NYOS Charter School in Austin | Military Town Advisor

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	8/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) data from Texas Education Agency.
College Readiness	7/10	The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2024 ACT participation data from Texas Education Agency, using 2024 SAT percent participation data from Texas Education Agency, using 2024 SAT percent college ready data from Texas Education Agency, using 2024 4-year high school graduation rate data from Texas Education Agency, using 2024 Average SAT score data from Texas Education Agency, using 2024 Average ACT score data from Texas Education Agency, using 2024 ACT percent college ready data from Texas Education Agency, and using 2025 demographic data from Texas Education Agency.
Student Growth	7/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Percentage of students meeting growth target data from Texas Education Agency.

Posted: December 13, 2025

NYOS has capable students and many caring teachers, but based on my experience, I cannot recommend this school under its current executive leadership. There are serious concerns regarding safety, accountability, and leadership judgment.

It was also troubling that the high school campus principal does not hold a principal certification. While this may occur in some instructional roles, it is highly unusual for a campus principal and raised concerns about preparedness and oversight.

Additionally, parents and staff have expressed concern regarding alleged inappropriate comments made to and around female students and staff by a district leader, as well as separate allegations involving a staff member making inappropriate comments to female students. Compounding these concerns is the perception that no meaningful or visible action was taken, which has undermined trust.

Until there is a change in executive leadership, transparency, and accountability, I cannot recommend NYOS Now.

Posted: December 13, 2025

Posted: October 15, 2025

Parents used to be considered, teachers used to be trained in Love & Logic, administration used to not be complete opposite of the culture we desired. Nothing about NYOS meets the standard of their own charter anymore. It's run of the mill poor quality education in Texas. What a shame. They ruined it after 20 years of success. Devastating to those of us who have been here for 10+ years.
Heartbreaking to watch it go down.

Posted: October 15, 2025

Everything is bad teachers are rude and there is a lot of bullying, they are short on staff

Posted: October 15, 2025

Posted: May 23, 2025

I waited to post this review until the end of our affiliation with the school, in an effort to protect our family from retaliation. After careful consideration, weve withdrawn our youngest child from NYOS following the expulsion of our oldest child from NYOS. Our time at NYOS was shorter than we anticipated, as our oldest child was expelled, which we believed could have been best resolved without such an extreme measure taken, had our child been given the opportunity for restorative justice. Schools are like ecosystems, and our family never quite fit into the ecosystem of NYOS. While I cannot speak on behalf of every experience at NYOS, I can say that our positive experiences in the elementary school were sadly overshadowed by the negative experiences we endured throughout our time at NYOS middle school. We are grateful for the few staff and teachers (in elementary) who were trauma-informed, and who cared for and sought to work through challenges with our oldest child. We would not have made it as far without them. Sadly, they have left their roles and positions at the school. Turnover is high here, as it is for most of public education. Perhaps it was the lack of support they received, but we ran into several teachers and one administrator (in the middle school) who clearly lacked emotional intelligence and showed frequent patterns of dismissive and callous behavior, placing roadblocks to de-escalation. I can only offer our sorrow, disappointment, and caution for these situations. Our family of four has financially and emotionally paid the price through medical (physical health issues which needed to be addressed for our youngest child when his older brother was expelled) as well as counseling services (for our oldest child, following his expulsion), which have been rendered and paid out of pocket for both of our children, following the experiences our family faced throughout our time here. The NYOS ecosystem has welcoming aspects, certainly. But I must provide this review as our personal experience and warning to current and future families of NYOS, specifically NYOS middle school. We implore NYOS to implement restorative justice practices in place of their retributive justice practices. We hope the school will learn from their exclusionary actions and that no family, parent, or child will ever have to face what we did.

Posted: May 23, 2025

Posted: March 30, 2025

The 3 years my son spent at middle school here will probably stick with him forever unfortunately. When the school expanded (around the time my son started) they completely lost control with the influx of new students. The best thing I ever did as a parent was pull him out and send him to a new school. The staff is great but the students were some of the least accepting kids Ive seen. Good riddance.

Posted: March 30, 2025

Posted: March 1, 2025

We have been a proud NYOS family for years and had planned for our children to graduate from there. However, we have recently observed a troubling decline in the school's quality. Key administrators who contributed to its success have departed, leading to a noticeable downward trend. Many exceptional teachers have also left, and while a few remain, it seems they may not be there much longer.

Our children have experienced multiple long-term substitutes due to these departures, and their current learning experience has become primarily reliant on Chromebooks, lacking the engaging instruction we valued in the past.

Regrettably, we have decided to transfer our children to another school, as NYOS is struggling to meet its own standards and seems to be leaning heavily on its past reputation. I anticipate that its Great Schools rating will significantly decline when new scores are released.

Its heartbreaking to witness a once-great school lose its soul. The current administrations actions (and inactions) are contributing to the departure of both teachers and families who once made the NYOS community amazing.

Posted: March 1, 2025

Posted: February 21, 2025

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the recent decline in professionalism and responsiveness at the school. My children have been attending this school since they were 3 and 4 years old, and they are now 10 and 12. This was once our forever school, but over the past 2 years, there has been a noticeable deterioration in the quality of administration and communication. I have been trying to contact the elementary principal, Leanna Pesta, for over 2 weeks now regarding a sensitive matter involving a 6th grade student pushing my daughter, a 4th grader, down on two separate occasions. Despite leaving voicemails, making over 15 phone calls, and sending numerous emails, I have received no response from Leanna. As a parent, this lack of communication and action is extremely concerning. It is unacceptable for a principal to ignore such important issues, especially when they involve the safety and well-being of students. I demand immediate action be taken to address this incident and ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to prevent any further incidents from occurring. I expect a prompt response and resolution to this matter. Failure to do so will result in further escalation of this issue. My children's safety and well-being are my top priority, and I will not hesitate to take further action if necessary.

Posted: February 21, 2025

Posted: February 19, 2025

Let me start with the good first. We have had kids at Nyos for over 10 years and Nyos was a Great school. The old campus was small but everyone was like family. The teachers knew everyone and the principals for all grades were amazing. They took the time to get to know most if not all of the kids and parents. They used to run a tight ship where no one was left behind. Now let's talk about the last 3 to 4 years. WOW, everything has changed for the worse. We still have some good teachers, but most dedicated great teachers, including all the principals, are long gone. Grades have declined in all grades and teachers are bringing their own agenda into the classroom. Classrooms are to learn the material and not beliefs, either gender-related or political affiliation. Safety is little to none, yes there are two armed guards at all times but bullying and racist comments towards minorities are heard throughout the campus.

Think about your kid's safety before you bring them into NYOS. And if you decide to have them at Nyos, keep a close eye on behavioral changes before is too late.

Posted: February 19, 2025

Posted: October 17, 2024

I've been attending this school since kindergarten. The Elementary teachers, at least when I was in elementary i don't know about now, but I have dyslexia and the teachers and assistants were not accommodating at all. The middle school is better but there is issues with bullying, it is mostly mild though.

Posted: October 17, 2024

Posted: April 25, 2024

After taking this school since Kindergarten, 10th grade feels like torture. This whole experience of way harder than average work, and the disrespect coming from the teachers, I've had enough. I have siblings in Elementary and they keep complaining that their teacher is straight up bullying them and their friends are vouching for it. I can also verify that most of the staff members below high school are disrespectful as they think the younger kids are inferior to them (I had the same experience in elementary) and some of the high school staff are too. I don't know a single one of my friends who truly enjoys this school. Most of them stay because they have friends, but after 11 years of staying here, I'm ready to change schools. I don't know how this school has a 4.6/5 (at the time of posting) because this is just a nightmare. I feel so exhausted every day from the constant struggle of the huge amounts of work that are grades above my level, only to come home each day and have more work to do. They are stealing my home away from me only to turn it into a second school that I go to at the end of the day. The other kids here are great, they're funny, kind, and at least from my experience don't seem to bully (although middle school is definitely a rude awakening). Even though I fit in with a bunch of kids here and have tons of friends, the school just isn't the same anymore. Sure, before the whole 2020 quarantine, the school was fine. I wouldn't say great but it got the job done. Post-Covid everything changed, worse teachers who didn't want to be here and were just looking for money as well as a less enjoyable school environment overall. One word to describe this school would be a mess, I get anxious just thinking about the next day.

If you are planning on sending your child here, they either want incredibly challenging work or to be locked in a padded room because that's what this feels like.

Posted: April 25, 2024

Posted: February 22, 2023

I'm in 7th grade its ok but there are way to many substitutes anyway I'm in the middle of tech so I have to hurry up teachers complain about pay goodbye.

Posted: February 22, 2023

Posted: September 10, 2022

I attended NYOS for three years, and I always thought that it would get better. The teachers were okay, and good at their jobs. It was obvious that some deeply cared about ye students, but at the same time the school has a serious retention problem. If you look at the jobs section of their website, its astounding how many open positions there are. I have a couple of friends who are still at this school, and because so many of their classes are taught by substitute teachers, they end up not learning anything and just watching a movie. NYOS Charter School prides itself on its zero tolerance for bullying, but everyone is trying to get by in bullying everyone else so that they wont be next. It was by far the absolute worst social experience Ive ever had, and I can say that Im so glad that my parents pulled me out as the constant mental abuse I suffered at the hands of my peers required years of therapy to get past. Because the school has such a small pool of students for each grade, it makes it impossible to escape when a contingent of students chooses a victim to bully. It was overall a horrible experience and Im so glad I have nothing to do with that school anymore.

Posted: May 17, 2017

Our 2 children have attended NYOS for 2 years now, after leaving "exemplary" rated schools in RRISD. Their experiences, though very different, are both equally SO much better than the large public school environment. The teachers at NYOS have more "freedom" in teaching their methodology which gives them the ability to use their strengths to be able to help students with their unique needs in learning. The curriculum is just as strong, if not stronger than the larger ISD's because they have opportunities to explore specific units more in-depth via related field-trips, hands-on experiences, etc. that would NEVER be able to happen at the regular large school, due to the extremely large number of kids! Though they do have limited options in extra-curricular and less 'expansive' options in specific fields ie: computer science, psych, etc... NYOS does allow the student to be placed according to 'level' of learning need. Our kid's extra curricular interests have been fulfilled in other ways in the general surrounding Austin area, which we like because they are exposed to more 'kinds' of opportunities. As far as meeting specific needs, our one child has a 504 and his needs are being met and paid-attention-to at NYOS with no difficulty, whereas in the larger school, we had to basically "pull-teeth" to get him the help he needs. Socially, for the most part, the students are open-minded and are expected to respect each other, regardless of differences. This expectation is absolutely followed through by the teachers, staff and administration at NYOS. MANY parents are present, involved and also respectful of the school and community mission and expectations. My kids also LOVE most of their teachers, who seem to take their time getting to know their students as individuals and make themselves available for guidance, help and support. The front office staff and guidance counselors are also SUPER approachable and kind to the students and parents alike.
Though NYOS could use more funding for building, supplies, etc...(which they are constantly working on) Over all- it is an incredible community and school to be a part of!

Posted: May 17, 2017

Posted: July 27, 2016

My daughter has attended NYOS since Kindergarten and is now starting middle school. We have really loved our time at NYOS. It is a very small school so you really feel part of the community. All the faculty knows us and our child by name which adds to that personal touch. I appreciate that they teach critical thinking rather than rote memorization. it's been great so far and we have no plans to leave the NYOS community in the years to come.

Posted: February 3, 2016

I am a student at NYOS and I love it! The teachers are all so friendly and nice. We have lots of after school clubs, and if you want to start a club that does not exist yet, you can ask a teacher to sponsor you and help you start it. I am in 7th grade this year and I came to NYOS in 3rd grade. Tutoring is always available if needed, in the morning before school starts and after class as well. The school is year round, meaning we have a fall break, a shorter summer, and a little bit longer for winter break. We also get a half day on Fridays, which might be important in deciding if you will come to the school or not. We go on a good amount of cool field trips and have lots of extracurricular activities. I love NYOS and hope that the NYOS community will continue to grow!

Posted: February 3, 2016

All of the teachers at this school encourage each student to do their very best, and recognize a student that is struggling and get them extra help.

Posted: February 3, 2016

The homework level in my grade (7th grade) feels just right to me. Every day (except for 1/2 day Friday, which only gets 15 minutes) every student in every class is given 30 minutes at the end of the day to work on homework, late work, or attend tutoring.

Posted: February 3, 2016

All of the students at NYOS are nice to others and have this family-like respect for eachother.

Posted: December 14, 2014

I went to NYOS in 2011- some of 2012 the friends were good but the classes are not teaching you 8th grade work, After 7th grade they suddenly want you to do college based stuff that I was not familiar with so I got kicked out of school with no help in tutoring or anything because I wasn't passing my classes and if I were to be offered to come back to this school I wouldn't because the work in middle school was too college like skipping everything I need to know in 9th grade high school. And even though it wasn't all that great the thing I did enjoy there was the rock band class they have it was by far the most class I was interested in.

Posted: August 14, 2014

I was a student at this school last year and when my family had to move I was extremely saddened because, quite honestly, NYOS is an excellent school. I had moved from outside the country and they helped advise me and complete my transcript. The community is tightly knit and everyone is so accepting of and compassionate to each other. The class sizes are small giving each student individual attention from all the teachers, who were also amazing. Emphasis is placed on academics and extra curriculars and all in all, I loved NYOS and am proud to have been a jaguar!

Posted: April 28, 2014

NYOS Charter school is great, good teachers, good programs to keep kids on track. Teachers dedicate their spare time to help kids that are having trouble, they are always going the extra mile.

Posted: April 8, 2014

I have been attending this school since I was in Kindergarden, and I love it!

Posted: April 8, 2014

I love this school! My daughter was so shy, but the family aspect of the school brought her to life! The teachers all know all of the students, the parents all know each other and are willing to pitch in and help one another without expecting anything in return! It is a great environment to raise a child in, and I am so glad I chose it for my children! Parents are allowed and encouraged to be involved in every aspect of school life, and there are a number of enrichment activities beyond just sitting in a classroom learning.

Posted: April 7, 2014

My daughter has been here for 7 years now. It was the best thing we have done!!! I love the community aspect of this school. Everyone knows everyone. The teachers do an amazing job with differentiating their lessons. My daughter feels safe and comfortable, and so do I. There are clubs for everyone. All families are encouraged to volunteer, and that helps bring up well rounded children. I've seen other kids, patents and teachers from different schools have many difficult issues with testing, bullying, teaching, or getting lost in the system. That would never happen here. I am confident that this is the best school I could ever imagine. We will not be going anywhere else.

Posted: April 7, 2014

This school with a silly name is anything but silly. Not Your Ordinary School was started in the late 90s by a group of local regular public school teachers that were tired of the one size fits all, and test-oriented nature of Texas schools. Since then NYOS has grown into one of the best schools in Austin. Our kids have been there since Kindergarten and are now in middle and high school, and will graduate from NYOS. The class sizes are small, the teachers really get to know each child, children can move ahead in math or other subjects if they are ready (example: my 8th grade child goes to a 9th grade pre-AP algebra class every day). Schedule: 2 month summer, 2-3 weeks off in Oct, 2 week spring break, every Friday is a half day. This is better for learning and being refreshed. Graduates go to good colleges. If I had to characterize NYOS in a few words they would be: safe, nerdy, clean, community, human, caring, fun.

Posted: April 7, 2014

We love being a part of this school! It is a great community. The facility is knowledgable and caring. My daughter receives the best education from NYOS.

Posted: April 7, 2014

I don't know what my family would do without NYOS! Whether in high school, middle school, or elementary the teachers give 110% of themselves to the education and well being of their students. My kids are both very happy and confident and I'm grateful to have a safe community to provide them with an excellent education.

Posted: April 7, 2014

NYOS may appear to be a charter school that is just like a traditional public school, but it is not. There is a good balance of traditional structure and innovation at work. When conflicts arise, as they invariably do, the teachers and administration work to help the students resolve them in a constructive and meaningful way.

Posted: April 7, 2014

I love the school for it's unique approach to education, how well our children are cared for, the schedule, the families and so much more! Highly recommended.

Posted: April 7, 2014

I feel like my child is getting a good education at NYOS. Her class size is 18. She struggles some in math and is getting extra help in a small group with a different teacher each day. I'm not sure that she would be able to get that at other public schools. She's also had some self-esteem issues and has been given a high school mentor that she sees regularly. I love that students do not receive grades until 8th grade. They can focus on learning and not their grades. The teachers are very good at assessing students and reteaching as necessary. We love our shorter summers, but 2 week fall and spring break. On the downside, there are a lot of fundraisers and the facilities are not as nice as other public schools due to funding. Also, K-3 is in one school and 4-12 is at another, I think the school day is a little long for the very young children. I would prefer it be a half hour shorter for them each day without the half day on Friday. It is a really great small, diverse, involved school if that is what you are looking for!

Posted: April 6, 2014

NYOS Charter School is the best! The school maintains rigor and challenges all students in every subject area. Teachers construct positive classroom learning environments and students learn quickly how to complete tasks independently as well as in groups. World class opportunities are provided for students to utilize technology from kindergarten through 12th grade. Academic achievement is measured and communicated in a meaningful way so that students know how to track their individual progress and how they may each achieve excellence. The school is vested in fostering global service and civic engagement. Students in all grade levels participate in service projects that make the world a better place. NYOS Charter School has been recognized for four years as one of the Top Ten High Schools in all of the Greater Austin Area. The school achieved this recognition through the dedication of the entire NYOS Community and the cohesive learning programs PreK-12.

Posted: August 29, 2013

I have four children at NYOS Charter School. We have been at the school for 5 years and absolutely LOVE it. Our kids are challenged intellectually/ academically and the values upheld at school are the same as we espouse at home. While sports and extracirriculars are somewhat limited by the need for volunteers (parents), the feeling of family and community at NYOS is something we really appreciate. Attendance here is greatly helped by flexible work schedules or car pooling buddies because of limited afterschool options and year round schedule. However, help is easily found through the Facebook group or home room parents who help coordinate. If academics, values, parental involvement and sense of community are important in education, then NYOS could be the place for you and your kids!

Posted: August 29, 2013

NYOS is not only an amazing school, but an outstanding community! Not only am I a staff member, but my child also attends this school. I've found a community oriented on the principles of Love & Logic, built upon mutual respect amongst students and peers and a full circle of support from home to school and back again enabling our students success throughout their adult lives.

Posted: August 29, 2013

We have been a NYOS family for 12 years and couldn't imagine life without this school. There have been one or two bumps in the road but overall this school is wonderful. The school is more like a small town where everyone knows each other. Parental involvement is expected so if you are just looking for a school to drop off your kid and not be involved you should not choose this school.

Posted: August 21, 2013

We love it at NYOS! My child enjoys the small classes, staying with the same class and teacher for 2 years in elementary, and all of the project based learning and study trips. As a parent I can see that he is so engaged in learning that he loves going to school every day! The teachers are dedicated as well as the administration. The parent community is warm and open to everyone and there is a high rate of volunteerism. It is truly a wonderful school.

Posted: July 20, 2013

The school sets very high expectations for students, staff, and parents. My children have worked on many projects that demanded they know the material and be able to apply it and present it. Learning has always been the focus in every meeting I've had with principal and teachers. State testing has never been the priority...like other schools...and I hope that doesn't change with new administration.

Posted: July 14, 2013

This school is great. I am a student attending this school and it is great the teachers are very helpful and really friendly. the smaller classes make it easier to get the help you need on small misunderstandings. not to mention every friday is a half day so high schoolers leave at 12:45 and middle schooler at 12 : 30 or 15 i dont remember

Posted: February 21, 2013

Great place to learn! Small classes give the students an advantage with more one on one from the teachers.

Posted: February 21, 2013

My children have been going to NYOS since kindergarten. They are both in high school now. The teachers and staff truly care about each student and work to help each child succeed. I would never consider having my children go anywhere else. LOVE IT!

Posted: February 19, 2013

I am really impressed with NYOS. I have moved at lot and lived in several cities in Texas, so my son has attended a different school every year(sometimes 2) until he started NYOS at the end of 4th grade (May 2010). He is now in 7th grade and a full grade level ahead in math. He had been so frustrated with his previous school and the singular focus of teaching the test (TAKS back then) that he was bored and acting up in class. At my son's request, I removed him from a blue ribbon AISD elementary school and enrolled him in NYOS. He has been much happier, his teachers keep him challenged, and I am satisfied with the curriculum. His teachers so far have been excellent and great role models. NYOS is not perfect. I have had some minor issues like not getting field trip forms and notifications, but I can't blame that all on the teachers. The communication has improved with the new email notifications and weekly 7th grade newsletter, and the website is more up to date. The fundraisers are not my favorite but are necessary. I do wish there were more after-school and evening volunteer opportunities for those of us who work outside the home.

Posted: February 14, 2013

We are in our 3rd year at NYOS ('12-'13) and I love it. We are still at the elementary level, and the teachers and staff are wonderful! I wouldn't have our child anywhere else, especially given our AISD options! I love that NYOS does not teach to the test!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Midtown Commons at Crestview Station	Apartment Complex	Austin	TX	5 mi
2	Anderson Mill	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Austin	TX	8 mi
3	Mill creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Salado	TX	39.1 mi
4	Evergreen Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Harker Heights	TX	44.3 mi
5	Skipcha Mountain Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Harker Heights	TX	44.9 mi
6	Spanish Oaks	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	44.9 mi
7	White Rock Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	45.2 mi
8	Timber Ridge Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	45.2 mi
9	Knights Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Harker Heights	TX	45.2 mi
10	Savannah Heights	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	45.9 mi
11	Glenwood	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Killeen	TX	46.2 mi
12	Oak View	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Belton	TX	48.7 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Main street	Salado	TX	38.5 mi
2	Harker Heights	Harker Heights	TX	46 mi
3	Elms street	Killeen	TX	47.8 mi
4	East Rancier Road	Killeen	TX	49.8 mi

NYOS Charter School

Austin, TX 78753

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NYOS Charter School

Austin, TX 78753

School Ratings

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