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McCallum has a fine arts academy that is sought after - I don't think it is listed as a magnet school, but I think you have to apply for the FAA? Not sure. The downside to the school (imo) is the attendance zone - it is huge, but I do not think what you are looking for is near the school but would rather be out west past 360 and that is just a long way. There are some very 'popular' neighborhoods of older homes (40s/50s/60s). I am 'old Austin' in a lot of ways (been here near 50 years), but some/many of those people are very much the 'go back home' and 'don't change Austin' to the extreme, along with some college kids renting and over-packing some house.
Couple of comments about McCallum. Yes, your kiddo does have to "audition" to get into the FAA. The requirements/competition depends on exactly which track you're trying to get into.
One offshoot of the neighborhood that McCallum is zoned for, and this is true of some of the other magnets, is that you get a bifurcated student body. There are kiddos there because that's their zoned school, but then there are lots of kiddos there due to the FAA. The FAA kids tend to track more advanced academically, which further emphasizes the two very different student bodies. Nothing that can't be managed, but good to be aware of. Also, McCallum is the oldest high school campus in AISD (was the original Austin High) and it shows. Some of the newer FAA additions are nice, but the main campus buildings/infrastructure not so much (google "mccallum high school racoons" for a chuckle).
One last note about McCallum is that, again, due to the two very different student groups, the number of AP/IB classes that they have to offer is smaller than some of the other, larger, AISD schools. I'm not dissing on McCallum, it's a great school for the right kiddo, just wanted to add a bit more colour.
Quote:
Originally Posted by theblackbox
Our experience with living among other working professionals is that they often will send their elementary-aged kids to the local public school, but they then move them to private around middle/HS age, which we won't do for a variety of reasons.
Actually I've seen the opposite, private school from K-9 and then public high school, the logic being you use the more academically focused private schools to build a strong foundation but then use the public high schools for their, typically larger than private school, resources (also private HS tends to be much more expensive than the lower grades). Not quite as true anymore as the private high schools in Austin have come a long way, but this was a very common path for folks to take.
I think LASA has transitioned into an 'academy only' with its own campus from its previous situation embedded in LBJ - i.e. every student on campus was admitted to LASA. I could be wrong, though, as I don't have a kid there
I think LASA has transitioned into an 'academy only' with its own campus from its previous situation embedded in LBJ - i.e. every student on campus was admitted to LASA. I could be wrong, though, as I don't have a kid there
Yes, they are academy only now. Back in the day, AISD would intentionally place the magnets within historically lower performing schools to boost the overall rating of those schools. However, in the process, they would create these weird bifurcated environments, LASA was one of the worse in that regard since, unlike McCallum, the magnet and regulars classes were in physically distinct locations within the same campus.
McCallum has a fine arts academy that is sought after - I don't think it is listed as a magnet school, but I think you have to apply for the FAA? Not sure. The downside to the school (imo) is the attendance zone - it is huge, but I do not think what you are looking for is near the school but would rather be out west past 360 and that is just a long way. There are some very 'popular' neighborhoods of older homes (40s/50s/60s). I am 'old Austin' in a lot of ways (been here near 50 years), but some/many of those people are very much the 'go back home' and 'don't change Austin' to the extreme, along with some college kids renting and over-packing some house.
Anderson is a very good school, some of the old-Austin mentality, but not as bad as the McCallum zone (again, in my experience). It is a more compact zone and more affluent than people realize. I suspect the housing is more expensive, and it include Balcones Woods area and Great Hills, as well as the Far West neighborhoods, all of which are 'target' areas for many people. If I was to pick another area in Austin to live with kids in school, this would probably be it. It is old (1970s?) and an interesting design, but not all that different than Bowie (late 1980s).
Austin HS is right on Town Lake (officially Lady Bird Lake) and, similar to McCallum, as a very stretched out attendance zone, from as far west as Bee Cave, circling around westlake and heading north to the McCallum zone and east past the interstate.
If you are in AISD, you can apply to LASA and get bussed service from anywhere in the district - just not from the end of your street. They have collection points, often at the closest elementary school or similar. Their enrollment is around 1500. It is generally considered a top 10 (or even top 5) in Texas as well as top 50 in the US.
Anyway, I think any of those schools - assuming they are the right 'fit' for your kid(s) - will be fine. None of them have inherent issues that will prevent your child from learning. All provide opportunity. Any variation in the test results is more likely due to the demographics than the education provided. I.e. -I suspect (no data that I can find) that a larger portion of the Bowie-slated kids transfer to LASA as compared to McCallum and Anderson. That would shave some of the top achievers out of the 'testing' results for Bowie but not really affect the education provided.
I think in the broader picture, SW Austin is more moderate to conservative leaning than the attendance zones for McCallum and Austin HS, but probably somewhat similar to Anderson.
Also Ill add that the AISD magnets arent charters (kealing, LASA, mccallum) I think lamar is a fine arts magnet too. They are AISD schools with selective admissions. However it isnt based on a lottery, it is based on grades, scores, recommendations and probably meeting some DEI requirements.
Couple of comments about McCallum. Yes, your kiddo does have to "audition" to get into the FAA. The requirements/competition depends on exactly which track you're trying to get into.
One offshoot of the neighborhood that McCallum is zoned for, and this is true of some of the other magnets, is that you get a bifurcated student body. There are kiddos there because that's their zoned school, but then there are lots of kiddos there due to the FAA. The FAA kids tend to track more advanced academically, which further emphasizes the two very different student bodies. Nothing that can't be managed, but good to be aware of. Also, McCallum is the oldest high school campus in AISD (was the original Austin High) and it shows. Some of the newer FAA additions are nice, but the main campus buildings/infrastructure not so much (google "mccallum high school racoons" for a chuckle).
One last note about McCallum is that, again, due to the two very different student groups, the number of AP/IB classes that they have to offer is smaller than some of the other, larger, AISD schools. I'm not dissing on McCallum, it's a great school for the right kiddo, just wanted to add a bit more colour.
Actually I've seen the opposite, private school from K-9 and then public high school, the logic being you use the more academically focused private schools to build a strong foundation but then use the public high schools for their, typically larger than private school, resources (also private HS tends to be much more expensive than the lower grades). Not quite as true anymore as the private high schools in Austin have come a long way, but this was a very common path for folks to take.
Thanks for all the McCallum info! I did search for the raccoons and am torn between amusement and
The mixing is interesting, and I see how it can lead to fewer AP/IB options. Much to consider.
Also Ill add that the AISD magnets arent charters (kealing, LASA, mccallum) I think lamar is a fine arts magnet too. They are AISD schools with selective admissions. However it isnt based on a lottery, it is based on grades, scores, recommendations and probably meeting some DEI requirements.
Ah, thank you for this distinction between lotteries and selective admissions. Our magnet schools over here are ones with qualifying requirements that are ultimately lotteries.
I'm late to this conversation, but I have two kids who have attended Kealing magnet and LASA. As others have pointed out, these are not charter schools and admission isn't by lottery. LASA had about 700 applications this year. Since moving to the stand alone campus, the class size has increased to about 400-425. AISD switched to a ranking system this year for applicants (students rank their choices) so admissions statistics might be a little different than the past, but I know the last couple of years they accepted around 500 assuming 20% would decline (lots of cross applying to Macallum Fine Arts).
We live in SW Austin (Circle C) and there are a lot of kids in the neighborhood who attend the magnets. It's been an overwhelmingly positive experience for us. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about them.
I agree with some of the concerns others have mentioned about Westlake and Lake Travis (google Lake Travis peanut allergy for an example). We consciously chose not to live in those districts. Westwood is good, but I've heard the environment is pretty competitive. LASA has some kids who are competitive, but I'd say it's mostly a collaborative community.
I respectfully disagree with your realtor's assessment that Bowie is a step down from Anderson, Austin, and MaCallum. They are all considered the "west side" schools and pretty comparable. If anything, I think a lot of people think Bowie is a step up from the other three. All four schools have different advantages. Anderson has a great IB program, Austin has its academies (the Global Studies program is well loved), Mac has the Fine Arts Academy, and Bowie probably has the strongest athletic reputation. Bowie's fine arts are quite good as well and they have a really interesting culinary program.
I'm late to this conversation, but I have two kids who have attended Kealing magnet and LASA. As others have pointed out, these are not charter schools and admission isn't by lottery. LASA had about 700 applications this year. Since moving to the stand alone campus, the class size has increased to about 400-425. AISD switched to a ranking system this year for applicants (students rank their choices) so admissions statistics might be a little different than the past, but I know the last couple of years they accepted around 500 assuming 20% would decline (lots of cross applying to Macallum Fine Arts).
We live in SW Austin (Circle C) and there are a lot of kids in the neighborhood who attend the magnets. It's been an overwhelmingly positive experience for us. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about them.
I agree with some of the concerns others have mentioned about Westlake and Lake Travis (google Lake Travis peanut allergy for an example). We consciously chose not to live in those districts. Westwood is good, but I've heard the environment is pretty competitive. LASA has some kids who are competitive, but I'd say it's mostly a collaborative community.
I respectfully disagree with your realtor's assessment that Bowie is a step down from Anderson, Austin, and MaCallum. They are all considered the "west side" schools and pretty comparable. If anything, I think a lot of people think Bowie is a step up from the other three. All four schools have different advantages. Anderson has a great IB program, Austin has its academies (the Global Studies program is well loved), Mac has the Fine Arts Academy, and Bowie probably has the strongest athletic reputation. Bowie's fine arts are quite good as well and they have a really interesting culinary program.
We are looking at a few homes in Circle C, and I'm glad to hear you think Bowie is doing better than what the realtor suggested. I thought Gorzycki Middle was rated well - is there a reason lots of kids from the Circle C area would opt to magnet to a different middle?
One of the things that has made me nervous about Anderson is the feeder middle school(s) where online chatter mentions lots of fights, so I've only been looking at McCallum and Bowie zoned homes at this point (for AISD). We're neither particularly arty nor athletic in this family, more math-oriented and generally GT. Does LASA take applications for sophomore/junior years or only for freshmen? We're not in town yet, so naturally we couldn't apply this year.
Thanks for the heads up on the peanut allergy issue; wow... that's sickening. We're from TX so we know how 'important' football is, but that is truly disappointing reaction from the school officials.
I'm still planning to look in the Westlake/Bee Cave area some, but I'm keeping these insights in mind and appreciate all of the perspectives that have been shared! I'll be experiencing the SXSW crowds when I come into town and see the worst version of traffic, no doubt, while I'm exploring the areas.
We are looking at a few homes in Circle C, and I'm glad to hear you think Bowie is doing better than what the realtor suggested. I thought Gorzycki Middle was rated well - is there a reason lots of kids from the Circle C area would opt to magnet to a different middle?
One of the things that has made me nervous about Anderson is the feeder middle school(s) where online chatter mentions lots of fights, so I've only been looking at McCallum and Bowie zoned homes at this point (for AISD). We're neither particularly arty nor athletic in this family, more math-oriented and generally GT. Does LASA take applications for sophomore/junior years or only for freshmen? We're not in town yet, so naturally we couldn't apply this year.
Thanks for the heads up on the peanut allergy issue; wow... that's sickening. We're from TX so we know how 'important' football is, but that is truly disappointing reaction from the school officials.
I'm still planning to look in the Westlake/Bee Cave area some, but I'm keeping these insights in mind and appreciate all of the perspectives that have been shared! I'll be experiencing the SXSW crowds when I come into town and see the worst version of traffic, no doubt, while I'm exploring the areas.
It's been a few years, but my daughter in particular loved Kealing. Academically, Gorzycki is great. I've known a lot of families who have had one kid go to Kealing and another to Gorzycki and they all have been quite happy with Gorzycki. I think it has more to do with fit. My impression from neighbors whose kids went there is that it is a little more materialistic (think preteen girls with fashion, social issues, etc). It's a very traditional sort of middle school while the magnets attract more of the intellectually driven or quirky kids. Gorzycki is a very well resourced school with lots of optional enrichment trips and strong booster programs. Kealing was much more financially diverse so you don't have as much of that. I think the kids that opt for Kealing or Lively are looking for a different vibe. The math foundation that my kids received at Kealing was phenomenal.
LASA accepts sophomores and I think juniors as well. If your kids are interested in LASA, I would recommend reaching out to the school once your moving plans are set. They are adamant about residing in AISD to apply to LASA, but if you are coming from out of state (opposed to moving in from a neighboring district) you might want to see if there are any options available to your family.
Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
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