Congratulations to LASA - #1 in TX, #8 in the US (San Antonio: layoffs, neighborhoods)

[hillcountryheart]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I am not OCD about school rankings, school prestige or the like. If anything, such things give some parents a swollen head. One thing I've learned navigating the school system is that while yo'd like think it's all about the kids, for some it's all about their own bragging rights. "My kid is _____".

I'm the parent of a LASA kid, and a non-LASA kid. I'm glad we have options available. I don't have any bumper stickers on my car for either school.

[austin0]

Does anyone know what is residency requirements for LASA. Do you have to be doing middle in AISD or do you have to move to AISD area after admission test says go . Or is the test open to all ?

[hillcountryheart]

Originally Posted by austin0

Does anyone know what is residency requirements for LASA. Do you have to be doing middle in AISD or do you have to move to AISD area after admission test says go . Or is the test open to all ?

That's a good question. You do have to live in the AISD area to attend the school, but I'm not sure if you must do so during the application process. My guess is that you would. Kids who move into the district mid-year are sometimes considered for Kealing and LASA if they were attending similar programs in their old districts.

[Austinite101]

Originally Posted by austin0

Does anyone know what is residency requirements for LASA. Do you have to be doing middle in AISD or do you have to move to AISD area after admission test says go . Or is the test open to all ?

Most of the people I knew that went to LASA were admitted prior to starting their freshman year at LASA coming from an AISD middle school.

[centralaustinite]

Paragon Prep and St. Francis School also send quite a few students to LASA each year, I have know kids from other private MS who go to LASA too.

I know one person who applied to LASA intending to move into AISD if they got in, they were not admitted. I am actually in the middle of this right now with an 8th grader, and for all magnet programs the AISD website states that addresses will be verified during the application process.

The goal of all the magnet programs is to serve the AISD attendance area, not draw students from outside it. The test is just one part of the application process.

[orngkat]

This whole "school ranking" thing is a crock. All it does is highlight schools with homogenous populations of above-average socioeconomic status.

For an in-depth look at this topic, read the book Excellent Sheep.
One of mine went to Science Academy before it was LASA. She really benefited in two ways - she was exposed to a wide variety of students (low income, diverse, etc) AND was motivated by her fellow magnet peers to excel. It was a good experience.

[riaelise]

My husband attended the science academy before it became LASA as well. He also attended keeling middle. The Science Academy was a feeder school for UT then, not sure now.

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior12

Any school would be incredibly highly rated if they only used the top 10% to determine rank.

This whole "school ranking" thing is a crock. All it does is highlight schools with homogenous populations of above-average socioeconomic status. Just because your Billy or Sally attends the "best" school doesn't guarantee them anything, not does their attendance of a "lesser" school. Parenting is what creates effective students and learners - not schools.

Originally Posted by IC_deLight

Why start with over-priced and heavily congested Austin? Austin isn't the center of life for folks even if some of them have a job there.

Those looking for good school districts can get more bang for the buck elsewhere. In some cases its not just "bank for the buck" but trying to ensure competence for kids on graduation.

Stop it, you all are ruining the self-congratulatory circle.

[HappyTexan]

It's a good thing that Austin has an elite HS that ranks so high.
Why shouldn't the smart kids get a challenging education ?

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

It's a good thing that Austin has an elite HS that ranks so high.
Why shouldn't the smart kids get a challenging education ?

Why shouldn't ALL students get a challenging education? Are you saying that students who don't ace standardized tests should receive a weak-sauced education? That's part of the problem today.