Founders Classical Academy Of Leander

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

They think polar bears live in Antarctica.
My kid in 1st grade was asked on which continent polar bears live. The options were: Europe, Africa, Australia, Antarctica. My kid correctly marked Europe, but the teacher corrected that to Antarctica. When we asked about motives of her ridiculous actions she responded that she could not do anything about it, because it was in her curriculum materials.
This is everything you need to know about Founders Classical Academy in Leander. They do not know what my 1st grader knows.

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

Nothing about this school is sincere. Initially, I was excited about the opportunity for my kids to learn in a classical environment with a focus on character development. I spent five years driving them to and from the school.
Now I strongly regret it. The liberal arts side of the academics is average at best, and the school does not inspire students. The STEM side is almost non-existent, even though the only truly good teacher is the one who teaches STEM and he is the only one. As a result, SAT scores are low.
The worst part is the headmaster. She dislikes children and parents. It is impossible to reach her when necessary, and she enables administrative bullying. Her only concern is discipline, which means "do as I say, full stop." The whole class may be punished for the actions of one student. I asked for the school support for participation in academic competitions, and I was ignored time after time.
My kid was in the top 10% of his class, but I had to withdraw him and all my kids from the school.

Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: August 25, 2026

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Posted: August 25, 2026

Posted: July 9, 2025

Posted: July 9, 2025

Education is good. Schools has its own virtues which kids learn along. Academically strong kids enjoy. Recommended to everyone!!

Posted: July 9, 2025

Posted: July 9, 2025

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Posted: July 9, 2025

Posted: May 1, 2025

Posted: May 1, 2025

We have 2 elementary-aged children attending Founders. Our children, while not gifted, are hard-working and very eager to learn. We've found that the school is rigorous and has high expectations of students, but that is the reason we chose to apply. Compared to the many other schools in the area that we looked at, Founders has a curriculum that 1) they're completely transparent about with parents, 2) is based in evidence to teach kids to really understand what they're learning, especially in math, reading, and writing and 3) is rounded out very nicely with holding the kids to high standards with behavior and virtues. Our kids take part in the Math Movers program, which means they move up a grade to take more advanced math, but I know the program is also beneficial for students who need to take a lower grade level of math than their grade level. To us it's seemed that subjects are not as challenging, but the teachers find ways to make the topics enjoyable for the students.

Founders has lots of opportunities for parents to be engaged- as working parents we're limited to what we can do during the school day, but we do spend the evening hours working with our kids on their schoolwork. It can be a lot, especially when other schools give no homework at all, but we see a difference in how our kids are academically progressing vs their neighborhood friends. We've also been impressed, especially as the kids have gotten older, with how kind and respectful their peers, and we have been grateful to not have to deal with verbal/physical/emotional bullying or other safety issues that other students may pose because the staff doesn't tolerate poor behavior. While I don't have direct experience with it, I do know that some parents of children with behavioral, learning, or emotional needs don't find Founders to be a good fit because of the rigor/high standards, though the school does provide resources, support, and genuinely cares about each student.

Overall Founders has met, and often exceeded, our expectations- it's not for everyone, but hopefully this review helps prospective students' parents make a choice that's right for their child!

Posted: May 1, 2025

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Posted: April 4, 2025

Posted: April 4, 2025

I am deeply concerned about the lack of adherence to state regulations at this school. My kindergartener received an out-of-school suspension, which is in direct violation of Texas law that protects students under the 2nd grade from such punitive measures. While I firmly believe in the importance of learning from mistakes, imposing such severe consequences on young children is not what I envision for my child's educational experience.

Moreover, the support from teachers has been profoundly lacking. When I sought assistance to help my child succeed and address their weaknesses, the teacher was unwilling to provide specific guidance or information. This kind of environment is not one where I feel safe entrusting my child's development. Educators must foster a nurturing atmosphere rather than one that stifles potential.

Furthermore, this school has a rigorous homework policy, which poses a challenge for families where both parents are working. My child has been struggling with it. While the 20 minutes of reading each night seems reasonable, the additional workload is quite overwhelming. On top of that, they are assigned 3 to 4 pages of sight words, 2 pages of math homework, and another 2 to 3 pages focused on addition and subtraction. I can't help but question whether this is truly the most effective way for our children to learn.

Posted: April 4, 2025

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Posted: March 18, 2024

Posted: March 18, 2024

There are over 1000 kids on the waitlist and after five years of trying we finally got into Foubders for the 6th grade.

The school is very much focused on liberal arts education and creating a rigorous academic environment.

There is an adjustment period for new kids, but the school administration has been very supportive and is working with us to ensure our child successfully transitions from public school to Founders. I’m very impressed with the collaborative environment between parents and the school administration. This collaboration has helped us so much during this change.

Lastly, we have noticed a marked improvement in our child’s behavior. The school environment encourages the kids to hold themselves to o a higher standard.

Posted: March 18, 2024

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Posted: February 22, 2024

My kids love their school. Kids learn discipline & responsibility very early which is very important. Excellent curriculum. Overall excellent

Posted: February 22, 2024

Posted: February 22, 2024

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Posted: February 22, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

Fantastic school - I SO wish more children could benefit! There's a reason the wait list is 1,000+.

Teachers are caring, thoughtful, and incredibly gifted (and need to be paid more!). Upper school athletics ROCK - we've won numerous state championships! Orchestra from 6th-12th grades is INCREDIBLE. And these kids gain a solid foundation in literature, history, etc. We are so grateful we found this school. The community of families is a rare gem.

Posted: February 13, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

Posted: February 13, 2024

I don't use 90% of this information in real life

Posted: February 13, 2024

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Posted: July 9, 2022

Fantastic school with a curriculum that is effective.

Posted: July 9, 2022

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Posted: July 9, 2022

Posted: July 7, 2022

Posted: July 7, 2022

Posted: July 7, 2022

Posted: July 7, 2022

Perfect classical school. Love that they do not encourage any screen time! Lots of reading, strict uniform enforcement, they teach them the basic morals principles.

Posted: July 7, 2022

Posted: July 7, 2022

Posted: July 7, 2022

Posted: July 7, 2022

Posted: January 6, 2022

Very struggling charter school that fails to educate all different types of children. Curriculums are very narrow and sequential, so if your child doesn't win the public lottery and enter at kinder, it will take a while for them to catch up (if ever.) Expect failing grades to be immediately given, though, even though the markings tests for spelling (they do RIGGS scientific spelling) and mental math strategies (Singapore math) other kids there have had YEARS to learn. Many teachers aren't certified, so don't expect strong classroom management techniques or impulses for intervention. Many teachers yell and use harsh words to command a classroom. Students are mostly seated in rows and most everything is done in whole group, so no cooperative learning, small group reteaching, or remediation in small groups with the teacher. No enrichment for kids who DO get it. Teachers will assign failing grades but not communicate with you as the parent. Many people I know (including myself) who had their kids at this school were always puzzled that their kids were failing but there was never any communication. There is no differentiation, so if a student doesn't understand the material, teachers don't have processes in place to reach the individual child. Many parents will opt to get their students tested for disabilities (I did) only to find out they don't qualify, because the problem is a lack of effective instruction. Poor practices in so many areas that include: pulling dyslexic kids and kids with special needs from electives to do Tier III interventions, (goodbye art and music!) choosing reading material that is not grade-level appropriate (3rd graders expected to read a novel on a 5th-6th grade reading level irregardless of their own reading level --and then assigned failing grades if they don't comprehend the material.) Classes are packed with 27 kids in one room. Your child won't have much of a relationship with their teacher and parent conferences are strictly 10 minutes long, and when your 10 minutes is up, that's it. I once requested a separate parent conference with my child's teacher only to be told she would send work home if needed and that if she saw a problem she would reach out. So she denied my request. This was after I was spending hours after school each day trying to help my daughter understand the math HW. Originally, we thought we had won the golden ticket getting a spot here but my daughter is thriving now, and it's because we left Founders.

Posted: January 6, 2022

Posted: January 6, 2022

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Posted: May 10, 2019

This school is light years ahead of the neighborhood schools... even though they utilize the "old-fashioned" approach to education. Kids can excel, and the school sets them up for success, emphasizing how to write, love reading, and also science/math. I like that my grammar school child - even from the youngest grades - learns about world religions. They learn about the 5 pillars of Islam, Buddhist gods, and yes, Christianity in the context of world history. All of the teachers here are not Christian, although many are faith-based. When my kids join a rec league ball team made up of kids from neighborhood schools, it's always rather shocking to them how "mean" the other kids are. I hear it ALL the time. The Founders kids are just nicer - also the junk that you see in most neighborhood schools is dealt with decisively by the admin, but also with a lot of grace. I don't have to worry that my kids are being exposed to that. We feel like we "drew the golden lottery ticket" getting a spot here. It's like a big family.

Posted: May 10, 2019

Posted: May 10, 2019

Posted: May 10, 2019

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Posted: May 10, 2019

Posted: May 9, 2019

Teachers care a lot. They are all christian and most come from Hillsdale college. Hillsdale instills a sense of weight and purpose in their teachers and the teachers seem to take a lot of pride in their education and value knowledge and the sharing of it. We found most of the teachers were excellent. The problems lay in their extreme political viewpoints that color the lessons that they teach. The science courses do not talk about evolution, only creation. There is a lot of focus on using biblical text in all courses. For instance, parsing scripture when diagramming a sentence in English class. Studying/reading the books of new testament for Roman history in 6th grade and reading scripture to study Israelite history in 7th. My kid built a model of the Arc of the Covenant for his 7th grade class project. There were no alternate non christian options. They read the entire book of Joshua in 9th grade history class. One teacher used her 8th grade history lecture to point out that people on welfare game the system and make more than she does on her teacher salary. Their viewpoints are extreme and it is the default. Those that don't keep quiet about conflicting beliefs are shunned.

The grade school curriclulum and environment is intense. Kids that aren't at the top of their classes are weeded out and end up back at a neighborhood school quickly. I think this is by design to keep from having to deal with problem kids. The elementary program is lecture based and there is a lot of homework. It requires a dedicated parent to help them through it every evening. There is a lot of stress on kids beginning in 1st grade. Expect memorization for tests and then quickly forgotten and on to the next set of knowledge. THE KIDS ARE NOPT DOING WELL ON STATE STANDARDIZED TEST (SEE FOR YOURSELF UNDER TEST SCORES) at all because they don’t understand the info, only how to memorize and forget. The teachers are quick to suggest ADD and medication but are not willing to work with other iep suggestions like audiobooks, typing notes instead of writing.

Posted: May 9, 2019

The grade school curriclulum and environment is intense. Kids that aren't at the top of their classes are weeded out and end up back at a neighborhood school quickly. I think this is by design to keep from having to deal with problem kids. The elementary program is lecture based and there is a lot of homework. It requires a dedicated parent to help them through it every evening. There is a lot of stress on kids beginning in 1st grade. Expect memorization for tests and then quickly forgotten and on to the next set of knowledge. The kids are not doing well on standardized tests (see for yourself under test scores) at all because they don’t understand the info, only how to memorize and forget. The teachers are quick to suggest ADD and medication but are not willing to work with other iep suggestions like audiobooks, typing notes instead of writing.

Posted: May 9, 2019

Teachers care a lot. They are all christian and most come from Hillsdale college. Hillsdale instills a sense of weight and purpose in their teachers and the teachers seem to take a lot of pride in their education and value knowledge and the sharing of it. We found most of the teachers were excellent. The problems lay in their extreme political viewpoints that color the lessons that they teach. The science courses do not talk about evolution, only creation. There is a lot of focus on using biblical text in all courses. For instance, parsing scripture when diagramming a sentence in English class. Studying/reading the books of new testament for Roman history in 6th grade and reading scripture to study Israelite history in 7th. My kid built a model of the Arc of the Covenant for his 7th grade class project. There were no alternate non christian options. They read the entire book of Joshua in 9th grade history class. One teacher used her 8th grade history lecture to point out that people on welfare game the system and make more than she does on her teacher salary. Their viewpoints are extreme and it is the default. Those that don't keep quiet about conflicting beliefs are shunned.

Posted: May 9, 2019

Posted: May 9, 2019

Administration are not interested in working with iep students. Kids who don't keep up end up transferring to neighborhood schools that have accommodations. Allowing Founders to keep the top students that don't need services

Posted: May 9, 2019

The class of 2026 has a serious bully problem that the administration refuses to address. It's been this way for 3 years and centers on a small group of students. The admin seems better equipped to handle the high school kids and uses suspensions and demerits to effectively deal with the older kids.

Posted: November 7, 2017

Posted: November 7, 2017

Posted: November 7, 2017

Posted: November 7, 2017

Posted: November 7, 2017

Posted: November 7, 2017

A christian school in charter school clothes. Founders is affiliated with Hillsdale College, the staff trains there for a few weeks every summer and is expected to follow the tenets of their christian/conservative model. Senior thesis requires that you defend The Abolition of Man and the premise that in order to be a good person you must believe in God. I believe that, but want my child to be loving and accepting of others who don’t share our belief system. Sixth grade history is 10 weeks of reading Israelite history from Genesis and Exodus and 3 months of reading Mathew, Mark, Luke and John for “Roman” history. Ninth grade parents complained of reading 20 chapters of Exodus in one night…

The school is run by ResponsiveEd a for profit corporation that is opening more charter schools than it can manage. The calendar for the 2017/2018 school year did not come out until the end of July for the school year that began August 22. The administration does it's best but ResponsiveEd keeps all state funding and leaves the school to beg for parents to fund everything from textbooks to playground equipment. Have heard more than once that teachers have complained to my student that they make less than people on welfare.

Some of the teachers are very good but not all are trained in the subject they teach. They hire history teachers from museums which sounds great until you realize that he has no teaching strategy and the children are flailing. The current fourth grade class predominantly failed the Staar test last year. Several students in that grade have left the school completely because of a bully that the teachers and admin have no interest in dealing with because there is an extensive waitlist and there is no incentive to make the classroom a safe place. Many complaints on the parent facebook page of children feeling overwhelmed with homework, feeling like they are the only ones who don't understand the material and not being able to go to the teachers for help.
The school has a high opinion of itself that is not born out in the test scores. The admin work to retain the smart kids who will make the school look good and do their best to make students who are not academically gifted miserable with poor behaviour slips and overwhelming homework until they leave.

Posted: November 7, 2017

Posted: March 19, 2017

Posted: March 19, 2017

Posted: March 19, 2017

Posted: March 19, 2017

Posted: March 19, 2017

Posted: March 19, 2017

Posted: March 19, 2017

The teachers and staff are all great and the education is good. However, this is a very demanding school and that can be taken too far. The homework load is excessive and even art and music are difficult (including tests) in elementary. My 4th grader had on average about 2 hours of homework each night. My two kids liked school before coming here and this school made them dread school and not enjoy learning.
If your child doesn't mind sitting for long periods of time, can handle material that is at least one grade level higher, taking high school level type notes in elementary, and spending most of the afternoon doing homework then this school is for you. I do have friends there whose children are doing well. Yet many of my friends there say it is stressful for their kids and too much is expected at too young of an age. After two years we decided to leave. My kids are excelling at their new school and enjoying learning again.

Posted: January 23, 2017

Wonderful school with a challenging curriculum and teachers who are devoted to education for education's sake. Highly recommend!

Posted: January 23, 2017

Posted: January 23, 2017

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Posted: October 17, 2016

Excellent curriculum, excellent teachers dedicated staff. The first year was rough, due mostly to the kids not being able to fully cope with the rigor of the program and the accountability setting.
I've seen a day and night difference between the capability of my children being able to handle doing hard things with hard work.
Children will raise to the challenge and they will deliver what is expected of them. Be patient, be kind, be constant with them, and they will shine.
Very glad we are there.

Posted: May 16, 2016

Posted: May 16, 2016

Posted: May 16, 2016

Posted: May 16, 2016

Love this school! My children enjoy in-depth conversations with their teachers and classmates and are excited to learn! Many caring teachers and involved parents. Extra-curriculars are offered and new ones are being added often. Advanced, challenging curriculum for all and expectations are high for every student, not just a select few. Focus on real learning just for the sake of learning, not to simply pass tests and receive high state scores. Emotional intelligence and respect for others is also valued. Small, inclusive, welcoming environment. Diverse. Lottery system.

Posted: March 2, 2016

Posted: March 2, 2016

Curriculum is wonderful, however some upper school teachers (literature and Math) need training. Training meaning enrolled in methods of teaching classes (different strategies) and how to positively manage a classroom without demerits.
Right now, very little effort is put into teaching gifted or struggling kids.

A United States teaching credential is a basic multiple or single subject credential obtained upon completion of a bachelor's degree, from a college or university that holds regional accreditation, and prescribed professional education requirements. Teaching credentials are required in the United States in order to qualify to teach, as well as many other types of instruction. Teachers with credential have to complete many educational methods of teaching classes, pass exams (single or multiple subjects) and complete student teaching under an experienced instructor and teacher supervision. So let's not take credential lightly.

All professions need professional training. Kids learn differently.

So saying that a certificate might be stamped by the state, but it often times does not mean the holder of the teaching credential has the content expertise he or she to teach is incorrect.

It's the same thing as saying, my surgeon had a couple of science classes, however no professional training or experience. He is going to perform surgery for he has content knowledge.

I assist at Founders and hold a credential and it saddens me to see an overwhelming number of students underperforming for poor delivery of content. Poor classroom management skills.

Some teachers have low class averages. They do nothing to help the kids improve. If an overwhelming number of students are failing, evaluate how content is being delivered and improve.

School has all the right intent, however many teachers without any training or experience trying to lead/teach a class. Not effective.
Until Adminstration starts hiring qualified teachers, I won't be bringing my sons there.