What is an isd?
What is a CISD?
An Independent School District (ISD) is for primary and secondary education and operates as an entity independent and separate from any municipality, county or state.
A Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) is the same as an ISD, but formed from two or more districts.
TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY & accountability ratings
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is a state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. One of TEA's roles is administering statewide assessment programs and establishing an accountability system. The academic accountability ratings for schools are released annually that are based on graduation rates, standardized test performance, college readiness as well as several other factors. The accountability ratings are implemented to monitor schools and the students attending them. If there are performance problems, the state has the ability to intervene and provide assistance.
School Districts
Austin ISD
The largest school district in the Austin area, Austin ISD boasts 129 schools and more than 75,000 students. With all those students comes a need for lots of teachers and that’s something Austin ISD has no shortage of, as the school has the most Nation Board Certified teachers in the state of Texas. Recently, the district has focused on expanding its reach beyond traditional high schools. In 2007, it founded Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy (known as LASA), a magnet school that is consistently ranked among the state’s top schools. Other schools in the district fill their own specific niche: Austin High School boasts The Academy for Global Studies while Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders trains a new generation of girls to be successful after they graduate.
Del Valle ISD
Once a rural district that served the small communities east of the city, Del Valle ISD has exploded into a modern, suburban district that boasts 14 schools and more than 10,000 students. Most of the district’s facilities are less than 20 years old. Recently Del Valle has set its sights on creating a foundation for its students to succeed in a state that features many cultures and languages. It has developed bi-language courses starting in the fifth grade, with the hopes that many of its students can be bilingual. Additionally, it has expanded its career readiness program to help students get on-sight training and development in order to maximize their future job prospects. Del Valle ISD serves parts of Austin east of I-35, Garfield, Creedmoor, Mustang Ridge, Elroy, Pilot Knob, Webberville and Hornsby Bend.
Dripping Springs ISD
Located 20 miles west of Austin, in both Hays and Travis Counties, Dripping Springs ISD is a highly decorated school district that is expanding to meet its ever-growing population. Now serving more than 7,000 students, Dripping Springs recently passed a bond to expand its high school to hold 2,500 students and open a fifth elementary school–Cypress Springs Elementary. Sycamore Springs Middle School was built in 2017, expanding the district’s reach in the Belterra area. Dripping Springs ISD has been named a statewide finalist in the H-E-B Excellence in Education program three times since 2014.
EaneS ISD
Eanes ISD is another well-decorated district in the western part of the county. According to Niche.com, a website that provides information on schools, cities and neighborhoods, Westlake High School is ranked the fourth best public high school in Texas. All nine campuses were awarded the highest accountability rating possible in the 2019-2020 year by the Texas Education Agency. 99% of Westlake students in the class of 2019 attended college. In addition to its academically rigorous curriculum, Eanes ISD is known for its athletics. The Westlake High School football team won state championships in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and has produced two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks. But that’s not all–the school’s fine arts programs, including its orchestra and choir department, have been highly regarded.
Georgetown ISD
Located north of Austin, Georgetown ISD serves almost 12,000 students among 19 campuses. Newly built East View High School is a testament to the district’s adaptability to a changing environment around it. While it once served a small-town populace, the district has grown tremendously in recent years. In 2016, the district school board voted to become a district of innovation, meaning that it can “utilize flexible operation strategies similar to open-enrollment charter schools.” It hopes that this designation can help it continue to expand, meeting the specific needs of each student within its territory.
Hays CISD
Serving a large chunk of northern Hays County, Hays CISD is one of the area’s few consolidated school districts. It gained this designation because it was formed when Buda and Kyle joined their schools back in 1967. Since then, the CISD has represented both cities, serving more than 20,000 students throughout 23 campuses. Recently, the district has been focused on expansion. It opened a new high school, Johnson High School, in August 2019 as well as a new elementary school. One of its longtime campuses, Buda Elementary, was replaced with a newer, more modern building that can better serve the district’s growing elementary population. The district prides itself on the diverse extracurricular opportunities it offers its students, including an award-winning theater and music program as well as Navy and Marine JROTC.
Hutto ISD
Fifteen years ago, all 12 grades of Hutto ISD were located at one campus. Now, as housing developments sprout up on the Williamson County prairie, Hutto boasts more than 8,400 students across 11 campuses, with new facilities replacing its original campus. All but one of the districts campuses were built after 1999, with three opening in the last five years. Hutto High School bears one of the state’s most unique nicknames–the Hippos. Like Georgetown, it is a district of innovation. In order to best serve its students, Hutto offers college-level courses, career and technical programs and a nationally recognized FCCLA program.
Lake Travis ISD
Lake Travis ISD serves a land area of 118 square miles. Located in western Travis County, more than 11,000 students are spread across the district’s 11 schools. Like neighboring Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD is known for its athlete prowess and academic rigor. In 2019, the district was awarded an A accountability rating by the Texas Education Agency. It was also a finalist in H-E-B’s excellence in education awards in 2017. Since 1998, Lake Travis ISD has garnered 29 University Interscholastic League titles in both athletic and academic competition, including six football state titles. One of the points of emphasis for the district is its Institutes of Study program, where students can focus on electives of their choice. The six programs are Advanced Science and Medicine; Business and Finance; Veterinary and Agricultural Science; Humanities and Communication; Fine Arts; and Math, Engineering and Architecture.
Leander ISD
With more than 40,000 students, Leander ISD is one of the area’s fastest-growing school districts. Each year, it welcomes more than 1,000 new students, splitting them among the district’s 44 campuses. In 2019, the Texas Education Agency gave 23 of the district’s schools an A accountability rating, while an additional 10 schools earned a B rating. The district got a B, though it was one point away from an A grade. A district of innovation, Leander ISD has career and technological training programs to supplement its academic structure. Since 2005, the district has built four new high school campuses to meet its expanding student population.
Liberty hill ISD
In the two years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Liberty Hill ISD received an A accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency, the top grade allotted by the agency in its annual accountability reviews. With seven schools serving more than 4,000 students, Liberty Hill is a smaller alternative to larger districts. It features a diverse assortment of academic and technical programs. More than 30% of the district population is enrolled in some sort of career and technical education courses. Additionally, the district received a “No Place for Hate” award from the Anti-Defamation League in the 2019-2020 school year.
Manor ISD
A member of Texas Education Agency's system of great schools, Manor serves more than 9,000 students across 16 schools. But the district doesn’t just focus on students in kindergarten or older, as it offers free and tuition-based Pre-K courses for three and four-year-old students. Manor ISD has partnered with the expanding tech industry in the city to create STEM and mentorship programs. It is the only district in the state to offer a New Tech K-12 curriculum, a program that utilizes cutting-edge technology to prepare students to excel in an information-based society. Students at New Tech participate in open-ended projects and internships in order to gain hands-on experience in real world activities.
Pflugerville ISD
With 25,000 students across 32 campuses, Pflugerville ISD serves northern Travis and southeastern Williamson County. The district is one of the fastest-growing districts in the state and is expecting to have a student enrollment of more than 40,000 students within the next 20 years. To accommodate this, the district has built 15 new schools in the past 20 years, while upgrading its older campuses to better serve an increasing population. The district boasts a program called AVID, which seeks to transform students into leaders by developing emotional skills and utilizing a diverse curriculum that emphasizes the fundamental aspects of academics. The district was awarded a B rating by the Texas Education Agency during the last evaluation cycle. The stadium at Pflugerville High School, as well as the school’s uniforms, were used in the filming of the hit TV show Friday Night Lights.
Round Rock ISD
The Round Rock Independent School District has a specific theme-based focus and serves the students based on their interests and skills. They have outstanding scores and ratings that reflect their excellence in providing their students a high-quality education. They have earned the highest possible rating of Met Standard in the Texas Education Agency accountability system. Their students consistently outscore state averages in all categories of assessment.
