Austin Academy Improved State Rating to B

The Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy raised its rating after years of poor performance.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Secondary Education

Bold vector editorial illustration of blank journals and colorful learning blocks on a desk, representing school improvement. — The Texas Education Agency awarded the Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy a B rating in August 2026, marking a major turnaround from 2024. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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In August 2026, the Texas Education Agency awarded the Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy a B rating, a significant increase from an F in 2024. Austin Independent School District officials are now using the academy's methods to address F-rated campuses.

Why it matters

The district is using the academy's success to address performance gaps at 20 other campuses that received an F this year. By increasing student ownership of academic progress, the school aims to replicate its growth across the district.

The school achieved an 85 rating in 2026, jumping from a 48 score in 2023. Reading proficiency increased to 45% while math proficiency rose to 42% since 2024.

The players

Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy

This is a public school in Northeast Austin that focuses on leadership development for young women.

Texas Education Agency

This is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education in Texas.

Austin Independent School District

This public school district provides education services to students residing in Austin, Texas.

The details

School leaders implemented the Fab Five strategy, which focuses on relationships, hands-on instruction, purposeful teaching, writing across the curriculum, and small-group learning. Students were also provided with personal academic trackers to share their individual performance data.

The school opened in Northeast Austin in 2015.
The school received an F rating in 2023.
The school received an F rating in 2024.
The Texas Education Agency released annual letter grades in mid-August 2026.
A new school campus is scheduled to open in January 2027.

Culture Shift

The academy's turnaround strategy serves as a critical model for districts facing the Texas state takeover law for failing schools. By prioritizing internal reform, the district is attempting to avoid the state-mandated interventions that previously impacted institutions like Burnet and Webb middle schools.

Parents and students can anticipate the opening of a new $102.1 million campus in January 2027. This facility is part of a larger $2.4 billion voter-approved bond package intended to modernize district infrastructure.

The takeaway

The academy's shift from an F to a B rating demonstrates the potential impact of hands-on, personalized academic tracking. Families can monitor school progress reports to better understand how these teaching models affect student achievement.