ACE Academy

5206 Balcones Drive

Austin, TX 78731

40 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on November 08, 2024

I've been working at ACE Academy for 5 years, 3 of them as a teacher and the last 2 in the administration department, and I can confidently say it’s an extraordinary place. The community here is unparalleled: committed families, motivated students, and an incredibly professional and dedicated team of educators. ACE Academy goes beyond academic education; it fosters an environment of growth and respect where every student feels valued and supported. Seeing the positive impact it has on the lives of students and their families is incredibly rewarding, and it makes me proud to be part of this institution. I wholeheartedly recommend ACE Academy; it’s truly a special place
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2024

My son was in the public school system at a highly-rated school for three years (K-2) before we switched to ACE. While the public school was doing its best, my son, who was tested as Gifted, was not learning much and, due to the funding shortages, was not getting specialized attention. In the Fall of his 2nd year in the public school, I talked to his teacher, and she told me that while she would love to feed my son with more advanced materials, she did not have the time or resources with 22 kids in the class. She was the one who told us that if we had the means, we should move our son to a private school. That is when we started our search among the private schools in Austin and decided on ACE after visiting five private schools in the area. We decided on ACE because of its individualized approach to each kid academically and its main emphasis on social-emotional learning. My son is gifted but is not neurodivergent and does not present any specific social-emotional issues. At first, we were concerned whether the small classes (there are 11 in my son's class) would be socially limiting and whether having some 2E children in the school would take attention away from "not neurodivergent kids" like my son to more neurodivergent kids but it has been three months since we started at ACE and we could not be happier. My son is happy every morning and is excited about school. We love how they have been listening to us as parents, adjusting their approaches to each kid when they deem changes necessary, and how they are fully supporting each kid in terms of social-emotional learning. I am only disappointed that we did not make this change to ACE any earlier!
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2024

Wonderful school for gifted 1E and 2E learners. Great supports in place for neurodivergent kiddos who might be otherwise unsuccessful in a traditional school environment. Appropriately challenging and nurturing. There is a true understanding of neurodivergence here. We feel seen.
Submitted by parent on November 06, 2023

ACE has been a fabulous school for my children. WIth small class sizes, supportive teachers and engaging content, my children have really loved their experience at ACE.
Submitted by parent on October 12, 2023

My son was hesitant to switch schools in 3rd grade. But now we're two years in and we found community, camaraderie, and passion for learning. He's so happy at ACE and they can accommodate him academically 2+ years accelerated. Yes, it's a school for smart kids, but they offer an advanced curriculum in a super nurturing environment. ACE has a great SEL program and school counselor. I love that they're a small school but they also have foreign languages, art, theater, PE, electives and lots of extras to round out the school experience. The teachers understand how gifted kids' brains work, and that they may need extra support with executive function, stress management, and building life-long learning routines. They even helped us find a way to keep him from losing his water bottle and glasses regularly!The school takes issues seriously and works expediently to address them. There's great communication overall and I feel like the administration has things under control.We've been happy so far at ACE! Pros:Academics/curriculumWell-roundedTeachers and admin are amazingPersonalized support for kid + familyHomework in lower school is very limited/manageable Cons:No playground/outdoor space is limitedClasses are very small (pro and con!)
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2023

They are advertising as school for gifted kids, the reality is they accept only gifted kids, but the level of education, especially in math and science is not better than in good public school. Especially if you child is 2+ grades above the grade assigned based on the age. They provide great access to SEL, however the school has more daycare vibe, so children don’t learn good manners. School has huge stuff and kid’s turnover, administration is silencing and gaslighting parents; aggressive behavior, physical attracts by the students are ignored, safety during field trip is non existent. This are general concerns, in our case we also got absolutely incompetent teacher, who was yelling at kids, shared some graphic details about her health, death of her husband and son, uploaded to Google classroom material for history class that included abortions, politically charged materials,Texas school shootings. Luckily at the afternoon before it was planned to be presented to kids one of the parents reported to administrator. Parents got casual reply that this is just a mistake. School doesn’t explicitly say that they are ultra liberal but independent, libertarian, conservative families will not feel welcome. Sad that this is where we are.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2023

I have been a home educator for years and have always treated the early education years with the upmost care and consideration. When my daughter requested an in school experience due to her desire to work with a variety of teachers and students I had significant concerns that what she imagined school to look like versus what she was able to acquire would near impossible to find. Even so, when I toured ACE academy, spoke with the teachers and other students I was more than willing to give it a try. I am so glad I did. The schools focus on social emotional development and focus extend well beyond the typical no bullying around. The conversations about inclusion, differences in learning, and critical thinking are absolutely top notch. My daughter’s natural curiosity has been rewarded with positivity, and encouragement, and she is excited every day to go to school and discuss her plans and ideas with her teachers and classmates ever day.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2023

I can't say enough good things about ACE Academy. It was clear public schools were not giving our profoundly gifted 9yo daughter the learning experience she needed so we had been homeschooling her for the past few years. After attending a summer camp at ACE we decided to let her give it a try. Best move ever. Extremely low student-to-teacher ratios (6:1!), extremely innovative teaching methods aimed at gifted students, and fantastic class offerings. She works hard but loves every minute of it. They only accept kids who have been officially tested as "gifted" (130+IQ) but that is part of what makes it work. Every kid (and parent) we've met there is just amazing. At the public school, we felt like our daughter was not only bored but also being asked to teach the slower kids. At ACE, they get the usual school stuff done in a few hours a day and spend the rest of the day on robotics, programming, theater, art, multimedia art, debate, math team, mandarin or Spanish, and other classes I would have killed to have when I was in school. Not for every kid but if you want the best experience for your creative and gifted child, look no further.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2023

My daughter just started in 4th grade this year, and this is our 4th school in 6 years. Every school we have previously been at has talked about a growth mindset, but this is the very first place where I've actually seen any educational institution that has made actual progress towards actually inculcating it. Her teacher is absolutely fantastic (the best we've had by a mile).At this point, I feel like a school choice veteran - we've been in 2 other private schools and one public school. My daughter did well in all of them, and was happy at the private schools and not happy, but okay at the public one. I can say where Ace stands out in organization, transparency, their ability to understand this population (my daughter is 2E), and their maturity and emotional intelligence in dealing with situations that arise.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2023

My child started in the upper school (5th-8th grade) at ACE this fall and she is so very, very happy there. She is learning a ton, has extremely interesting classes and the teachers are supportive, kind and positive. The administration is extremely responsive, respectful and they clearly care very deeply about the children. I appreciate how willing the administration and teachers are to engage with families and to address any problems that do come up. My child is challenged in her classes, but is also supported and encouraged. ACE feels very safe--whether its social-emotional safety or building security, I trust that she is well-cared for at all times. She has developed many strong new friendships and really feels comfortable and has a lot of fun with her peers. The upper school students get to choose their electives from a broad list, which my child absolutely loves. For example, this semester she was able to choose five electives (including mythology, intro to programming and multi-media art--options change every semester), in addition to taking all the core classes and a foreign language. For my child, this school was a dream come true.
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2023

For gifted kids who are gifted all the time, not just 1 hour a week in a gifted pull-out program, Ace provides advanced, individualized academics paired with world class, research backed SEL program. Kids learn how to be respectful to themselves and others while making the world a better place through caring for the environment and learning to be a true friend. The theater, arts, and foreign language programs as well as the maker space give kids a creative outlet to express themselves as confident problem solvers. Highly recommend for kids who need more than traditional schools can offer.
Submitted by parent on December 05, 2022

My child was doing OK at public. In a gifted program. Some days they were happy, other days they weren’t. They had some friends but overall were not thrilled about the socializing at public. Public wasn’t doing anything wrong but my child just didn’t have the spark - the passion for school. I also knew they could be challenged in a more thoughtful way than what could be achieved at public. My child’s light has turned on at ace. They feel happy and excited to go to school and have found friends that they truly connect with. If you can afford it, sending a gifted child to a gifted school can make all the difference for their mental health and emotional well-being. Worth the financial sacrifices to send my child here. Between the academics (great math and literacy programs) and foreign language, theatre, maker space, art, music are all offered. The children have so many creative outlets and teachers that support them.
Submitted by parent on October 21, 2022

ACE has lived up to all the hype. Our creative kiddo comes home full of positivity, energy and things to share. We love that her teachers really get to know her and see her strengths as well providing support if there are struggles. Her teacher is great: knowledgeable, relatable, engaging and responsive. They also have a teacher's aid in the class which means teacher can do 1:1 instruction as needed. ACE also takes social emotional learning seriously and you see their commitment throughout the curriculum (as opposed to a worksheet here and there as she had previously). Socially our kiddo has taken off and academically she's able to go up as needed or stay at grade for other subjects. The Maker Space is next level and the field trips have been super fun. We were super unsure about going private and then which one but ACE was the w/o a doubt an excellent choice!
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2022

This school is wonderful, and they truly achieve differentiated learning. Many schools claim to challenge students at the appropriate level across subjects, but realistically very few manage to do that. Our daughter is in 1st grade, and she loves everything about this school. Highly recommended for bright kids.
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2022

Our youngest is currently enrolled at ACE, and our older child attended for 2 years before deciding to return to AISD because she missed her neighborhood friends. ACE is a wonderful place for kids who need something different from school than public school can provide - the classes are very small, so the teachers can spend time with each student every day, and the curriculum is great. The school allows students to really get in-depth in subjects they're interested in & the teachers have high but not unreasonable expectations. We've been really impressed with everything (super fun electives in upper school like theater tech & lockpicking!), but especially the math curriculum - it's accelerated & taught in interesting, creative ways. I've also been impressed by how supportive the students are of each other. They are accepting of their classmates & their quirks, and no one gets teased about being a teacher's pet or about not fitting a certain mold. ACE is our youngest's happy place - she'd love to stay here forever. And even though our oldest decided to head back into AISD, it gave her a great educational foundation & made her more confident about her academic abilities. Highly recommend ACE for students who need more.
Submitted by parent on August 20, 2022

My child has been at the school for several years. The teachers are fantastic! They are invested in challenging the students while also supporting them as needed. The curriculum is designed to engage the students in deep, complex thinking, and the assignments are meaningful and creative. The teachers and administration are caring and responsive. The small class sizes enable the teachers to get to know the students well academically as well as socially. The school creates a very warm environment where curiosity, engagement, and learning are prioritized. ACE has a wide range of interesting electives and afterschool clubs that inspire passionate followings from the kids. The administration is efficient and effective. The school makes wise choices regarding how they prioritize their resources.Our family has been involved with several private schools over the years. ACE provides a wonderful learning environment. It's outstanding!
Submitted by parent on January 05, 2022

Gifted children are immersed into a world of learning at this school. The curriculum is carefully designed & thoughtfully implemented to nurture gifted learners natural strengths, such as critical thinking and problem solving, while challenging them to push harder and go beyond what comes easily. Social emotional learning is also supported at school and children receive daily STEAM opportunities. Curriculum is customized for each child and report cards help parent to understand the mastery levels of concepts and skills. Technology is utilized and taught while maintaining a focus on literature and musical theater, for example. This school is so well rounded - if you have a gifted learner that needs the space and environment to grow and is eager to be surrounded by friends who will challenge them - whether it's in game theory or classroom discussion - Ace Academy is the place.
Submitted by other on October 16, 2021

ACE is a great school filled with fantastic teachers and leadership. The school has handled the pandemic as well as anyone could hope, including bringing in engaged and energetic teachers that want to continue to build a great community of learning. We are very glad to be at the school!
Submitted by student on March 02, 2020

Originally, a few years ago, it was good. But now they are insensitive money-hungry people who don't care about their students. They have favorites, and if you are not one of the favorites, your experience will be miserable. Being a student who has gone there for five years now, I can tell you that this school is not worth one penny of the seventeen thousand dollars that it costs. If you are looking at sending your child here, turn the other way. This school doesn't deserve your money, time, or effort. If you love your child and want them to have a good relationship with learning, do not send them to ACE Academy.
Submitted by parent on November 20, 2019

I am a parent of two ACE students and have been with the school for several years. The school underwent a change in leadership three and a half years ago and since then I have seen positive improvements with the schools curriculum, especially in math & language arts. Under new leadership the school has also improved their policies, financial transparency and decreased teacher turnover. My kids are happy and excited to go to school every day. They have built great friendships that carry beyond the walls of ACE. It is a warm and welcoming community (ACE is a No Place for Hate school) built on a solid mission for gifted students. To have a school meet my children’s needs and be a part of such a great community is priceless.