Summary:
The Austin Independent School District (Isd) oversees 19 middle schools serving grades 6-8 across a diverse urban landscape, with total enrollment around 13,625 students and a stark performance divide between its top and bottom schools.
The district's academic stars are Gorzycki Middle, Kealing Middle, and Lamar Middle, which consistently rank in the top 10% of Texas schools with 5-star ratings. Gorzycki leads with the highest Reading scores (82-86% proficient) and an exceptional 94-95% Algebra I proficiency, while Kealing boasts a perfect 0.0% dropout rate. In contrast, schools like Webb Middle (2nd percentile), Martin Middle (1st percentile), and Dobie Middle (3rd percentile) face severe challenges, with single-digit proficiency in core subjects and dropout rates as high as 7.5% at Dobie. A notable bright spot is Sadler Means Ywla, which jumped from the 5th to the 24th percentile, showing the most dramatic improvement in the district.
Key metrics reveal a strong link between socioeconomic factors and performance: the top five schools have free/reduced lunch rates below 27%, while the bottom five exceed 92%. Spending per student is inversely related to success, with struggling schools like Garcia Ymla ($16,781) spending nearly double that of high-performing Small Middle ($9,174). An interesting "Algebra I anomaly" shows that even low-ranked schools like Burnet Middle (4th percentile) achieve 94% proficiency in Algebra I, suggesting advanced students are well-supported regardless of overall school performance. The district's middle schools form a "bimodal" distribution, with a cluster of excellent schools and a larger group struggling below the 40th percentile, leaving few options in the middle range.
Thank you for your feedback!