Austin High School

1715 West Cesar Chavez Street

School District

Austin Independent
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Austin Independent School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by student on October 09, 2024

A few safety issues. For a long period of time the front door was unlocked at all times, the lock did not work. My main concern is that it is well known that random people not attending the school can come in and walk around for hours without being noticed by staff. I attended for four years and the same sinks that were broken freshman year still did not work senior year. Some staff are great, while others are punitive. Parking spots are also few and far between. There’s also no measurements taken against bullying. I’ve seen students throw drinks at other students in the midst of class and the teachers would not say anything. Pickup at the end of the day is also a nightmare, as parents park in the middle of the road or on the grass to pick up their children, it is an unsafe environment for novice drivers to navigate.
Submitted by parent on August 16, 2024

The administration at Austin High refuses to take responsibility when they make mistakes and send a teenager into a suicidal crisis. Their anti-bullying policies are in place to protect the administration, rather than the students it is meant to protect. The school PTA is led by privileged tarry town moms who lack ANY cultural awareness, and Dr. Bedford will not do anything about it because he's led by the money they put in his pocketbook. Shame on you Austin High. Shame. On. You! If anyone is reading this. Send your kid to Bowie!
Submitted by student on February 09, 2023

Pretty decent school did not have any negative experiences during my time here :D
Submitted by student on May 18, 2022

at this school, I have constantly gotten bullied and the teachers are really rude I had heard this was a bad school and know i know it relly is also the sped ed program is a waste of time trust me ur gonna wanna get out the first year u can i have had pepole hurt me and there are fights all the time
Submitted by parent on December 17, 2021

This school has a much needed new principal. Like all schools, what students get out of it is largely dependent on the student's dedication and parent involvement. The school went to an all academy model instead of having one academy and then regular high school classes. It has rigorous academic classes, excellent fine arts classes, athletics, and a wide range of extracurriculars. All my children graduated from Austin High and they all said Austin High completely prepared them for college classes. They were all able to get into UT Austin because of everything Austin High had to offer, and they worked their tails off. Some parents complain about drugs at this high school, but EVERY high school in this city and state has the same issue.
Submitted by student on November 05, 2021

Austin High creates strong student leaders, and everyone who attends is proud to have gone there.
Submitted by parent on May 30, 2021

So glad that we chose to stay at Austin High. The four academies are great and such an effective way to make a big school feel smaller. Teachers are so invested in the kids. Fine arts and sports are well run and challenging/engaging for the kids. Love the location too.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2021

Very disappointed with this school year and how this school chose to deal with COVID. Not the district, but the school. And actually, particular teachers. Some were good, but some were bad, such as the Algebra II teacher. He counted points off for every day a homework assignment was late. And if 10 days passed, the student got a zero. And yet, he would assign homework for which he gave a key! It wasn't about whether a student understood Algebra but if they followed arbitrary rules. For my child, it just led to increased depression and increased sense of not being able to come up to speed. It was already emotionally traumatic to deal with a school year turned upside down - why have arbitrary little details increased the stress and burden? It was all for nothing. I don't think he cared about my child.
Submitted by student on January 19, 2020

Amazing and full of moments I will cherish forever
Submitted by parent on November 06, 2019

So far, AHS has been a terrible high school experience. The principal seems far more concerned about the public image of the school than about connecting with students or parents. They talk big about the academy structure, which does seem like it could be a great model, but in reality the day-to-day here is just like any typical gigantic high school. The only thing the kids in each academy “learning community” have in common is the same 4 core teachers. Nothing is done to bring them together as a community beyond that. There is a massive problem with kids using drugs IN THE BUILDING DURING SCHOOL and the administration does nothing. Students are offered illegal drugs daily. It’s unavoidable. Yes, there are drugs at every high school, but the role it plays here is absurd and alarming. Kids just slip into the bathroom, vape, and go back to class or they skip class and nobody asks any questions until they’ve reached district limit of absences. Socially it's also hard to navigate because it is so crowded and chaotic. Kids who aren't academic overachievers or plugged into band, a sport, or theater easily get lost in the shuffle. The teachers seem solid overall, but obviously overwhelmed and overworked.
Submitted by parent on July 01, 2019

My student just graduated. This school is horrible. Any positive experiences that one might recall from previous decades do not hold true today. The school ran out of paper. It spent its entire budget on cheap, barely useable Chromebooks, and as a result there was not enough paper for the students by the end of the school year.It does not have enough lockers for students, so the administration's decided that no students should have lockers. Everyone must carry textbooks on their person. The lockers themselves remain on the walls, because removing them also costs the district money. However, joining a sport does give you a locker. One of my children had a class with more than 40 students enrolled. This in and of itself is not bad, however the classroom was not designed to handle that many students. As such, THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH DESKS. Students had to share desks with others if they arrived late. Austin High is very diverse, which is a plus. The academies do facilitate a closer learning experience.
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2019

Austin High has cutting edge programing. Their academies are outstanding. They offer so many unique electives and sports. There are so many opportunities for the students to learn and grow. It is an excellent school, but it has it's pitfalls too. It is up to the student to make the choices to either take full advantage of all the positives that the school has to offer, or unfortunately the darker antithesis.
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2017

Austin High openly discriminates against students with social anxiety disorder.
Submitted by parent on August 01, 2016

So far, we have had a wonderful experience at Austin High. We love the band and jazz programs and the other fine arts programs are strong, as well. The Academy for Global Studies provides students with some exceptional experiences. KAHS is the online media program and is also strong.
Submitted by parent on April 09, 2014

We had the same experience at Austin High in senior year with our dyslexic daughter. The dyslexia grapevine made us aware that typically only one 504 meeting was provided in any public high school. Many parents do know their rights and those of their students. However, it is just not useful to spend the energy to bicker with a system that has no desire to educate students that learn differently. We discovered this in elementary school when the school was unwilling to evaluate our daughter. Thus, began our reliance on a private resource system that provided the assistance our daughter needed, and assisted us in knowing our rights. Public education was not willing to provide the information. It is unfortunate that not all dyslexic students have parents that know their rights to advocate for their students. Nor do some families have the resources to provide private assistance to their students. These students are at a great disadvantage and more likely drop out of school or are unprepared for life after high school. Please help these students. They can be successful if only they receive the support they need.
Submitted by teacher on February 07, 2014

This is in regards to the parent of the student with a 504. You need know your rights as a parent. The school was not in compliance with the law. You could've/should've filed due process. I'm sorry to hear about your struggle to get your child the services needed.
Submitted by teacher on November 08, 2013

I used to be a pre-ap freshman biology teacher at Westlake High School. I quit because the students simply didn't try or succeed. At Austin High I can see a huge difference in the way they've been taught. They try and accede my expectations. They listen and participate in class unlike the students I taught at Westlake. The staff at Westlake was cold and didn't seem to care about the students success and how they were doing. I would not recommend going to Westlake. I've been loving Austin High School, and would highly recommend it for anymore willing to work hard and try hard. Go maroons!
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2013

This school is a long standing high school with wonderful student diversity. Yet, it could benefit from more rigorous standards that motivate students at all levels. At one end of the spectrum grad rates are low for a 5A school, at the other end there are few national merit finalists in each grad class. Extracurricular activities are not incredibly strong. Theater is quite strong. Music related groups are weak but some improve. Band is not an inclusive group. Athletics is a brighter spot as it attempts to reach out to a variety of students. The new AD strives to hold all students to the same standards and to make the students feel included in the teams in which they participate.