Austin ISD serves more than 72,000 students across 130 campuses, making it the largest school district in Central Texas and a defining factor in neighborhood home values. Whether you are relocating for family reasons, evaluating a Tarrytown estate, or weighing a Zilker bungalow, this guide gives you the AISD intelligence that matters before you buy.
Austin ISD at a Glance, 2026
Austin Independent School District is the sixth-largest school district in Texas, serving students across the city of Austin and several surrounding communities. The district operates roughly 130 campuses serving more than 72,000 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Its boundaries cover most of the City of Austin proper, though pockets along the city edges fall into neighboring districts such as Eanes ISD (West Lake Hills), Round Rock ISD (far northwest Austin, 78759), Lake Travis ISD (southwest corridor), and Del Valle ISD (southeast).
For families relocating to Austin, particularly those eyeing the established central-city neighborhoods of Tarrytown, Rosedale, Hyde Park, Clarksville, Barton Hills, and Travis Heights, AISD is almost certainly the district that applies. Understanding how to navigate its campuses, magnet programs, and boundary maps is essential before committing to any purchase.
District Fast Facts
| Metric | Data Point |
|---|---|
| Total Students (2025–26) | 72,000+ |
| Total Campuses | ~130 |
| Elementary Schools | ~75 |
| Middle Schools | ~18 |
| High Schools | ~12 (plus magnets) |
| Budget (2025–26) | ~$1.5 billion |
| Superintendent | Matias Segura |
| AISD Website | austinisd.org |
AISD Magnet Schools, The Full Picture
Austin ISD operates one of Texas's most robust magnet school ecosystems. Magnet programs are open to any student within AISD boundaries (and in some cases, beyond) through a competitive application process. They are not tied to your neighborhood attendance zone, meaning a family in East Austin can apply to a school on the far west side, and vice versa. Transportation to magnet programs is generally not provided, so proximity matters practically if not legally.
Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
Widely regarded as AISD's most selective campus, Ann Richards School is a STEM-focused all-girls middle and high school serving grades 6–12. The curriculum emphasizes project-based learning, engineering design, and leadership development. Alumnae acceptance rates to four-year universities consistently exceed 98%, and the school routinely sends graduates to institutions including UT Austin, Rice, MIT, and the Ivy League. Applications open each fall for the following school year; the school receives several applicants for every available seat.
Address: 2206 Prather Ln, Austin, TX 78704 | Grades: 6–12 | All-girls
Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA)
LASA, housed on the LBJ High School campus, is AISD's flagship academically selective high school for grades 9–12. It consistently ranks among the top public high schools in Texas and nationally, with U.S. News & World Report placing it in the top 1% of high schools nationally in recent years. LASA's curriculum covers advanced mathematics, sciences, humanities, and language arts at a college-preparatory level that rivals many independent school programs. The AP course catalog exceeds 30 offerings, and student participation in the National Merit Scholarship program is proportionally among the highest in the state.
Admission is competitive: students complete academic assessments and a portfolio review. AISD residents have priority; spaces are extremely limited. This is not a neighborhood school you "fall into", it requires deliberate planning well before a child reaches high-school age.
Address: 7309 Lazy Creek Dr, Austin, TX 78724 | Grades: 9–12 | Co-ed
McCallum Fine Arts Academy
McCallum High School's Fine Arts Academy is the district's primary magnet for students with serious artistic interests, including visual arts, band, choir, theatre, and dance. The program feeds into McCallum's strong overall fine arts culture, where many students pursue conservatory-level training alongside a traditional academic curriculum. McCallum's marching band and orchestra programs have earned state-level recognition for decades. The Fine Arts Academy has an audition-based admissions process with separate tracks by discipline.
Address: 5719 Shield Dr, Austin, TX 78756 | Grades: 9–12 | Co-ed
Austin High School International Baccalaureate
Austin High School, one of AISD's oldest campuses (founded 1881), offers a full IB Diploma Programme for grades 11 and 12, with preparatory IB courses beginning in grade 9. The program is open to both neighborhood-zoned students and magnet applicants. Austin High's location in the Clarksville neighborhood, adjacent to Tarrytown and steps from the hike-and-bike trail around Lady Bird Lake, makes it particularly sought-after for families in the city's central west side. The IB designation provides internationally recognized transcripts, valuable for students whose families move internationally or who seek enrollment at global universities.
Top AISD Elementary Schools by Neighborhood
For families with younger children, elementary school assignment often drives the neighborhood decision more than any other factor. The following campuses are consistently among the most-requested in AISD and command measurable premiums in the surrounding real estate market.
Casis Elementary, Tarrytown
Located in the heart of Tarrytown at 2710 Exposition Blvd, Casis Elementary School is arguably Austin's most sought-after elementary campus. The school serves one of the city's most affluent and established neighborhoods, where median home values routinely exceed $2 million. Casis has maintained strong parent involvement, exceptional PTA fundraising, and consistently high student performance metrics. The campus earned a "Distinguished" rating in recent accountability cycles. Homes zoned to Casis often trade at a meaningful premium even within Tarrytown's already elevated price range.
The feeder pattern from Casis runs through O. Henry Middle School and on to Austin High School, giving families a clear, academically strong K–12 pathway entirely within the central city.
Barton Hills Elementary, Near Zilker Park
Situated at 4700 Tiftwood Dr, Barton Hills Elementary serves the neighborhood of the same name, adjacent to the beloved Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool. The campus has a reputation for exceptional teacher retention, strong community culture, and well-maintained facilities. Families who purchase in Barton Hills, South Lamar near Oltorf, or Bouldin Creek often cite Barton Hills Elementary as a primary motivation. As with Casis, the school's strength translates directly into a real estate premium in the surrounding blocks.
Bryker Woods Elementary, Rosedale
Bryker Woods Elementary at 3309 Kerbey Ln serves the Rosedale neighborhood north of 38th Street. The campus benefits from an extremely active parent community and one of the strongest PTA organizations in AISD. Academic performance scores, teacher quality ratings, and family satisfaction surveys consistently place Bryker Woods in AISD's top tier. The Rosedale neighborhood itself is among Austin's most stable and desirable historic districts, featuring predominantly pre-1960 craftsman and bungalow architecture.
Brentwood Elementary, North Loop / Brentwood
Brentwood Elementary at 6700 Auburn Dr anchors the Brentwood and North Loop neighborhoods, two of Austin's most rapidly appreciating inner-city areas. The school has seen significant investment in recent years and benefits from an engaged parent body. As North Loop has transformed into one of Austin's hippest commercial corridors, buyer demand for Brentwood-zoned homes has increased substantially. Families who want walkability, neighborhood character, and a solid elementary school look seriously at this zone.
International Baccalaureate & Dual Language Programs
Beyond magnet schools, AISD operates a network of International Baccalaureate and dual language campuses that attract families prioritizing globally-oriented or bilingual education.
IB Campuses in AISD
AISD is an authorized IB World School at multiple levels. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is offered at several elementary campuses including Barrington Elementary, Murchison (at the middle level, MYP), and Austin High School (DP at the high school level). The full IB pathway, from PYP through DP, is available to students who plan intentionally, though it requires attending specific campuses at each level and navigating AISD's open-enrollment and magnet application processes.
Families targeting an IB pathway should consult the official AISD website and the IB Organization school finder for the most current authorized campus list, as designations can change with each academic year.
Dual Language Programs
AISD has expanded its dual language (Spanish-English) offerings significantly over the past decade. Programs follow a 50/50 or 90/10 immersion model, depending on the campus. Prominent dual language elementary campuses include Pillow, Govalle, Dawson, and Houston. At the middle school level, Lamar Middle School and Kealing Middle School offer dual language continuations. The district's dual language pipeline is one of the more robust in Texas for a large urban district, reflecting Austin's growing bilingual professional community and the value parents place on multilingual education.
How to Look Up Your AISD School by Address
Boundary assignment in AISD can be counterintuitive. A street in Travis Heights may be zoned to a different campus than the parallel street two blocks away. Before purchasing any Austin home, verify the school assignment through official channels, never rely on the listing agent or a neighborhood name alone.
- AISD School Finder: Visit austinisd.org and use the "Find My School" tool under the Families section. Enter the street address and the tool returns the assigned elementary, middle, and high school campuses.
- Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD): The traviscad.org property search includes the school district and campus assignment in property details. This is particularly useful when comparing multiple properties quickly.
- City of Austin GIS: The austintexas.gov GIS mapping portal overlays AISD attendance zone boundaries on a parcel map, allowing you to visualize zone boundaries relative to specific streets and neighborhoods.
- GreatSchools Profiles: greatschools.org provides user reviews, test score summaries, and rating profiles for every AISD campus. Use it for qualitative context, not as a substitute for the official AISD address lookup.
- Call AISD Directly: For complex boundary questions or mid-year enrollment situations, AISD's main line is (512) 414-1700.
AISD Declining Enrollment & School Consolidations
Austin ISD has faced a significant and well-documented enrollment decline over the past decade. The district peaked near 85,000 students in the mid-2010s and has shed roughly 13,000 students since, driven by rising housing costs that have pushed young families to suburbs like Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, and Georgetown where housing is more affordable, and by the growth of charter school options within Austin itself.
In response, AISD has undertaken a series of school consolidation decisions, merging or closing campuses to reduce operational costs and right-size the district's footprint. The 2022–2024 consolidation cycle was particularly significant, affecting more than a dozen campuses. Some beloved neighborhood elementary schools were merged into nearby facilities, creating community tension and in some cases affecting neighborhood home values at the margins.
What This Means for Buyers
Enrollment trends have two implications for real estate buyers. First, a campus's current boundaries and ratings are not guaranteed to remain stable, verify at austinisd.org and ask your agent whether any nearby campuses are on consolidation watch lists. Second, the demographic pressures that drove enrollment decline (housing cost, charter competition) are the same forces reshaping Austin's real estate market. Areas losing young families tend to see softer demand in the entry and move-up segments.
That said, the most sought-after AISD campuses, Casis, Barton Hills, Bryker Woods, serve neighborhoods where housing costs are so high that the families who can afford them tend to be stable, long-tenure residents with strong civic investment. These campuses have been notably shielded from consolidation discussions.
Gifted & Talented (GT) Programs in AISD
AISD identifies and serves gifted and talented students under the Texas Education Code Chapter 29 mandate, which requires districts to provide GT services. AISD's GT program operates at two levels:
Campus-Based GT Services (Grades K–12)
Every AISD elementary campus is required to identify and provide services for GT students. At the elementary level, GT students typically receive differentiated instruction within their home classroom, supplemented by pull-out enrichment activities with a GT specialist. The quality and frequency of these services varies by campus and year, campuses with strong parent advocacy and PTA-funded enrichment programs tend to offer more robust GT experiences.
Self-Contained GT Programs
AISD also operates self-contained GT classrooms at select campuses, where GT-identified students spend the majority of their instructional day in a cohort setting. These programs are particularly strong at Brentwood Elementary, Barton Hills, and a handful of other campuses. Placement in self-contained GT programs typically requires an official GT identification through AISD's assessment process, which involves teacher recommendations, parent input, and standardized testing.
Middle and High School GT Pathways
At the middle school level, GT students are often channeled into Pre-AP and advanced courses. Kealing Middle School and O. Henry Middle School have historically strong GT populations. By high school, the pathway typically leads to AP and IB coursework at the student's zoned campus or to application for a magnet program like LASA or Ann Richards.
AISD vs. Private Schools, A Buyer's Framework
Austin has a robust private school market, St. Andrew's Episcopal School, Westlake-area Hill Country Christian School, Regents School, St. Stephen's Episcopal School, Austin Waldorf School, and numerous others. For families weighing AISD against private options, the calculus typically involves three factors:
| Factor | AISD (Top Campuses) | Austin Private Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | Free (property taxes fund) | $18,000–$38,000/year |
| Class Size | 20–28 students | 12–18 students |
| Curriculum Flexibility | TEA-mandated TEKS | Varies widely (IB, Waldorf, classical, etc.) |
| College Outcomes | Strong at LASA, Ann Richards, Austin HS IB | Generally strong across top schools |
| Home Value Impact | Zone assignment affects resale value | Irrelevant to zone; buyer pays tuition instead |
From a real estate perspective, families choosing private school often have more neighborhood flexibility, they are not constrained to specific attendance zones, which can open up inventory options. However, they also pay tuition on top of Austin's relatively high property tax rates (~2% of assessed value), which affects their total housing cost budget.
AISD Bond Measures & Facility Investments
AISD has passed multiple bond measures over the past two decades to fund facility upgrades, technology investments, and new construction. The most recent major bond ($2.44 billion, approved by voters in 2022) included funding for campus renovations, new HVAC and technology infrastructure, and safety improvements district-wide. Key projects under the 2022 bond include renovations at several central-city campuses and accessibility upgrades across the district.
Bond-funded facility investments can meaningfully affect campus desirability, a freshly renovated campus with new science labs and updated common areas is more attractive to families than an aging facility with deferred maintenance. Buyers evaluating specific neighborhoods should check whether nearby AISD campuses have received or are scheduled for bond-funded improvements at austinisd.org.
How AISD Schools Affect Home Values by Neighborhood
The relationship between school quality and home values in Austin is well-documented and measurable. Research from the Austin Board of Realtors, the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M, and academic studies consistently shows that highly-rated school zones command price premiums over otherwise-comparable properties in lower-rated zones.
Quantifying the School Premium
In Austin's central neighborhoods, the school zone premium for sought-after campuses like Casis Elementary can range from approximately 5% to 15% over comparable homes in adjacent zones. This premium is persistent, it holds through buyer's markets and seller's markets alike, because the pool of buyers specifically targeting these zones does not evaporate during market corrections.
At the high school level, proximity to Austin High School (particularly for its IB program) and Anderson High School adds a more modest but measurable premium, roughly 3–8% in typical market conditions, according to Travis Central Appraisal District (traviscad.org) parcel-level analysis.
Neighborhood-Specific Observations
- Tarrytown: Casis Elementary zoning is the single largest driver of the $2M+ baseline in this neighborhood. Non-Casis streets in the same zip code trade at material discounts.
- Barton Hills: Barton Hills Elementary zoning, combined with proximity to Zilker Park, creates a dual amenity premium. Homes here have seen some of the strongest appreciation rates in Central Austin over the past decade.
- Rosedale / Hyde Park: Bryker Woods Elementary drives demand in Rosedale. Hyde Park is zoned to Bryker Woods and Ridgetop, Bryker Woods streets carry a measurable premium.
- Brentwood / North Loop: Brentwood Elementary zoning has been an underappreciated premium driver as North Loop gentrified, early buyers who understood the school value have benefited disproportionately.
Best AISD High Schools 2026
Beyond the magnet programs, AISD operates several strong neighborhood high schools worth understanding if you are purchasing in their attendance zones.
LBJ Early College High School
Co-located with LASA on the far east side, LBJ Early College HS offers an innovative dual-enrollment model where students can earn both a high school diploma and an associate's degree (or up to 60 college credit hours) through partnership with Austin Community College. This program is particularly valuable for first-generation college students and families looking to reduce the cost of a four-year degree. LBJ's overall academic profile has strengthened significantly under recent leadership.
Travis High School
Travis High School in South Austin serves a diverse student population and has made steady gains in TEA accountability ratings. The school offers strong CTE (Career and Technical Education) pathways in healthcare, technology, and trades, increasingly valuable as Austin's economy demands skilled workers across a wider range of fields than traditional four-year college paths address.
Anderson High School
Anderson High School in the North Austin / Balcones Woods area consistently ranks among AISD's strongest neighborhood high schools on traditional academic metrics. The school has a robust AP course catalog, a well-regarded fine arts program, and one of AISD's strongest parent organization networks. Homes zoned to Anderson, particularly in the Allandale, Brentwood, and Balcones Woods neighborhoods, carry the Anderson premium, which, while modest compared to Austin High, is real and measurable.
McCallum High School
McCallum High School in the Hyde Park area combines its Fine Arts Academy magnet with a strong neighborhood base. The school's academic profile is solid, and its arts programs are genuinely exceptional, the choir, orchestra, and theater departments have earned state-level recognition. For families with artistically inclined children who want a strong neighborhood high school with exceptional arts infrastructure, McCallum-zoned homes in Hyde Park and Rosedale offer compelling value.
Frequently Asked Questions, Austin ISD 2026
What are the best magnet high schools in Austin ISD?
Austin ISD's top magnet high schools include the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders (STEM focus, grades 6–12, all-girls), the Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) at LBJ High School (academically selective, grades 9–12, co-ed), McCallum Fine Arts Academy (audition-based arts magnet), and Austin High School's International Baccalaureate programme. Each requires a competitive application process with separate deadlines and criteria. Begin planning at least one academic year before your child's target entry grade.
How do I look up which Austin ISD school my address is zoned to?
Visit the Austin ISD School Finder at austinisd.org and use the "Find My School" tool. You can also use the Travis Central Appraisal District property search, which lists the assigned school campus for any Travis County address. For boundary questions, call AISD at (512) 414-1700. Always verify using official sources, third-party real estate sites often display outdated zone information.
Which Austin ISD elementary schools are most sought-after for home buyers?
Casis Elementary in Tarrytown, Barton Hills Elementary near Zilker Park, Bryker Woods Elementary in Rosedale, and Brentwood Elementary in North Loop are consistently among the most requested by families relocating to Austin. Homes zoned to these campuses typically command a 5–15% premium over otherwise-comparable homes in adjacent zones. Always verify current zoning at austinisd.org before placing an offer.
Does Austin ISD have International Baccalaureate programs?
Yes. Austin ISD offers IB programs at multiple levels. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is available at select elementary campuses. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is offered at Murchison Middle School. The IB Diploma Programme (DP) for grades 11–12 is available at Austin High School. The DP at Austin High is open to both neighborhood-zoned students and magnet applicants. Visit ibo.org for the official authorized campus list.
How does AISD school zoning affect home values in Austin?
Homes zoned to high-rated AISD campuses, especially sought-after elementaries like Casis or Barton Hills, typically trade at a 5–15% premium compared to similar homes zoned to lower-rated schools in the same zip code. This premium is persistent across market cycles. At the high school level, Anderson HS and Austin HS IB zoning also add measurable value. School zone is consistently in the top three buyer criteria for families relocating to Austin's central neighborhoods. Data available at traviscad.org.
