Cedars International Academy, Austin TX

Original Research by School Decision on Cedars International Academy

Cedars International Academy is a tuition-free charter school serving prekindergarten through eighth grade in North Austin. It is part of a larger charter network that operates two separate campuses, though a significant change is underway: Cedars is consolidating its elementary-middle school and high school programs into a single combined campus beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, located at a new North Austin address. This merger means that families across all grade bands will transition to the unified location, unifying what have until now been separate facilities.

The school serves a small to moderate enrollment with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged. A substantial share of enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school reports its enrollment is drawn from a wide geographic area across the Austin metro, typical of open-enrollment charter schools.

State test results show uneven performance across subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency rates vary considerably by grade level. Third grade shows lower results, while seventh grade performs notably stronger. Math results are similarly mixed, with fifth and sixth grades showing modest proficiency and eighth grade performing better. Science proficiency is a particular weak spot: fifth grade shows very low performance while eighth grade performs slightly better but still lags. Social studies results in eighth grade are quite low. These results suggest that the school faces meaningful academic challenges, particularly in younger grades and in science, which a parent may want to explore directly with the school's staff to understand what instructional strategies are being employed and what supports exist for students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.

On a statewide perspective, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the districts in Travis County, but this reflects an average across a wide range of performance. The school's test-taking population appears to be concentrated in tested grades and shows substantial grade-level variation.

The school is in the midst of significant operational change. Along with the campus consolidation, Cedars introduced free bus service for families, acknowledging that transportation to the current North Austin location may be a barrier for some families. A parent considering enrollment should clarify where exactly the school will operate after the 2026-2027 transition and how this affects their commute.

The locale brief indicates Austin is a rapidly growing city with a mix of dense downtown and commercial districts alongside residential neighborhoods. The area is largely car-oriented outside the downtown core, though downtown and South Congress offer walkable urban environments. The city is anchored by technology, semiconductor, state government, and education employers. Population growth has been substantial, with major construction underway, though apartment construction starts dropped in 2024. Housing values and rents in the school's zipcode reflect moderate to above-median affordability for the Austin area.

Cedars' tuition-free model and open-enrollment structure mean families do not pay tuition and admission is not selective by test score. For families seeking an international focus or cultural diversity, the school's name and enrollment composition suggest that emphasis. For families prioritizing strong academic results in elementary grades or science, the test data points to areas where independent inquiry with school staff is warranted.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 28%

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 28%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 325%

School 25% · district not reported

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 40%

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 768%

School 68% · District 68%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 48%

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Science

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 9%

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 36%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 84%

School 4% · District 4%

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

This schoolCEDARS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income26%Higher-income20%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income14%Higher-income22%8 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income56%Higher-income90%34 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income40%Higher-income80%40 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income26%Higher-income60%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income19%Higher-income17%2 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income39%Higher-income70%31 pp gap