According to Private School Review (www.privateschoolreview.com), there are 129 private schools serving over 20,000 K-12 students in Austin, compared to 271 public schools serving ~156,000 students. The private school enrollment is nearly 12% of the total student population. The number is a significant metric for private schools’ popularity in Austin compared to Texas’ overall enrollment rate of 6%. About 35% of Austin private schools have religious affiliation, typically Catholic or Christian. The average annual tuition at Austin private schools is around $13K compared to the Texas state average of $10K.
Parents may visit the Private School Review website for the latest rankings of private schools in the Austin metro area. We’ve gathered a list of ten in the Austin area, each among the top 20% in the state, excelling in standardized test scores and college acceptance rates.
Austin Peace Academy is a highly acclaimed educational institution for the Central Texas Muslim community. The co-ed school serves more than 600 students in grades Pre-K through 12th and an average class size of 20 students. The school offers six Advanced Placement courses, plus soccer, volleyball, and basketball as student sports options.
Cathedral School of St. Mary was established in 1866 and has the distinction of being the oldest continuously running school in Austin. The Catholic-run, co-ed facility has an enrollment of under 200 students in Pre-K to 8th grade and an average class size of 20 students. Extracurricular sports include basketball, flag football, soccer, volleyball, and cheering.
Challenger School – Avery Ranch has been educating nursery-age children and students in Pre-K to 8th grade for over 60 years. The nonsectarian curriculum focuses on language arts, math, and logic to provide a firm knowledge foundation. Challenger School – Pond Springs has a younger enrollment base but offers the same early education concepts as a head start for nursery-age kids to Kindergarten students.
Founded in 1996, Griffin School serves a co-ed population of less than 200 students, grades 9-12, with a nonsectarian curriculum that includes a vast array of fine arts programs, Advanced Placement courses, extracurricular clubs and organizations, and nearly a dozen competitive sports. All classes are capped at 15 students, with many having 12 or fewer.
AESA Prep Academy is a K-12 college preparatory school with fewer than 100 students, yielding a 7:1 student-teacher ratio. The school offers an online component and has a campus in Barcelona, Spain. In place of AP courses, the school requires students in grades 11 and 12 to complete at least one college-level, dual-credit course from the University of Texas at Austin or UC Berkeley.
As Austin’s oldest progressive micro-school, AHB Community School serves less than 100 students with a dual emphasis on creativity and critical thinking. Kindergarten-8th grade children enjoy a 9:1 student-teacher ratio, creating a fun environment for learning. Students may participate in nearly ten extracurricular programs, from yoga and art classes to the Math Pentathlon and yearbook.
Austin International School has an enrollment of fewer than 200 students, grades Pre-K to 8th. The main differentiator is AIS’ trilingual immersion, teaching students in French, Spanish, and English. The student body and staff represent more than 44 countries and 17 languages, creating a unique multicultural community for educational enrichment.
Town & Country Children Montessori and Twin Oaks Montessori serve less than 100 children from six weeks to six years old. The modern approach to a Montessori education includes a robust curriculum for these younger ages, including cultural activities, extracurricular options, bilingual introduction, fine arts, and basic subject matter knowledge.
