Location: Central Austin
306 W. 29th Street
Austin, TX 78705
Students served: PreK(4)–8th grade
Current enrollment: 110
Model/philosophy: The mission of Kirby Hall School is to prepare bright young people for a life of academic success, personal fulfillment, and dedicated service while teaching them to lead with kindness, humility and respect. Kirby Hall features small class sizes with opportunity for individualized instruction; tech-intentional learning coupled with hands-on activities like regular MakerSpace time and field trips; and a warm, nurturing and inclusive environment.
Special features: Historic building; located within walking distance of UT Austin; small class sizes; warm, family community; high academics in a nurturing environment; ability to individualize class schedules
Schedule: 8am–4:15pm, depending on grade level, Monday–Friday; generally follows AISD schedule as relates to holidays and announcements concerning weather
Tuition: Lower (K–5th) and Middle (6th–8th) School: $18,925 per year
Contact: Emily Roberts, Director of Admissions | 512-474-1770 | eroberts@kirbyhallschool.org
Each listing in this alphabetical directory gives you a snapshot of a small, independent, alternative school in the Austin area.
This frequently updated list spans several pages, with navigation buttons at the bottom. Clicking on the name of a school will take you to its own website. To easily find schools by geographical area, see our Alt Ed Maps page. If you know of a school that’s missing from this directory, please drop a note here, and see Alt Ed Austin’s criteria for “alternative” and “school.” You may also be interested in our directories of other recommended schools (which are mostly larger or more specialized or religiously oriented), as well as special programs for children and adults.
Full disclosure: Alt Ed Austin founder Teri Sperry has ties with several of the schools listed on this site. Her child, now in graduate school, attended two of them years ago. She has friends who direct, teach at, or are otherwise involved in others. Some programs choose to advertise from time to time on Alt Ed Austin as Sponsoring Partners. She firmly believes that all of the schools featured on this site (including the ones to which she has no personal connection and those from which she receives no advertising fees) are good choices for some kids, each for different reasons.
