austin.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©New Africa/Shutterstock.com.