High Schools in Austin Independent School District (Isd)

The Austin Independent School District (Isd) oversees 22 high schools serving grades 9-12 across a diverse urban area, ranging from elite magnet programs to specialized alternative campuses.

The district's standout performer is Lasa High School, which ranks in the 100th percentile statewide with near-perfect test scores and a 0% dropout rate, though it serves a relatively low percentage of economically disadvantaged students. Other top-tier schools include Bowie High School (91st percentile, 99.7% graduation rate) and Richards School For Young Women Leaders (94th percentile, 98.9% graduation rate). Comprehensive high schools like Austin High School, Anderson High School, and McCallum High School also perform strongly, all ranking in the top 25% of Texas schools with graduation rates above 93%. In contrast, several "Early College" schools face significant challenges—Travis Early College High School ranks in the 8th percentile with a 79.1% graduation rate, while Eastside Early College High School has the district's lowest graduation rate at 73.9%. The Alternative Learning Center and Leadership Academy serve highly at-risk populations and rank in the 2nd percentile.

A key takeaway is that per-student spending does not predict success—the highest-spending schools are small alternative campuses serving students with intensive needs, while top performers like LASA and Bowie achieve excellent results with near-average spending. The district's "middle class" comprehensive schools consistently deliver strong outcomes, but there is a stark performance gap between these schools and those serving higher-poverty populations. Small alternative schools like Garza Independence High School and the Graduation Preparatory Academy play a critical role in re-engaging students who have struggled elsewhere, though their test scores and graduation rates are low by traditional measures.