Liberal Arts & Science Academy (LASA)
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A selective magnet school within Austin ISD, LASA is consistently ranked as one of Texas’s best public high schools—#4 in the state and #32 nationally (2023 U.S. News). It’s known for rigorous academics and exceptionally high standardized test scores Austin ISD+10paulypresleyrealty.com+10texashomeimprovement.com+10Wikipedia.
McCallum High School
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Part of Austin ISD, McCallum offers around 25 AP courses and dual enrollment. Recognized with multiple “A” ratings and distinctions in academics, growth, and college readiness. Its journalism program has recently earned top statewide honors Wikipedia.
Westlake High School & Vandegrift High School
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Located in Eanes ISD (Westlake) and nearby Texas districts, these high schools are consistently praised in rankings and local opinion. Reddit users cite them as among the best public options in Austin Reddit+1.
Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
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A competitive public school (grades 6‑12) focused on leadership, STEM, and wellness. Students must apply and are selected via a lottery; the curriculum includes AP and Pre‑AP courses with pathways in biomedical science, engineering, or media collegetransitions.com+3Wikipedia+3Austin ISD+3.
🔍 Top Public Elementary & Middle Schools
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Round Rock and Lake Travis ISDs frequently appear in statewide rankings. Schools like Cactus Ranch and Laurel Mountain Elementary achieve high ratings for reading and math performance Bramlett Partners+3austin.culturemap.com+3paulypresleyrealty.com+3.
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Within Austin, top-rated public schools based on GreatSchools reviews include: Elsa England Elementary, Baldwin Elementary, Hill Country Middle School, Casis Elementary, River Ridge Elementary, and Vandegrift High (for those into middle and elementary metrics) greatschools.org.
🏫 Leading Private Schools
According to College Transitions and recent news:
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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Griffin School, Peace Academy, Regents School, St. Gabriel’s Catholic, Headwaters, Hyde Park, and Austin Waldorf School rank among Austin’s best private schools collegetransitions.com.
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St. Stephen’s Episcopal is particularly distinguished and widely recognized statewide timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
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Veritas Academy is another respected private institution emphasizing classical Christian education and a college prep model from preschool through 12th grade Wikipedia.
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St. Andrew’s Episcopal is known for strong fine arts, athletics, and student participation across many varsity sports, with Choir performances at venues like Carnegie Hall Wikipedia.
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Alpha School – an innovative AI-powered private system—is expanding its presence with new campuses in Austin focused on accelerated and tech-integrated learning (grades 5–8 and high school) axios.com.
📌 Notable School Districts
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Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD, and Round Rock ISD consistently rank at the top across Austin metro, measured by academic performance, teacher quality, graduation rates, and college readiness Bramlett Partners+1.
📘 Summary Table
| Category | Schools / Districts |
|---|---|
| Public High Schools | LASA, McCallum, Westlake (Eanes ISD), Vandegrift |
| Public Middle/Elem | Round Rock ISD schools, Eanes ISD schools, Ann Richards School |
| Private Schools | St. Stephen’s, St. Andrew’s, Veritas, Alpha School |
| Outstanding Districts | Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Round Rock ISD |
🌟 Choosing the Best Fit
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Academic rigor & specialization? LASA and McCallum are premier public options.
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Focus on leadership and STEM in a girls’ environment? Ann Richards School delivers well-rounded prep.
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Looking for private classical or arts-focused education? St. Stephen’s, St. Andrew’s, Veritas, Griffin, and Alpha School offer strong programs with different philosophies.
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Location matters. If proximity is important, District trends may guide your neighborhood choice—Eanes ISD is often considered the most elite within Austin proper, while Round Rock & Lake Travis offer excellent, high-performing public schooling too.
🏛 Higher Education Spotlight
While your question centers on K‑12 schools, it's worth noting that The University of Texas at Austin continues to be the state's top university—recently ranked #30 in U.S. News for national universities and top in public school rankings. UT Austin also earned global recognition as the only Texas school in the U.S. top 20 in the QS rankings (#68 worldwide) kpel965.comWikipedia+3paulypresleyrealty.com+3greatschools.org+3Wikipedia+1.
Final Thoughts
Austin’s educational landscape is rich and varied. Whether you're seeking a top-performing public magnet, a leadership-based girls' academy, or a private school with strong arts or tech integration, you'll find excellent options tailored to diverse philosophies and priorities. If you'd like help narrowing choices by neighborhood, extracurricular strengths, or admissions criteria, I'm happy to help further!
