Whether you have school age kids or not, schools should be important to you when you are looking to buy a home. If you do have kids, this should be obvious. If you don't, think of the impact that the school system that serves an area can have on the resale value of a home. Need I say more? So when looking at schools, should you look at public schools or private schools? If you're thinking of your own kids, think about all schools. If you're thinking of resale value, consider which public schools serve the area you are looking in. So first, let's address public schools in the Austin area. Texas Public School Ratings The first thing you should know about schools is how they are rated in Texas. Schools are rated based on the percentage of students passing the TAKS test. This stands for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. Schools are rated as Academically Acceptable, Recognized and Exemplary. In the most basic terms, a school must have 90% of students must pass the TAKS tests in all subjects. Subjects are Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Math and Science. To be Exemplary, schools must have an 80% passing rate. A 70% passing rate is required in order to be Academically Acceptable. For a more of a breakdown, please visit the Texas Education Agency page on Accountability Rating System for Texas Public Schools and Districts site. Are the TAKS scaore and state rating the most important things to look at? Not always - you need to dig deeper. TAKS ratings can make a great school or district look fair when in reality it is excellent. There is actually much more to look for. One more measurement is the Academic Excellence Indicator System Reports (AEIS) . The AEIS Reports pull together a much wider range of performance information. Read more about and review Austin public schools . Austin Private Schools There are also some amazing private schools in the Austn area. Look over Austin private schools now. |