Top Rated 15 Schools in Austin, TX - A Guide for Parents and Students

Manasa Murthy Our son completed prek here and we had a great experience. The teachers are very caring and receptive and the staff is loving. It’s a very warm and nourishing environment that supports gifted learners in developing their full potential. The SEL support is unparalleled .We are thankful to ACE for everything they have done.

Krista Jordan It was difficult to find a school that could keep my son interested and engaged. At ACE they did amazing things like creating antibiotic resistance in strawberry cells for science class. That got his attention! He also met other wonderful gifted kids who he is still friends with today. It was the first school where he felt challenged by his teachers and accepted by his peers.

Marisela Maddox Ace has been a consistently supportive environment for our two children. The teachers scaffold high-level academic subject-matter for curious students alongside providing a nurturing environment for social development.

Nathan Jones Our family has been at Austin Waldorf School for over a decade and my three children are currently attending- two in the High School and one in the Grades. The school offers a beautiful and natural campus environment that is ideal for learning and personal growth. All of my kids get to spend a lot of time outside. I think the presence of nature everywhere creates a calming atmosphere for the students, and is grounding, which I believe significantly enhances the learning experience. The Waldorf curriculum was created over one hundred years ago and is holistic. There is not just a focus on academic achievement but also on the emotional development of students. Theres integration of arts and hands-on activities into the daily schedule. Teachers are passionate and deeply care about our kids. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a nurturing and inspiring environment for their child’s education.

Steffani Mitchell My daughter has been at AWS for 10 years. She is a confident, capable, and creative thanks to the amazing curriculum and caring faculty. The experiences that she has had - challenging academics, handwork, woodwork, art, drama, orchestra, etc. have combined to make her an individual who is bold and willing to explore her interests and the world. She is entering the high school at AWS this year and we cannot wait for the adventure ahead.

Sarah Daft I would not recommend this school. It cannot handle anything besides art. If youre seeking a place that stifles your childrens passions in all other areas, then I would definitely recommend it. As an alum, Ive heard very few people have had a positive experience here. To this day, I cant enjoy art-related subjects. Despite having a few good teachers, the majority dampens childrens passion for their subjects and doesnt cater to their academic challenges or interests

Brittany Piña Little Fishers is the most welcoming, friendly, and encouraging preschool Ive ever been to (and weve been to several over the years). The love of Jesus is apparent in every interaction, and the entire staff loves all of the children so much! Walking in the doors feels like walking into the home of a beloved family member. Mrs. Lindsey and Mrs. Macy run the front office/school, and they are both kind, easy to talk to, very responsive, and keep things running calmly and smoothly. Every morning they great each student by name, and often start a personalized conversation with each child. My son started Pre-K3 here in Ms. Stephanie and Ms. Judys class, and I couldnt have asked for a better "home away from home" than their inviting and joy-filled classroom. We started here after we moved to Sugar Land, but knowing what I know now, it would be well worth the drive even if you live further away! In fact, the only reason my son wont be here through kindergarten is that he has an opportunity to join his older siblings at their school in Houston... otherwise Id be back year after year! The entire preschool is decorated with beautiful seasonal decorations and rotating childrens art throughout the school year, and the rooms and hallway are all so clean, bright, colorful, and well-maintained. Every Thursday they have chapel before class, with Gerdie the puppet, who is adorable and engaging. I wholeheartedly recommend Little Fishers to all families with tiny littles up through kindergarten.

Alicia Tesanovich You truly couldn’t ask for a better first school experience for your child. Every staff member radiates warmth, compassion, and a genuine dedication to kindness and understanding in every situation. They care for your children as if they were their own. This was my baby girl’s very first year in school, and I was terrified to let her go—but they eased my fears from day one. Now, she wakes up excited to go to school every single day. I feel incredibly blessed to have found this amazing community. What a truly special place to begin a child’s educational journey.

Morgan Peach Little fishers has completely changed our lives. The entire staff is so welcoming and accepting of anyone. My child had an extreme speech delay and just by curriculum, care, and schedule she’s improved 10-fold. We can’t recommend little fishers more!!

Hazel Davis Apparently, a science teacher—possibly the biology teacher—has a tendency to speak dismissively and disrespectfully about faith, particularly Christianity, making it quite uncomfortable for the students that are religious. From what I have been told many students have complained regarding this teachers disgusting comments on Christians and Christianity. This is deeply surprising and saddening, given that St. Stephens is reputed to be a Christian school.

Mauricio Toscano protect your kids from this place

William Payne Not worth it. It’s a fine school- but not worth the money (in my opinion). Plenty of other great public and private schools around for much less money or free that will do an equally good job of educating your kid. They start with smart kids (selected via testing) who would succeed most anywhere, and guess what- they graduate smart kids. Also, they really don’t encourage AP studies and credits- which is a surprise in 2023.

Melissa Rodriguez Coach Curry was amazing!! Thank you so much for instructing "Positive Families." I really looked forward to your class with my son Anthony. He opened up and learned valuable lessons. I was very doubtful about my son going to this school, but I am glad he went to better himself. Thanks to all the staffing who played apart in his short time there.

SOUTHSIDE CHOLO Some of these teachers r racist to Spanish speaking kids....I stayed with my kid cause it was her 1st day. And I heard a teacher telling these kids that they need to learn English.Yes these kids made a mistake. But u do no belittle them..someone needs to a story on this place

Alexander Negrete I like this school more than my homeschool

Jade Walker We are in our second year at this lovely school and have grown with our kids in amazing ways! The opportunity to be close to our kids through sports, clubs, and volunteering is wonderful. Our middle school boys love going to school each day and for that alone, we are so grateful to the school staff, teachers and fellow families!

Allie Porter As my son prepares to graduate from St. Francis School as an 8th grader, I could not recommend it more. Yes, he was accepted in to every magnet and special program high school he applied to, including LASA. But that was never our goal. What he has gained from being a part of this loving and diverse community these past five years has exceeded every hope and wish we had for him. He recently returned from the annual 8th grade trip to Italy (!), and he and his classmates are in every way the kind, responsible, loyal, curious, compassionate, creative, and inventive peers you would want for your kid. It will be hard and sad to leave this wonderful community behind, no matter how well theyve prepared him for the challenge of high school. I wish we had found it sooner.

Jenny Walker Our older daughter started kindergarten at St. Francis this year, and our younger kiddo will be joining pre-k next fall. We could not be happier with our experience! The sense of community at this school is unmatched, and all of the teachers and staff are fantastic. We love the small class sizes, and the focus on social emotional learning and diversity. Our family is secular, and this school is extremely warm and welcoming to us as well as families of all different faiths and backgrounds. Truly, St. Francis is the best kept secret in town, and we are so thankful to have joined the Wolfpack!

Christine Balthazor The Cypress School has been the biggest blessing to our family! This is our second year at the school and we cant imagine being elsewhere! Our children receive the highest quality education; one that is unlike a traditional classroom environment. The individualized attention, tailoring of lessons to meet the child where they are, the hands-on learning environment, small class sizes, home-like feel, intriguing curriculum, close-knit community, Christian environment, and some of the best families, are what makes The Cypress School the best! Our family will be forever grateful for the staff, and most importantly for Ms. Kristen (the owner of the school). Words simply cant describe the angel that she is and the profound impact she is leaving on each of her students.

Brooke Caterisano Our family LOVES the Cypress School Of Austin. I taught Kindergarten in public school and I could only dream of having a classroom like the one Ms. Kristen set up for her students. I knew within minutes that I wanted my son to go to this school. We are on our second year and I am SO impressed with the hands-on learning that takes place. It is truly the best of the best, developmentally, for this age group. Ms. Kristen, and the entire staff, put children first in this safe and nurturing learning environment.

Taylor Burke This is my favorite school in the area! My biological son as well as my 2 foster children attended and it was such a gift to our family. The director allowed our 6 year old foster son to have multiple therapists come to the school to observe him and work with him. All of those therapists commented on what an amazing school it was. The teachers are wonderful at character building as well as teaching academics. I can’t say enough good things about this school.

Jamal Gross Spend just 10 minutes with these high schoolers and you’ll be fired up about what school should be. Inspiring, driven, and unlike anything else out there.

Michael John Sewell Beans

Brooke B My daughter now 6 and my son who Recently turned 5 both attend IVY! We tried two different public schools and both times my daughter had horrible experiences at the age of only 4! The amount of money is nothing compared to the education and safety of my children !. I haven’t had not one single issue occur. The teachers are all so kind.

Liz Blumberg Hall Fantastic school, staff, and curriculum!

C Bowers We tried two others pre-schools in the area that were absolutely horrible before we found Ivy. Luckily, my husband found Ivy and weve been there ever since. My daughter attended Ivy since the age of 3 and is now a flourishing 2nd grader in the advanced program at her public school. My son currently attends Ivy and we absolutely love it! This school is every parents dream come true. The turnover is nearly nonexistent when it comes to the teachers, which was why we chose this school. The teachers that taught my daughter are still there today. If youre looking for a wonderful, structured, loving learning environment for your child, this is it. Just to give you an idea of how wonderful the teachers are: my daughter (blonde girlie princess) would come home from school with hearts braided into her hair with varying braided styles every day! It was so sweet! When I would go to pick my daughter up she would tell me that she didnt want to leave lol. Esmeralda (the director) is so understanding and kind and is an excellent communicator. You know your kids are always safe with her at the helm. Ms. Cecy and Ms. Lizzy were fabulous and so sweet! Mrs. Maria is a teaching genius and keeps the kiddos on task (its truly miraculous) with super fun activities, songs, and lessons every day. She taught my daughter how to write and how to color inside of the lines, which were challenging issues at the time. My daughter absolutely LOVED her!!! Ms. Blanca is also so genuinely kind and caring. Shes a great teacher and challenges her students in all of the right ways. Ms. Berma and Mrs. Luisa have always been so positive and sweet! This school doesnt have the boring normal curriculum that you would find at other preschools. They have so many different activities, hands-on educational toys (great for fine motor skills), and a variable schedule throughout the school day so the kids dont get bored. Both of my kids have loved this school and so have we! This is honestly the best school youll find in the area. Also, the playground is shaded (no need for daily sunscreen), which was a HUGE bonus for us!

Cintia Listenbee A great school! A jewell for families in the area.

Phatt Tu My kids attend the mothers day out program and they love it. Kids are always happy to get there and a little sad to leave.

Brad Duke My middle school child started there this year. Looking for a smaller school experience, from a larger South Austin public school. We could not be happier. He can use a little extra attention, and the school staff, students and parents all are very helpful. He is very social, and he really enjoys the social opportunities - athletics, youth group, school trips and in general, daily school interaction. Great place.

Jacob Drinkard Best elementary school I’ve ever experienced in my freaking life. I mean… wow. Amazing.

H. Elizondo My 11-year-old is finishing up his first semester at the Studio and he could probably fill a book with all the reasons he loves it. In fact, he may do just that over summer break while he’s counting down the days until he can get back. The staff is amazing - they truly love, respect and challenge the children in all the best ways. Communication with students and parents is top notch and there are many great opportunities for socializing and community service. The space itself is open, warm and inviting – fully equipped to support comfort, focus and creativity. After homeschooling for many years, we expected it would be difficult for our introverted kid to transition to this new environment, but instead we all adjusted quickly and our son is absolutely thriving in this setting. He loves project-based learning with his peers and guides, while still having time throughout the day for independent study time to focus on goals at his own pace.

Lindsay Schwarz So much to say about the Studio! We come from public school backgrounds and love to learn ourselves. For our kids, we explored many educational models (classical university model, public, private, fully homeschool). Grateful for the options in Austin! Then, we found the Studio. Its a project-based meets classical educational environment. The part-time model allows us to be flexible on the weekends (or work from home alongside one another on Mon/Fri). The socratic discussions introduce challenging and diverse topics in order to teach our child how to have a respectful discussion when both parties do not agree (what a skill to have in our current cultural environment!). The emphasis on the love of learning (and not test-based teaching) encouraged a playfulness and curiosity that is just plain fun! The tuition is incredibly reasonable in a popular city like Austin. Theres an emphasis on being a productive member of society by giving back several times throughout the year, which teaches our kid to be a producer not just a consumer. The biggest challenge for us as parents is allowing our student to try and fail (then try again!) withOUT us stepping in. That said, our son has increased his level of ownership over his learning and project completion, as well as increased his grit. The caring and respectful guides mixed with the student numbers in each pod allow each student to be known. What a gift to have folks come alongside you and encourage a love of learning in your child! It is a coop, so each family is asked to contribute volunteer hours. However, we have found that the Studio has benefited our family more than it has required of us. Grateful for this community!

Blake Outlaw Our kids have benefitted greatly from this educational model. Would recommend to anyone!

Jody Donovan Best preschool in town!

Benny Maxwell My childs experience has been wonderful over the past eight years. My interactions with the staff and teachers has always been great. The facilities have always been clean and safe, with plenty of fun and educational activities for the kiddos.

Billy Triplett We’ve seen our child prosper and grow in leaps and bounds thanks to this school and the people behind it. The life lessons and adventures these kiddos undertake on a daily basis is amazing to witness. I highly recommend this environment for children who love being outdoors.

Sara Mielke Extremely qualified and educated admin and staff, and its obvious theyre in this for the right reasons. We are so thankful to have found such a wonderful community and school. They nurture neurodivergent students with empathy and expertise while also maintaining a peaceful atmosphere for all students. A school that does both of these things well is like a needle in a haystack. These educators are true professionals.