AHB Community School in Austin | Military Town Advisor

Posted: November 4, 2025

AHB has been nothing short of phenomenal. The project-based learning curriculum is wonderful; my son genuinely loves to learn and is excited to go to school every day. He even gets upset if he has to miss a day! We deeply appreciate how the teachers value him for who he is. It's a supportive and engaging environment that nurtures his curiosity and confidence. We love the community and the focus on family values. Basically, we love AHB!

Posted: May 10, 2025

This little school is a haven for my middle schoolers. It is offering them a safe, engaged community during the tumultuous preteen years. The structure enables them to build curiosity and self confidence because they have so much autonomy over their learning. They have the ability to decide for themselves what they think is interesting and to what depth they want to explore a subject, and to my delight, it is so much deeper than what has been forced on them in the past. Due to the small class sizes and tight-knit community, they are learning to be good citizens and to care about their peers. Kindness and camaraderie come naturally when they know each person so well. The teachers are inspiring and energetic. They are deeply engaged with their students and are able to genuinely know them and guide them toward their full potential. My kids enjoy going to school, they do their work (mostly) unprompted, they think deeply about the subjects theyre learning, they respect their peers. Im seeing bursts of curiosity and even a little initiative. Its more than Ive dared to dream for them, really.

Posted: November 23, 2024

Warning! As a former teacher of 10 yrs and a parent of a student who attended this school I'm very concerned. Because when students in the youngest classrooms are attacked or bullied, the administration does not apply discipline, or act competently, to make the school safe.

Posted: October 30, 2023

My experience with AHB started 7 years ago when I first toured with my daughter. Unfortunately while AHB felt like a great fit, the shorter school week was not going to fit with our work schedules. We opted to join another school and were very happy for several years. However as my daughter got older and my son entered school, I realized the joy of learning for both of them was non-existent. In fact, they were coming home weekly telling me that they "hated" school. I went back on the hunt for something we could all love!
It was then that I rediscovered AHB! My daughter was so in love after her shadow day we transitioned her mid year. She thrived at AHB last year and this year my son has also joined the AHB family. They have not once used the word "hate" to describe AHB. It is quite the opposite, they actually have said they wish they had school on Friday's to be with their teachers and friends.
AHB has a a teaching style that is unlike most traditional schools, but I can attest that the kids are learning not just math, English, science and history but there is also an abundance of social emotional learning for all ages. My children are currently thriving and I could not be more happy with our new school!

Posted: October 26, 2023

A few years ago my 3rd grader was struggling in public school and absolutely hated school. We tried everything and realized it just wasn't working. We needed to make a change. I had heard about AHB through friends and decided to move him there. Now he is so happy and actually looks forward to going to school. He loves the smaller class size and the friendships he has created. AHB was a lifesaver for us. You can tell that the teachers are happy to be there, enjoy teaching, and love their students. The community of families is wonderful! I only wish we had moved to AHB sooner.

Posted: September 28, 2023

This approach to learning should be the standard. Coming from a play based learning pre-school, this is the natural progression to cultivate future growth in all aspects of a child. I feel lucky to have found AHB and will be happy to have my next two little ones join the school when they old enough.

Posted: September 27, 2023

This was a great school, for my kiddo, where I felt a part of his education, and he was excited to learn.

Posted: February 22, 2023

AHB is a kind and welcoming environment. We love the theme-based learning, where children are encouraged to wonder and explore and create.

Posted: February 22, 2023

AHB has been an amazing educational home for our children. The four day structure suits our familys needs. It provides an immersive leaving experience that I think very few schools offer.

Posted: February 22, 2023

Our family is thrilled with AHB because both of our children adore it. AHB provides a creative and collaborative educational alternative that fosters curiosity, creative problem solving, and hands-on learning. Our kids are excited to attend school each day! The teachers are not only kind, but they also know how to actively engage our children in the learning process. The AHB community as a whole is exceptional, and we feel fortunate to be a part of it.

Posted: February 22, 2023

Our daughter loves the elementary school. Its a gift to have such a small tight-knit community in a large metropolitan area. We couldnt be happier with AHB!

Posted: August 27, 2022

My kids are currently attending their 5th year at AHB. We have been very happy overall with the school but what we love most is the community connections and feelings of warmth and support we get from other parents, teachers and administration. My kids adore learning through doing. They get tons of hands on experiences and very few worksheets. We also really love having Fridays off. We schedule play dates or excursions on Fridays or we can travel and have long weekends if we want.

Posted: December 3, 2021

AHB lands right in the education sweet spot. Our daughter has a classroom experience where teachers make developing a love of learning their number one priority. No curiosity is overlooked and there is time and space for wonder and making learning personally meaningful so that the kids truly internalize and own what they are learning.

After Covid launched us into rapid fire homeschooling for kindergarten, we learned that we actually loved many aspects of that lifestyle. But we didnt want to keep going it alone. With the condensed schedule (shorter hours, and 3 or 4 day a week option), AHB offered a hybrid schooling option for our now first grader (Alpha class) that gave our daughter a classroom structure and friend community while also leaving time for homeschool magic, real world experience learning outside the walls of a school, and time for extracurriculars without being exhausted from long school days 5 days a week.

On our home education days, we find so many ways to extend the learning. While not 100% necessary to do so since the teachers are covering so much and so amazing, we really like doing it. For example, while studying a unit on the Human Body and the circulatory system, on a Thursday while most kids were in school my daughter went with me to donate blood. She got to meet a phlebotomist, learn about the blood donation process, think about the community service act of donating, and learn why we need to give to help people who need blood transfusions. The conversations that came out of this were amazing. On another recent out of classroom day, we ditched such intentional learning and sat at a coffee shop for two hours while she figured out how to sew a Red Crossbill bird stuffie by hand. She practiced this skill meticulously (which also helps build stamina for writing). She also met a child with special needs who was sitting nearby and had a wonderful interaction. It gave us a lot to talk about afterwards (why peoples brains affect how they move or talk, how people with disabilities are treated differently and why it was meaningful that we treated her as an equal). These are skills and conversations that would be harder to make time for if she was in class 5 days a week.

We love AHB!!

Posted: December 3, 2021

Posted: August 6, 2020

I have seen such a shift in my child's disposition since beginning AHB that choosing this school may honestly be the best decision we've made as parents. She has become optimistic, confident and outgoing. I can only hope that growing up in this environment leads her to be happier as an adult! The warmth from teachers, students and parents, alike, really creates a community where kids and families feel like they belong. The curriculum is fabulous - it's engaging and hands-on, and great at encouraging critical thinking skills and creativity. She is ahead of her grade on most common core standards without the distaste for school that I hear other kids her age expressing. Couldn't be happier.

Posted: August 6, 2020

The homework is fun; mostly games and creative assignments. It must have taken years for the teachers to curate all these ideas! It requires roughly 20 minutes each day that the kids aren't in school. It's not a hard sell at all, and it builds critical thinking skills more than traditional worksheets.

Also, the homework is optional, and the teachers are supportive of parents deciding what works best for their children and families. At the end of the day, the goal is just to help the child progress and to supplement AHB's part time program.

Posted: August 6, 2020

The teachers at this school are incredible! They are some of the smartest, kindest, most joyful and respectful teachers I've met in my life. They inspire the kids to enjoy learning and get creative with big fun projects, and they really emphasize building social awareness and communication skills. People underestimate how much influence a teacher has over their child's future - and one really couldn't ask for more positive role models than the teachers at AHB.

Posted: August 6, 2020

The culture of the school is amazing. The parents, the teachers, and the kids are such a positive and inclusive group. Especially the middle schoolers - which is a sight to see! But in addition to that, the teachers incorporate Tribes classroom techniques to promote a collaborative, caring and motivating school environment.

Posted: August 6, 2020

I really appreciate the transparency of leadership and the board. Also respect that the board is elected by, and comprised of, parents. Even large decisions are put forth for the community to vote on or voice their opinion. The director and head of school are a fantastic mix of smart, responsible and caring, and work side by side with the board and teachers.

Posted: August 6, 2020

For math and reading, the kids are separated by level, so that even in the largest classes, it's 11 kids to one teacher. Hard to beat that ratio! They are able to individualize within those groups to make sure each child is challenged but not overwhelmed. Even the homework is individualized. And because there are no grades and the kids move up at their own pace, there isn't the pressure or stigma that makes kids hate school.

Posted: August 6, 2020

Listening to the teachers on the playground (because one of the ways parents can contribute is by helping at recess or lunch), it's like listening to a peaceful parenting book. I really wish I had the skills these teachers have! Also, the school seems to attract peaceful parents, so even from the first day of school the kids are exceptionally kind on the whole. For example, at my kid's last school, she was called shy by other children so many times! At AHB, I have never heard her called shy, and lo and behold, by the end of her first year, it would be hard to label her that way!

Posted: September 5, 2019

A small school cannot be everything for everybody but the current leadership handles things very clearly and professionally.

Posted: September 5, 2019

The school is too small to offer accommodations for students needing a large amount of academic support (ie no therapists, counselors, IEP team, etc). That being said, for some students the small, supportive nature of the school makes the need for accommodations less likely to be necessary.

Posted: September 5, 2019

Overall I would definitely say that a culture of bullying does not exist here. The very few times Ive had concerns about a particular pattern of behavior Ive been pleasantly surprised to find that the teachers had already addressed the issue or had a plan in place.

Posted: September 5, 2019

We couldnt be more pleased. Our bright, creative kiddo is growing into a confident, responsible, self-directed learner. What more could a parent want?

Posted: September 5, 2019

Homework at AHB serves several purposes from review of the most recent learning to skills practice to a deep dive into a thematic topic. I appreciate that teachers are very purposeful in their assignment of homework and that typically there are multiple ways to approach the work.

Posted: September 5, 2019

Each class has two teachers so that students can be both supported and challenged.

Posted: September 5, 2019

I love that all the ages have a chance to interact on a daily basis. The students get to know each other well and are accountable to each other and for each other.

Posted: May 10, 2019

The abbreviated school week means that parents are expected to be collaborators in the educational process. Teachers provide resources to help families find success in this model. For our family, more together time is well worth the trade off a slightly more homework

Posted: May 10, 2019

Excellent teachers who really care ... and small enough classes for this to shine through.

Posted: May 10, 2019

Social emotional learning is "taught" and evaluated and just as academic subjects are. Plus, lots of group work means lots of practice on peer relations.

Posted: May 10, 2019

The small school does not have specialized services to support learning differences, but the hands-on, active learning environment combined with smaller class sizes helps many students be successful who might otherwise struggle in a more traditional environment. Also, the shortened school week makes it easier for families to employ outside services.

Posted: May 10, 2019

A small environment, low student-teacher ratio, and focus on social-emotional learning all help keep peer relations positive.

Posted: May 10, 2019

We love AHB. For us it has been the perfect mix of academic rigor (challenging each students at their appropriate level) and a warm social-emotional learning environment. I feel the approach to learning (more open-ended projects, student choice, and group work) not only keeps my kids engaged (liking school) but also better prepares them for life after school.

Posted: May 24, 2016

We are finishing our third year at AHB. My children truly love going to school. We have a small community led by wonderful teachers and involved parents. I love that my kids get to experience learning in a fun way - by completing projects, interacting with their peers and exploring their surroundings. The teachers incorporate art and music into their lessons, but still have high academic standards (without testing and the pressure of grades).

Posted: May 24, 2016

We are truly amazed by the teachers at each level! They are calm, organized, and bring out the best in their kids.

Posted: May 24, 2016

The Alpha class has had a set of class agreements posted on the wall all year, which was "signed" (with a hand print) by all the students and the two teachers. It advocates respect, fairness, and appreciation. The kids who are only 5-7 gently remind each other when one of them "forgets" one or more of their rules!

Posted: May 24, 2016

We are astounded by the progress our son has made during his first year in Alpha. His teachers, Ms. Kim and Ms. Eliza, are absolute treasures. They are not only helping the kids learn to be academically proficient and creative, but also wise enough to know how much social guidance to provide as they grow into confident, yet respectful and empathetic people. We are glad that this is the "normal" that our little guy spends his day experiencing, just like the environment we try to create in our home. We feel so lucky to have found AHB, and plan to continue for many years to come.

Posted: May 24, 2016

The teachers are top-notch and the school's methodology is exactly what we have been looking for. We value the whole-child education experience, and the creative, project-based curriculum.

Posted: May 23, 2016

This school has been amazing for my 7 and 8 year olds. They have flourished scholastically an grown emotionally. They have not had one single day where they were not ecstatic to go to school. My son wants playdates with his teachers, if that's any indication! I can not say enough great things about AHB, their staff, their community, and their methods.

Posted: May 11, 2014

My daughter is finishing her first year here and I could write a book about how happy we are. I am not a board member padding the reviews. Even if I was, the board is all parents with the exceptions of the exec director and a teacher rep. It is her first year at a formal school of any kind and she is reading at a second grade level (she is 6), never has said she doesn't wAnt to go to school and even gets upset at having to take a sick day. Loving and devoted teachers, parents and staff, stimulating classrooms, family friendly schedule, community spirit. Love it.

Posted: July 18, 2013

Our children have flourished at AHB. I don't know what we like best--that our children love going to school everyday, the 9:1 student-teacher ratio, the 2 full-time teachers per classroom, the teachers' ability to challenge our children (who are above grade level), or the extra time we get to enjoy our children and direct their education. The reasonable tuition doesn't hurt either. For those unfamiliar with the school, AHB is a secular school/homeschool hybrid. The school week runs 3 to 4 days a week depending on age, and teachers send home the materials needed for home study weekly. The school is academically strong--reading and writing are emphasized, science is incorporated from kinder onward, and the math program keeps my children excited about numbers (and working above grade level). There was an executive director change-up at the school this year which upset some parents; however, a new ED is now in place. FWIW, our family is not on the parent-run board.

Posted: June 30, 2013

I find it amusing, yet not surprising that the board members of this school are writing reviews to pad the results on this site. I have been at this school for several years now and have never seen such an incompetent group of leaders (speaking to the board). My children have loved this school and the classroom experiences they have had. However, the only thing alternative is the schedule. There are some wonderful aspects academically, the disappointing thing is that they continue to use CORE standards for mathematics. Those familiar with public school standards will be familiar with this. On the bright side, a new Director brings some hope. But, unfortunately with the current leadership it may be an impossible job to get this school performing at its full potential. It is such a shame that a few bad apples can spoil the bunch. I caution people looking at this school, at least for the next few years, until they have done enough damage control to get things back on track.

Posted: May 7, 2013

If you are looking for an inspiring academic environment, filled with project-based, collaborative, meaningful instruction, AHB Community School is where you will find your academic home. For almost TEN years now, AHB has proven itself to be a leader in alternative education. The core of this school, the true heart and soul, is the incredible teaching staff, the people who bring it all to life and inspire my children to LOVE math, reading, writing, and everything else. This amazing foundation - the staff - is supplemented by an incredibly high level of VOLUNTARY parent involvement. Parents are driven to be so active and to participate at such a high level because they are contributing to something greater. AHB Community School is truly and example of the sum being greater than the parts - collectively, we create a lovely, meaningful, collaborative educational experience that has changed the lives of my own children, and many others who join them. I couldn't be happier to have the perfect school right at my fingertips!

Posted: May 7, 2013

I love AHB. Both my kids have been there since starting at age 5. I love the small class size, the low teacher-student ratio, the flexible curriculum, the deep level of parent volunteer involvement and the amazing community events. My kids love their teachers (and so do I) and the work they are doing and have developed a loving network of classmates. I would recommend that anyone interested in these traits in a school go on a parent tour to learn more about this very special, unique school.

Posted: April 25, 2013

I am a parent at this school and am very disappointed in the school leadership as shown by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director was recently let go/resigned (open issue) with a few months left in the school year. A Board of Director member has taken her place while a new ED is found; however she has no educational degrees or experience. The loss of the ED who has been working for a few years to transform the school is substantial and reflects poorly on the operation of the school. There teachers are fine (for the most part) however they need a strong ED in place to ensure delivery of what is promised by the school. I fear that without the ED the quality of education will slip. Also, parental involvement is a must here and you will spend substantial amounts of time assisting the teacher; almost to the point of doing parts of the job that teachers should. However, about 50% of the parents are not really involved thus limiting the community aspect that is needed for the school to succeed and putting additional stress on parents already involved. Overall, AHB does not live up to its claim and until a new ED comes it is tough to really know where it is headed.

Posted: October 24, 2012

I feel grateful to have AHB for my 10 year old son! What I love about the school - 1. The small class sizes and individual instruction. My son is advanced in math, and so he's getting more challenging work. 2. The sense of community - parents are super involved, supportive to one another, and there's a strong feeling of community. 3. The kids themselves - bright, kind, curious, engaged. My son feels safe, like he can be himself at school. 4. Engaged, enthusiastic teachers who are at the top of their game. You can tell they take teaching seriously and are continuously educating themselves about new information, skills, and research to make them better teachers. 5. An environment that is respectful to children - they are seen, heard and understood, and treated respectfully - not simply herded from one activity to another. 6. Very organized and excellent leadership. 7. I like the focused, shorter school days - this gives my son more down time, which is helpful to him. The only negative is that my son wishes they had a larger play yard! I highly recommend this school.

Posted: September 27, 2012

This school is awesome. I have been going to it for six years now and I'm still satisfied. To anyone who posted a 1 star review: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! IT'S CRAZINESS THAT SOMEONE WOULD SAY THAT THE TEACHERS ARN'T EDUCATED! Anyways, just sayin dis a great school ;D

Posted: September 26, 2012

We are starting our third year at AHB and I don't have enough positive things to say about it. I am continually amazed by the teachers and their ability to engage and excite the students on a variety of topics. We love the 3 day/week schedule for the flexibility it allows us as a family - we were initially worried that there wouldn't be enough "instructional" time but because of the small class sizes and the enthusiasm the teachers nurture in the kids, they learn so much in their 3 days that I don't feel that we really need to "homeschool" at all except for ensuring that the reasonable amounts of homework are completed in a timely manner. I really feel that the teachers and staff know and care about my son and our family and that my son has learned and grown so much as a student and a person during his time here.

Posted: September 25, 2012

The perfect blend of down-home family style community and grade A academic rigor. We love AHB!

Posted: September 24, 2012

My kiddos have been at AHB for years. It is a community environment that engages students and parents in the learning process. Homework is meaningful and we really think the evaluation methods for the students are above and beyond anything resembling a report card. We know exactly where each is on the learning continuum within each subject. There are many options in Austin for K through 5. Check them out. Take the tours. Do the interviews. AHB has been and remains perfect for my boys.

Posted: September 24, 2012

This is our first year here. We conducted a comprehensive search in Austin and found AHB to be a perfect fit for us. Pay close attention to what you need in a school. There are lots of choices out there. This place is for people who want to be involved with their kids education. It's small. Everyone is involved... you know... like a community. Super friendly and cool a cool bunch of people. Sorta old fashioned in a way, and fresh at the same time.

Posted: September 24, 2012

AHB has been the ideal blend of nurturing environment and challenging yet creative education that my kids needed.

Posted: September 3, 2012

We did not have a good experience in this school. In fact we were very disappointed. Not as alternative or different as they portray themselves. Some of the teachers are very well intentioned women/mothers but have no training in education. However, we think the main problem was the Director who is an emotional person and seemed inflexible when dealing with our child's classroom placement. Lots of emphasis in academics and obsessed with "reading". They performed standard testing without our permission. Also placement is based on numbers and the way they handled the "moving forward" or "staying back" made no sense to us since they only took into account the reading aspect, without thinking of the child emotional maturity or math ability. Also, some of the students have behavior problems and teachers were not handling that well. A parent had to call the district and a person from AISD ended up spending time in class and recess time helping teachers with the behavior problem children. One would think with the low student-teacher ratio the school has that would not have been necessary.

Posted: February 1, 2012

We were very unhappy with this school. They claim flexibility and a collaborative education experience, but if your idea of "flexible and collaborative" doesn't match AHB's idea, AHB is oddly inflexible. My two boys were very unhappy here. Their teachers and Head of School were unwilling (unable?) to help them adjust to the new environment. In fact, they removed my oldest boy from his classroom to sit with my younger child because he was crying. They both ended up missing their classroom experience! Don't be fooled by their claims of inclusiveness, this is a school for a very specific type of child and family. If your child or family doesn't fit their mold, watch out!

Posted: November 15, 2010

This school is right on target, amazing, and so right for our family. Our family holds very high standards for academic excellence, and this school is meeting those standards in every way. The teachers identified both of my children's strengths and weaknesses within the first 2 weeks of school, and tailored their homework accordingly. One who struggles with reading was immediately 'invited' to join the before-school reading workshop (at no extra cost) and her reading and confidence have soared. Both children's math progress is simply amazing, and they are both working above grade level, and LOVING IT and say, at least a few times a week "I love math and I love my math teacher." What a school! The community is caring and tender, and all the new parents I have met have been supportive and hard-working partners in making the school a great place.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Midtown Commons at Crestview Station	Apartment Complex	Austin	TX	0.6 mi
2	Anderson Mill	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Austin	TX	8.5 mi
3	Mill creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Salado	TX	43.4 mi
4	Evergreen Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Harker Heights	TX	48.3 mi
5	Spanish Oaks	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	48.7 mi
6	Skipcha Mountain Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Harker Heights	TX	48.8 mi
7	White Rock Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	49 mi
8	Timber Ridge Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	49 mi
9	Knights Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Harker Heights	TX	49.2 mi
10	Savannah Heights	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	49.7 mi

#	Name	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Main street	Salado	TX		42.8 mi
2	Harker Heights	Harker Heights	TX		49.9 mi

AHB Community School

Austin, TX 78757

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AHB Community School

Austin, TX 78757

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