Kealing Middle

Kealing Middle in Austin, TX, is a high-performing public school serving 1,196 students in grades 6-8 within the Austin Independent School District (Isd), consistently earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking in the top 5-10% of all Texas middle schools for nearly a decade.

Kealing stands out as an academic powerhouse, particularly in advanced math. Its 8th graders achieve a remarkable 98.95% proficiency rate on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, nearly double the district and state averages, giving students a strong head start toward high school-level coursework. In reading and math, Kealing’s STAAR test scores are roughly 30 percentage points higher than both the district and state averages. For example, 7th-grade reading proficiency is 85.78% compared to the district’s 55.83%, and 8th-grade math proficiency is 77.25% versus the state’s 47.24%. This performance far exceeds nearby schools like Martin Middle, which ranks in the bottom 1% of Texas schools, and Lamar Middle, which also earns a 5-star rating but ranks lower at 194th. Kealing’s success is notable given its lower per-student spending ($9,762) compared to other AISD schools, suggesting efficient use of resources.

However, Kealing faces a significant equity challenge. While it excels for White and Asian students (ranking in the 99th percentile for both), it is far less effective for African American students (15th percentile) and low-socioeconomic status students (48th percentile). This achievement gap is the school’s most critical area for improvement. With only 24.75% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, Kealing serves a less economically disadvantaged population than nearby schools like Webb Middle (98.01%) or Sadler Means Ywla (80.94%). Despite this, Kealing’s decade-long track record of excellence demonstrates a stable, high-quality educational environment, making it a standout choice for families seeking strong academic outcomes, especially in math and reading.