We transferred here to 1st grade from a public charter school and I didn't realize how unhappy my…read moredaughter was at the charter school until she was enrolled in Sankalpa and seeing the difference. She now looks forward to going to school and describes school as awesome and fun - every parents dream come true for their kid to love school! She now comes home singing songs whereas before she needed to disconnect and would beg to watch TV (she's not interested in TV since Sankalpa - I think the environment fosters self esteem and love of productivity). She does yoga, learns Chinese and Spanish, and the staff are unflinching in their standards for teaching the children grace and curtesy. I'd say this school is great for any child, but more for children and parents who: 1. Like a quieter learning environment: it gets loud, but at specific times. During the work hours it's quiet and relaxed. 2. Love nature (they're often out and even with clipboards studying things like plants and fractals) 3. Like forging deeper relationships with others: because of the more intimate setting, you're going to interact with parents and the teachers every day. This isn't for everyone, but if you like that sense of community and extended family, it's like that here. 4. Are ok with their child not taking state tests: there are other tests given (one of the very cool things about Sankalpa, it's what first perked my ears) to see where the child is in their learning, and then to tweak their learning program to "fill in the gaps" so to speak. This is how every child has their own individual learning program. 5. Are willing to pay tuition: I was worried about this until I saw how much she loved school and learning, then I realized it was the best investment ever. They're only this little once, and it's the best thing ever to find the school where they can thrive and be enlivened. 6. Want experienced teachers: Sankalpa might be a new school but all the teachers are seasoned and it shows in their interactions with the kids. The principal also has worked at nearly all the alternative schools in Austin so she knows what's what. 7. Are okay with going through Sankalpas admission process: for us this was actually fun, but everyone is different. We enjoyed taking the tour, meeting with the principal and spending an hour getting to know each other, and our daughter loved her trial time at the school which was a week, some kids might be longer or shorter. I loved going through all this because it really helped us make a decision based on facts rather a feeling. It's like getting to know someone before getting married or making a commitment. :) If you're considering Sankalpa at least go through the admission process, it's the best way to really know if it's the right match for your family (but more importantly your child).

Our family has enjoyed our time at Sankalpa. We really appreciate how warm and welcoming the staff…read moreis every single time we see them - it is clear they are all dedicated to the students and to their growth and success. The small class size is wonderful, as it is a great location for walks and field trips. They do a great job of instilling a sense of ownership in the students - the kids are responsible for their rooms, their supplies and their work. It's awesome to witness them tiding up at the end of each day. An all around inclusive education.

My ASD son has never been as happy as he is in this school....we did the public school, Catholic…read moreschool, French school. We did everything and then we found....THIS AWESOME SCHOOL . He is happy and engaged. He is growing as a person and as a productive member of society. All good.

Education is important to me. I have degrees in pure math and computer science. I have taught math…read moreat private, public, and charter schools, at universities, and in a prison. I waited three years on the wait list for my first child to attend the UT Lab School or Priscilla Pond Flawn Child and Family Research Laboratory. She thrived there. Once she was too old to attend the lab school, she enrolled in a public elementary school. She spent a month there as I watched her spirit dim. I was afraid to try something as radical as Clearview Sudbury, but it seems radical was necessary. My daughter is becoming a real person who can think her own thoughts. She decides what values are important to her. She learns about herself. She learns from other students and staff of all ages, and they learn from her. The staff at the school treat her with respect. They are able to give her their attention and to truly see her because they are not distracted and kept busy by an endless check list. She asks me how to use correct grammar, and I show her. She asks staff how to calculate taxes, and they show her. She asks me how multiplication works, and I show her. She asks staff if her friend's sketchy story about giant caterpillars is true, and they learn about caterpillars together. The girl knows more about life cycles of different species than I ever knew. I am no longer worried that she will be at a disadvantage. It is clear to me that she is on the best path I can provide her. In addition to this, I have immense trust in the staff at Clearview. I trust them with my daughter's psyche, emotions, and abilities to communicate and use logic.

Yummy school food Mean kids…read moreWeird teachers Good memes Wendy near Is this long enough huh yelp?

My kiddo is in Kindergarten at Lee. We dig it. It's a great little Art Deco style schoolhouse…read morewith a really classic vibe. The teachers seem happy to be there, and no one seems to mind how all us busy body parents want to hang around all the time. This place is a regular lunch stop for me, and I haven't missed a party yet. We're looking forward to 6 more years here.

Lee has always been such a highly regarded Austin public elementary school. While we live in the…read moreneighborhood, we really won't have first hand experience with the education for another 4 years or so....but the playground is a lot of fun for a 2 year old, a 42 year old and beagle named Maggie.

This school is excellent at cultivating community. Our son is on his second year attending and we…read morehave become friends with several families outside of school. The individualized attention we have received from the social emotional support team is outstanding. The gardening and hiking programming and presence of animals is a major draw for us. Highly recommend!

I am shocked at the 1-star reviews, not because I don't believe them, but because many years ago,…read morethis would not have been the case. The property the current school is on and the buildings they were in before 2016 were part of a larger campus (Travis State School) that closed in the 1990s. Leigh Moss invited me to talk to the students about the people who lived and worked there. We hiked to the area where the "farm' part of the campus used to be. We went to the old cemetery during the Day of the Dead celebration that the students participated in. The students seemed happy, open to learning, and wise beyond their years. I attended the groundbreaking of the current campus with my Mom. My Mom worked with me at Travis when the buildings you're in (cottages) were built. I was thrilled to see them getting a new life, and especially since Austin Discovery was going to be utilizing them. I don't know what will become of the place now, and it makes me sad. I wish all of you the best. Thank you for breathing new life and for loving the land for all these years.

I don't generally write a lot of reviews, but I'd be remiss if I didn't commend the staff at Olas…read morepublicly! The school is absolutely incredible, and my wife and I feel so grateful we found it for our 2 year old son. He has been attending twice a week for about ten months, and we are astonished by how much he has learned in this short time. Each day he surprises us with new usage of the Spanish language...from numbers, to the alphabet, to colors, to days of the week, to fun songs which he adores singing. He gets so excited on the days he attends, which really warms our hearts, and on the days he doesn't go, he talks about his teachers and friends there. I would give Olas 100 out of 100 stars if I could! Thanks so much for everything you all do, and we look forward to entrusting Olas with our son's development for years to come!

Wow - this little school is amazing. My 6 year old had not been to school all year (pandemic…read moreconcerns) and we just enrolled her at Olas and she is thriving. We feel super safe there and my kid who knows no Spanish is loving it. The teachers are so sweet and fun, the school grounds are adorable, and we just love how happy our kid is to go to school. It's been a total dream. The teachers are super flexible and accommodating to our needs and it's just a super cute community. Thrilled and will continue coming to Olas throughout the summer and even during the school year. Muchas Gracias!

My son started 2nd grade here and he has improved so much since switching, so glad I did. He is…read morealso starting to get excited to go to school again . He only liked going in Pflugerville since he was there pre-k to first semester of first grade and I switched him in the second semester of first grade and he hated that school and now since he is in Idea I see his eyes spark again. Love how they also inform you about stuff on Class dojo and you can message the teacher with any questions.

This school sucks ass I went to their game and watch the scoreboard didn't add my team's points and…read morethey kept adding extra points to their team while the refs weren't looking even though the refs were helping them this school sucks I have proof they were cheating and this school shouldn't receive any credit for there win no one please sign their kid up