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Leadership Academy

Public Grades 8-12

1965^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,009 Texas High Schools

Better than 2% of Texas high schools

Summary

Leadership Academy is a very small alternative high school in South Austin, serving just 23 students in grades 8-12 within the Austin Independent School District (Isd). The school shares an address with the Travis County Juvenile Detention Center, which is critical context for understanding its mission as a disciplinary alternative education program for deeply at-risk youth.

Leadership Academy spends an extraordinary $60,668 per student—over six times more than nearby high-performing schools like Austin High School ($9,725) or Richards School For Young Women Leaders ($10,215). Despite this massive investment and an extremely low student-to-teacher ratio of 3.5:1, academic outcomes are among the lowest in Texas. The school ranks in the 2nd percentile statewide, with 0% proficiency in Biology and U.S. History, and just 9.1% in English I Reading. For comparison, Travis Early College High School posted 35.6% proficiency in Biology and 38.6% in U.S. History. The dropout rate is volatile, spiking to 14.3% in 2022-2023—nearly 20 times the district average of 1.7%.

There is one relative bright spot: Special Education students at Leadership Academy rank in the 15th percentile, suggesting the intensive model may work better for this subgroup. However, the school's performance is nearly identical to the Travis County Juvenile Detention Center, and it spends 17 times more per student than the similar Graduation Preparatory Academy ($3,574) without producing better results. This school is a case study in the immense challenge of educating the most vulnerable students, even with unlimited resources.

Students ?

3.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$53,904

Per pupil spending ?

82.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2515 S Congress
Austin, TX 78704

(512) 414-2554

District: Austin Independent School District (Isd)

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

60.9%

African American:

21.7%

White:

13.0%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 1st percentile in 2012 → 1st in 2023

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 4 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (5% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (2nd percentile)

!Biology scores 71 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school5%

District avg62%

Texas avg62%

1,965^th of 2,009

Texas public high schools ?

Bottom 2%▼ down 2 pts since 2013

See the entire ranking list of Texas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

16^th of 17High Schools in the Austin Independent School District (Isd)

523^rd of 951Austin Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	1.9	1951 of 1961	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	9.5	1719 of 1876	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.3	1677 of 1857	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.9	1569 of 1797	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	4.0	1736 of 1777	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	5.2	1660 of 1762	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	2.7	1674 of 1743	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	9.6	1601 of 1734	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	2.4	1611 of 1652	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	0.5	1588 of 1603	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	1.0	1656 of 1672	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	1.0	1548 of 1568	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	0.5	1530 of 1539	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	23.2	1325 of 1510	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	12.1	1386 of 1497	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	33.8	1109 of 1430	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	34.9	1105 of 1429	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	78.9	124 of 1427	91.3%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	2.7	1874 of 1897	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	4.5	1828 of 1913	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2023)4th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)1st percentile~ school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

English I Reading9%-46 vs state

Algebra I8%-46 vs state

Biology0%-71 vs state

English II Reading0%-60 vs state

U.S. History0%-70 vs state

★

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Schools Near Leadership Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR EOC Biology (2026)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC U.S. History (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)			STAAR Mathematics (2026)			STAAR Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC U.S. History End of Course	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Leadership Academy	Public	8-12	2515 S Congress	Austin	78704	Travis County	Austin Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(512) 414-2554	23	6	3.5	82.6%	3 (13.0%)	5 (21.7%)	14 (60.9%)	1 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2.3	1965^th of 2009 public high schools	2.2%					(n/a)	7.7	0.0	9.1	0.0	0.0								$53,904
Travis County Juvenile Detention Center	Public	7-12	2515 S Congress Ave	Austin	78704	Travis County	Austin Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(512) 414-2554	30	6	5.4	76.7%	2 (6.7%)	9 (30.0%)	19 (63.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2.4	1962^nd of 2009 public high schools	2.3%		2.3	1947^th of 1974 public high schools	1.4%	15	7.1	0.0	0.0	14.3									$33,271
Travis Early College High School	Public	9-12	1211 E Oltorf St	Austin	78704	Travis County	Austin Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(512) 414-2527	1,011	78	13.0	84.7%	40 (4.0%)	82 (8.1%)	850 (84.1%)	28 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.1%)	6.2	1857^th of 2009 public high schools	7.6%		5.7	1848^th of 1974 public high schools	6.4%	9	14.5	35.6	13.0	20.3	38.6								$10,936
Graduation Preparatory Academy	Public	9-12	1211 E Oltorf St	Austin	78704	Travis County	Austin Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(512) 414-6635	69	3	23.0	85.5%	6 (8.7%)	3 (4.3%)	59 (85.5%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$13,205
The Excel Center For Adults - South Austin	Public, Charter	9-12	1901 E Ben White Blvd	Austin	78741	Travis County	The Excel Center (For Adults)	Yes	No	(n/a)	No	(512) 531-5500	114	7	17.2		10 (8.8%)	22 (19.3%)	73 (64.0%)	4 (3.5%)	3 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	14	1742^nd of 2009 public high schools	13.3%		7.9	1817^th of 1974 public high schools	8.0%	75	6.3	45.5		40.0									$11,226
Harmony School Of Excellence - Austin	Public, Charter	6-12	2100 E St Elmo Rd	Austin	78744	Travis County	Harmony Public Schools - Central Texas	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(512) 693-0000	497	37	13.2	90.1%	19 (3.8%)	21 (4.2%)	446 (89.7%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	34.9	1362^nd of 2009 public high schools	32.2%		27.3	1459^th of 1974 public high schools	26.1%	97	45.7	64.4	37.8	40.3	70.2	37.8	27.7	32.5	25.6	4.1	30.0	11.5	$12,896
Premier High School-Austin South Campus	Public, Charter	8-12	1701 W Ben White Blvd No 100a	Austin	78704	Travis County	Premier High Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(512) 444-8442	143	6	23.8	57.3%	41 (28.7%)	7 (4.9%)	89 (62.2%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.5%)	20.1	1646^th of 2009 public high schools	18.1%		35.4	1266^th of 1974 public high schools	35.9%	380	41.2	28.6	31.6	45.8	43.8								$11,136
Richards School For Young Women Leaders	Public	6-12	2309 Panther Trail	Austin	78704	Travis County	Austin Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(512) 414-3236	920	53	17.4	36.7%	373 (40.5%)	34 (3.7%)	426 (46.3%)	42 (4.6%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (4.7%)	85.8	111^th of 2009 public high schools	94.5%		91.3	49^th of 1974 public high schools	97.5%	62	73.3	94.9	95.6	97.4	89.1	82.0	93.9	89.3	62.1		61.7	63.3	$7,958
KIPP Austin Brave	Public, Charter	9-12	5107 S Ih 35 Frontage Rd	Austin	78744	Travis County	KIPP Texas Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(512) 651-2225	490	38	12.8	88.6%	10 (2.0%)	13 (2.7%)	462 (94.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	26	1560^th of 2009 public high schools	22.3%		26.4	1483^rd of 1974 public high schools	24.9%	77	4.0	77.6	24.4	36.9	56.9								$11,272
Austin High School	Public	9-12	1715 W Cesar Chavez	Austin	78703	Travis County	Austin Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(512) 414-2505	2,323	126	18.4	24.1%	1,198 (51.6%)	66 (2.8%)	905 (39.0%)	46 (2.0%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	103 (4.4%)	75.3	321^st of 2009 public high schools	84.0%		72.2	363^rd of 1974 public high schools	81.6%	42	38.5	88.3	76.2	78.1	87.9								$7,851

Frequently Asked Questions about Leadership Academy

How many students attend Leadership Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 23 students attended Leadership Academy.

Is Leadership Academy a good school?

Leadership Academy ranks in the bottom 2.2% of Texas high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Leadership Academy?

Students at Leadership Academy are 61% Hispanic, 22% African American, 13% White, 4% Asian.

What district is Leadership Academy in?

Austin Independent School District (Isd)

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.