New rankings show Austin's top-rated and most-improved charter high schools

New rankings show Austin's top-rated and most-improved charter high schoolsPhoto: Unsplash
Hoodline
Published on August 20, 2019

How strong are the charter high schools in Austin?

With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com — which include comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews — to identify those schools that made the biggest strides last year and those that lead their peers.

Harmony School of Excellence - Austin's overall rating improved the most among similar schools in Austin, rising from a B- to a B, according to data from Niche.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 2100 E. St. Elmo Road, enrolls 578 students. Harmony School of Excellence - Austin serves a somewhat diverse population: 87% of students identify as Hispanic. Niche gave the school mixed grades: B on an A-D scale for academics, B- for administration and C- for clubs and activities.

The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.

Academically, 76% of Harmony School of Excellence - Austin's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 61% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 61% in math and 48% in reading. The school's improved overall rating is notable in that it serves a less-affluent population, with 78% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 10% more than the city average.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Premier High School of North Austin saw its overall rating jump from a B to a B+. The school is located at 1835 A Kramer Lane, Suite 600 and is much smaller, currently serving 133 students, of whom 53% identify as Hispanic and 32% identify as white.

Niche gave Premier High School of North Austin mixed grades: B on an A-D scale for academics, C+ for administration and C- for clubs and activities. The school's latest math proficiency was at 87%, and reading proficiency was 67%.

While some charter high schools in Austin are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:

  • KIPP Austin Collegiate, with an overall rating of B.
  • KIPP Austin Brave, with a B rating overall.

Want more of the latest intel on Austin schools? Hoodline also analyzed the latest Niche ratings for the city's public elementary schools.


This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.