WHAT IS THIS AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

• Please read everything on the Austin ISD's website about the Enroll Austin process/program.

DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE THE ENROLL AUSTIN APPLICATION ?

• Yes, this application must be completed in order to be considered for LASA.

WHEN I COMPLETE THE ENROLL AUSTIN APPLICATION, AM I DONE APPLYING TO LASA?

• Not quite! You must follow the next steps. You will be directed to the LASA Website and you must also complete the LASA Supplemental Materials form and take the CogAT Admissions Test to be considered for LASA.

WHAT TIME DOES THE APPLICATION CLOSE?

• The application closes February 4th, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

HOW CAN I GET ASSISTANCE WITH SIGNING IN TO THE ENROLL AUSTIN APPLICATION?

• You can call the parent help line, 512-414-SEAT for any technical help.

• We will also have assistance available on campus during the LASA Showcase and on our CogAT admission test dates. See our admissions calendar for more information.

WHAT IF I MISS THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT MY ENROLL AUSTIN APPLICATION?

• Enroll Austin does not allow late applications.  If you have not submitted the Enroll Austin application by the deadline, LASA cannot consider your application.
   

MY STUDENT IS AN AISD STUDENT AND I UNDERSTAND WE DON'T HAVE TO SUBMIT REPORT CARDS, AND THAT LASA DOES NOT REQUIRE TEST SCORES, BUT ALL OF THOSE UPLOADS ARE REQUIRED IN ENROLL AUSTIN. WHAT DO I DO?

• If you are only applying to LASA, you can safely leave these blank. Especially for test scores. LASA will manually mark next steps as complete as we receive data from district. If your student was not in AISD last year, go ahead and upload their previous year report card in the report card slot. If you are applying to other schools, or have the documents easily accessible, uploading report cards and test scores will not hurt your application to LASA or make our lives harder.

• For some reason, access via the Parent Portal is a little buggy. AISD recommends accessing Enroll Austin by going to austinisd.org/enroll. Use the email address associated with your parent portal account and you will be prompted to log in through it. If you are still having issues accessing your account, please clear your cache.

I DO NOT HAVE AN AISD PARENT PORTAL ACCOUNT. DO I NEED TO CREATE ONE?

• No. If your student is not currently in an AISD school, there is no need to create a Parent Portal account. Enroll Austin can be accessed without one. Once you accept a seat at an AISD school for your student, you will be prompted to create a Parent Portal account.

I CANNOT SUBMIT THE ENROLL AUSTIN APPLICATION BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A PARENT DATE OF BIRTH, BUT THE FIELD IS UNEDITABLE. WHAT DO I DO?

• Enroll Austin takes its data straight from SIS. If your student is currently enrolled in an AISD school, reach out to the school and ask them to update your date of birth in SIS. The change will be reflected in Enroll Austin after 24 hours.

• Or email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org the below information so we can forward it to Student Data Management:

  • Parent Name:

  • Parent Email:

  • Parent D/O/B:

WHAT TIME DOES THE APPLICATION CLOSE?

• The application closes February 4th, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

• We recommend that you complete your LASA Supplemental Form during Winter Break. This will allow you to sign up for shadowing, as those spots are first-come, first-serve and fill up fast every year. This will also give LASA a chance to review your submitted materials and make sure everything is in order. 

• Remember the week before the deadline will be the most hectic at LASA and response times will be longer than usual.

I SUBMITTED MY SUPPLEMENTAL FORM, BUT I NEED TO MAKE CHANGES. HOW DO I DO THAT?

• You may not edit any submitted form but you may submit a new form. LASA will only consider the most recent submission.

HOW WILL LASA SCORE MY FULL APPLICATION?

• Please visit the LASA website for our application rubric.

WHAT IF I MISS THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT MY APPLICATION?

• Late applications will not be allowed.

MY STUDENT IS HOMESCHOOLED, CAN WE STILL APPLY TO LASA?

• Students that are homeschooled apply to LASA every year. Homeschooled students, just like all other applicants, will submit an application, supplemental form, teacher recommendations, and grades.

• Parents may not submit teacher recommendations. If your student has no non-family member teachers/mentors, email LASA at LASAadmissions@austinisd.org and let us know. We will make a note in your file.

• Students who have not been graded may submit a portfolio or review for previous/current school year. 

MY STUDENT WAS ACCEPTED FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR AND CHOSE NOT TO ATTEND. DO THEY NEED TO REAPPLY IF THEY WISH TO ATTEND FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR?

• All students applying must complete the Enroll Austin application by the February 4th deadline.

• If you were accepted for the 2024-2025 school year, you do not need to complete the LASA Supplemental Materials for this year. However, you do need to reach out to LASA's Academy Director, San Czaplinski at san.czaplinski@austinisd.org.

• If you were accepted for the 2023-2024 school year or before, you WILL need to complete the LASA Supplemental Materials for this year.

CAN I SEE MY STUDENT’S APPLICATION SCORE?

• LASA does not share the final score on your application.

IF MY STUDENT DOES NOT GET ACCEPTED TO LASA, CAN I SEE MY STUDENT’S SCORES?

• No. We are happy to visit with parents and students to provide constructive feedback on their application so students can learn where they fell short on their overall application and learn from the experience.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING REQUIRED TO APPLY TO LASA?

• Once you have submitted the LASA Supplemental Materials Form, you will begin to receive status update emails, showing items as either pending or received. Pending may mean that an item has yet to be submitted, that it is yet to be processed, or that it is missing vital information. Once you have attended one of the CogAT Admission Test sessions in addition to completing all checklist items, you will receive an email congratulating you on completing your application.

I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY EMAILS FROM LASA ADMISSIONS. HOW CAN I GET ON YOUR EMAIL LIST?

• LASA will begin sending application emails sometime in November to those families who have submitted the Enroll Austin Application, submitted the LASA supplemental materials form, or filled out the LASA Interest Form.

• Email addresses we may use are: donotreply@lasahighschool.org, admissions@lasahighschool.org, LASAadmissions@austinisd.org. Please check your spam folder and other inboxes if applicable.

WE ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING TO LASA. CAN WE SCHEDULE A TOUR?

• Unfortunately, we are not able to offer school tours. Instead we offer four LASA Information Nights and one open house (the LASA Showcase). See our Admissions Calendar for details. We also offer first-come-first-serve Shadowing for our applicants, who have completed their Enroll Austin Application and submitted their LASA Supplemental Materials Form, in the Spring. Further information on shadowing is available here.

MY CREATIVE PROJECT IS TOO BIG TO ATTACH TO THE FORM, WHAT DO I DO?

• Upload your creative project to a google drive. Set the share settings to "anyone with link may view". Copy-paste the link into a word document (doc or pdf, etc) or similar and attach that document to the form.

I SUBMITTED MY SUPPLEMENTAL FORM, BUT I NEED TO MAKE CHANGES. HOW DO I DO THAT?

• You cannot make changes to the form. Please resubmit. The most recent submission will be the only one that LASA reviews. 

CAN WE DROP OFF OUR CREATIVE WORK IN PERSON?

• No, please take photos, videos, etc. of your work and submit it via the application form.

HOW LONG SHOULD MY CREATIVE STATEMENT BE?

• There is no real limit.  Use the space to fully answer the question.  As a quick guideline, 4 sentences may be too short, 4 paragraphs may be too long.

CAN I USE A TEACHER FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO COMPLETE MY TEACHER RECOMMENDATION?

• Our preference is for you to use teachers from your current grade level. This allows LASA to receive the most recent information. However, it is fine to use a teacher from a couple of years ago if you feel like they know you better.

WHERE CAN WE FIND THE RECOMMENDATION FORM FOR TEACHERS TO FILL OUT?

• When parents fill out the Enroll Austin Application they will be prompted to provide the email addresses of up to three teachers (LASA only requires two recommendations, but other programs may ask for a third). A link to the recommendation form will be automatically sent to those teachers. Parents may return to the Enroll Austin Application to see the status of that recommendation. Once a teacher has submitted a recommendation it will show as complete.

THE TEACHER SAYS THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE LINK TO THE RECOMMENDATION FORM. CAN LASA SEND IT DIRECTLY TO THEM?

• Unfortunately not. The link is sent via the Enroll Austin Application. Parents can log back onto the Enroll Austin Application and re-send the email to the teacher. Before they do so, they should double check the spelling of the email. The most common reason for missing links is that either the teacher name or domain is misspelled.

WHICH TEACHERS CAN SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION?

• We ask for recommendations from teachers in your core math/science and English/social studies classes.

MY STUDENT DOES NOT ATTEND AN AISD SCHOOL. HOW CAN THEIR TEACHER SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION?

• All applicants, whether they attend an AISD school, a non-AISD school, or are homeschooled, must have an Enroll Austin Application on file. When parents fill out the Enroll Austin Application they will be prompted to provide the email addresses of up to three teachers. These teachers can be from any ISD or program. (LASA only requires two recommendations, but other programs may ask for a third). A link to the recommendation form will be automatically sent to those teachers.

CAN WE SUBMIT MORE THAN TWO TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS?

• Technically yes. But LASA will only consider two recommendations (one from a math or science teacher, and one from an English or social studies teacher). If several recommendations are submitted, we will consider the ones received first unless otherwise noted. We will not consider recommendations from teachers of subjects other than the four core ones requested.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY FOR ME TO GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM EITHER CORE SUBJECT TEACHER FROM THIS GRADE LEVEL OR LAST. WHAT DO I DO?

• Please reach out to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org so we can discuss options.

I HAVE A LONGTERM SUBSTITUTE IN ONE OF MY CORE SUBJECTS, CAN THEY SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION?

• Yes! If your long-term substitute feels comfortable submitting a recommendation for you, they are absolutely allowed to do so.

MY STUDENT WAS HOMESCHOOLED AND HAS NO OUTSIDE TEACHERS. WHAT DO WE DO? CAN PARENTS SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS?

• Parents cannot complete recommendations. If there is no person that can provide a recommendation, please send an email to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org, stating that information and LASA will still be able to assess your application.

MY STUDENT TOOK CLASSES BUT DID NOT RECEIVE GRADES FOR HIS/HER CLASSES, ONLY A PORTFOLIO OR ONLY STATEMENTS FROM HIS/HER SCHOOL. WILL LASA BE ABLE TO USE THIS INFORMATION IN THE APPLICATION?

• Yes, we have always been able to score report cards that do not use grades or that only use portfolios. Simply submit your portfolio or whatever you have from your school and we will score it in our system.

MY STUDENT DOES NOT HAVE SEMESTER REPORT CARDS?

• Some students do have trimesters so they can submit their first trimester report card by the February 4th deadline.

MY STUDENT WILL NOT GET THEIR FINAL FIRST SEMESTER REPORT CARD UNTIL AFTER THE DEADLINE. WHEN SHOULD WE SUBMIT THIS?

• Most students should have access to their report cards by the February 4th deadline. In the rare case that you do not, please upload the latest report card available to you to the LASA UPLOADS FORM and make a note in the form of the date of when your semester report card is to be expected. 

WHICH GRADES FROM MY REPORT CARD ARE CONSIDERED?

• LASA considers your final year grades in math, science, English and social studies from the 2023/2024 school year and your semester 1 (or latest grading cycle equivalent) grades in math, science, English, and social studies from the 2024/2025 school year.

I AM AN AISD STUDENT. HOW DO I SUBMIT MY REPORT CARDS?

• Good news, you do not have to submit any report cards from an AISD school. They will be automatically available to LASA once your parent submits the Enroll Austin Application. If you attended a non-AISD school last school year, you will be prompted to upload that report in the LASA supplemental materials form. Please ensure the report card shows your name, grade level, year, and final year grades.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REPORT CARDS?

• AISD students do not have to submit separate report cards unless they spent their previous grade level in a non-AISD school. All other students should submit report cards that are clearly legible and show the student name, grade level, school year, grades in math, science, English, and social studies (or school equivalent!). Report cards from the previous grade level (2023/2024) should show the final year grades. Report cards from the current grade level (2024/2025) should show the semester 1 (or latest grading cycle equivalent available by February 4) grades.

CAN I JUST TAKE A SCREENSHOT OF MY GRADES FROM MY PARENT/STUDENT PORTAL VIEW?

• Our preference is that you submit a report card from your school rather than a screenshot. If you absolutely cannot get a report card before the deadline, you may submit a screenshot from your school's online portal. Please note that it must include student name, grade level, year, subject names, and either final year grades (if from the previous grade level, 2023/2024) or semester 1 grades or latest grading cycle equivalent (if from the current grade level, 2024/2025).

MY SEMESTER 1 REPORT CARD WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE BY FEBRUARY 4, 2025. WHAT DO I DO?

• Please submit the latest available report card you have and note on it the date when the semester 1 (or grading cycle equivalent) report card will become available. If we need further information from you, we will reach out.

I ATTEND A SCHOOL THAT DOES NOT ISSUE STANDARD REPORT CARDS AND/OR GRADES. WHAT DO I DO?

• Please submit the documentation your school provides. Whether it be a narrative report, a student portfolio, or a report card with non-standard grades. Many schools will either have a grade conversion document, or an ability to request a transcript showing the more traditional grade equivalents. If yours does, please request and submit those. If yours does not, please submit what you have. Every year LASA receives non-traditional student reports or grades and we have systems in place to score them. They should still list the student name, grade level, and school year. If the math, science, English or social studies equivalents are not obvious, someone from LASA may reach out for clarification.

HOW IS THE COGAT ADMINISTERED?

• Good old pencil and paper! Students will be provided with a pencil, a test booklet with the questions, and a scantron sheet for the answers.

IF MY STUDENT IS IN 7TH GRADE AND PLANS ON APPLYING FOR LASA NEXT YEAR, CAN THEY COME TAKE THE EXAM THIS YEAR TO PRACTICE?

• No. LASA pays for each test administered and graded. Only students who are planning on applying to LASA for the 2025-2026 school year should take the exam in January, 2025

DOES IT COST ANYTHING FOR THE STUDENT TO TAKE THE COGAT AT LASA?

• No, the test is free for students. 

MY STUDENT RECEIVES TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS AT THEIR CURRENT SCHOOL. CAN THEY RECEIVE THESE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE COGAT TEST AT LASA?

• Yes. Please fill out this form to request any accommodations.  This must be done by the Monday before you take the test.

  • Unfortunately if you do not request accommodations by the Monday prior to the test, LASA will not be able to provide them.

• If you need accommodations, you must attend the morning session of either Saturday (regardless of last name).  No accommodations will be given at afternoon sessions.

• If you decide not to use your testing accommodations, you are not allowed to go back and take the test again with your testing accommodations. LASA recommends that if you are a student that commonly uses these testing accommodations in your regular education setting, then you need to use them for the CogAT test. If you do not commonly use these accommodations, we recommend that you do not use them for the CogAT.

DO I NEED TO REGISTER FOR THE COGAT?

• No. Students simply need to show up for the exam unless you require accommodations, in which case, they must request them here by the Monday before the test. 

DO I NEED TO BRING ANYTHING WITH ME TO THE COGAT?

• Students do not need to bring anything to the test other than a small snack and something to drink.

• You may want to consider dressing in layers and bringing a light jacket or sweater.  Our building is old and some rooms may be warm and others cold.

HOW LONG DOES THE COGAT LAST?

• The CogAT lasts about 2 hours. It consists of three sections, verbal, quantitative and non-verbal sections. 

WHAT IS THE COGAT?

• The CogAT test is a cognitive abilities test commonly used to assess students for gifted and talented services. LASA recommends that you google “cogat” for additional information.

I SEARCHED FOR INFORMATION ABOUT COGAT AND DISCOVERED THAT I CAN ORDER PRACTICE EXAMS. SHOULD I TAKE THESE PRACTICE EXAMS?

• LASA does not advocate for students to take CogAT practice exams. We do highly advocate that students complete 10-15 sample CogAT questions. Students that are exposed to some of the questions on the CogAT exam before they take it tend to be much more comfortable taking the test than students who take the test without seeing any of the questions. Students can find these sample questions on the internet.

I HAVE A SCHOOL EVENT OR MY FAMILY HAS AN OBLIGATION ON THE SATURDAY TIME THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE COGAT. CAN I COME AT ONE OF THE OTHER SCHEDULED TESTING TIMES?

• Yes, BUT, please try to come at your assigned time.

• If you have to come at a different scheduled test time, you do not need to notify LASA

I AM OUT OF TOWN AND CANNOT TAKE THE COGAT EXAM ON EITHER OF THE SATURDAYS. CAN I STILL APPLY TO LASA?

• Yes, LASA will offer an alternate day of testing if you cannot attend either Saturday session. Please email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org, for more information.

• Sometimes students are traveling or out-of-state or country and unable to work out one of the testing days. LASA has a procedure for this. Please email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org for more information.

WHAT FORM AND LEVEL OF THE COGAT WILL MY STUDENT TAKE?

• Current 8th graders will take test level 13/14

• Current 9th & 10th graders will take test level 15/16

• Current 11th graders will take test level 17/18

• All students complete Form 7

CAN I TAKE THE COGAT VIRTUALLY?

• Unfortunately we are unable to offer virtual administration of the CogAT.

• LASA will offer an alternate day of testing if you cannot attend either Saturday session. Please email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org, for more information.

• Sometimes students are traveling or out-of-state or country and unable to work out one of the testing days. LASA has a procedure for this. Please email LASAadmissions@austinisd.org for more information.

CAN I TAKE THE EXAM ON BOTH SATURDAYS AND JUST USE THE BEST SCORE?

• No. A student may only take the CogAT exam once in a six month period.

• If a student takes the exam more than once, only the first results will be considered.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO PROVIDE PROOF OF RESIDENCE?

• Per District Policy, only students living in AISD may attend the AISD magnet schools (LASA, McCallum Fine Arts, Kealing Magnet, Lively Magnet, or Lamar Fine Arts)

• “Beginning with the 2017–18 school year, applicants who are approved to attend a magnet or performance-based application program must show proof of residence within District boundaries by the application due date. [...] Residence within District boundaries must be maintained in order to remain in a magnet program. If a student moves out of District while attending a magnet program, the student will be allowed to finish the semester in the magnet program. In the case of a graduating senior, the student may finish the year in the magnet program. Principals and directors of magnet or performance-based application programs may request proof of residence at any time.”

MY STUDENT ATTENDS AN AISD SCHOOL ALREADY, DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE PROOF OF RESIDENCE?

• Yes.  All AISD students must provide proof of residence each year
   

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY ADDRESS IS WITHIN AISD BOUNDARIES?

• You can look up your address here.  If your address is in district, the results will show your assigned home schools. If you are not in district, the following text will show in red: "IMPORTANT: The address you entered is not located within our district. You are not assigned a neighborhood school but can apply to attend a district school." This does not apply to LASA! Many AISD schools allow students with an address that is out of bounds to apply. LASA is not one of them.

• For families who own their home, the homestead exemption is used to determine primary residency.
   

WHAT KIND OF DOCUMENT SHOULD I SUBMIT TO PROVE RESIDENCE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF AISD?

• Please submit a copy of the first page of your latest City of Austin Utilities Bill in the name of the student’s parent/legal guardian showing the address of your primary residence. An example is shown here.

CAN I JUST RENT AN APARTMENT IN AISD AND NOT LIVE IN IT?

• No, your primary residence should be within the boundaries of AISD by the application deadline.  For families who own their home, the homestead exemption is used to determine primary residency.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T LIVE IN AISD?

• Unfortunately, we are unable to consider out-of-district applicants.

ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS?

• Yes, children of Austin ISD employees may attend any AISD school regardless of address.

CAN I APPLY TO LASA EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE OUT OF DISTRICT AND JUST MOVE IF I AM ACCEPTED?

• Unfortunately, we are unable to issue conditional acceptances. All applicants must provide proof of residence by the application due date. LASA cannot consider out of district applicants.

WE ARE MOVING FROM OUT OF COUNTRY/OUT OF STATE. ARE THERE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ALLOW US TO APPLY EVEN THOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE AN AUSTIN ISD ZONED ADDRESS?

• Unfortunately, Enroll Austin requires an Austin ISD zoned address.  

MY STUDENT IS ATTENDING A NON-AISD SCHOOL AND WE ARE MOVING TO OUR NEW ADDRESS RIGHT BEFORE THE DEADLINE. WE WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO RECEIVE A UTILITIES BILL. IS THERE ANOTHER DOCUMENT WE CAN PROVIDE?

• Yes. You can provide the lease, mortgage information, or house contract.

• Note that LASA may request additional evidence in order to consider your application.

MY STUDENT IS ATTENDING A NON-AISD SCHOOL AND WE LIVE AT AN APARTMENT WHERE UTILITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE RENT. HOW CAN WE PROVE RESIDENCY?

• Please submit a copy of your lease or contract.

• Note that LASA may request additional evidence in order to consider your application.

• We hope to have a Freshman class between 400-425 for the next school year.

• No

WE WILL BE OUT OF TOWN IN MARCH AND ARE WORRIED THAT WE MIGHT MISS THE DECISION LETTER. CAN YOU SEND IT TO A DIFFERENT ADDRESS?

• No. LASA can only mail out our decision letters to the address on your Enroll Austin Application. If you will be out of town, we recommend you ask a trusted neighbor/friend/family member to check your mail until you return.

WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO LASA….NOW WHAT?

• First, congratulations on being accepted to LASA. Second, you will receive a packet in the mail with important information. There will be an informational meeting toward the end of March or early April (we have two meetings) where you can visit with teachers, students, courses and administration regarding courses and how to sign-up for the courses.

IF ACCEPTED, CAN I DEFER FOR A YEAR?

• No, we are not setup to allow for deferring.

ARE THERE REQUIRED COURSES FOR MY FIRST YEAR AT LASA?

• Yes.

• Entering 9^th graders must take Advanced Magnet English I, Math, Advanced Magnet World Geography, Advanced Magnet Biology, a World Language, two LASA signature courses – Science & Technology and Electronic Magazine – and one elective.

• If you are an entering 10^th grader, you must take Advanced Magnet English II, Math, AP World History, Advanced Magnet Chemistry, and a second or third year of a World Language (if you have already completed 3 years of a language then you can either continue with level IV of a World Language, which is typically the AP level or you can choose not to continue with World Language credits, two LASA signature courses – Planet Earth and Great Ideas – and one elective or two electives if you are not continuing to level IV in World Language.

• If you are an entering 11^th grader, you must take AP English III, Math, AP US History, AP Physics, complete your 3^rd year of World Language (unless you have already completed your 3 years) and electives of your choice.

• If you are an entering 12th grader, you must take AP English IV, Math, AP Government (sem), AP Economics (sem), ensure you have a 3rd year of a language and have a PE , Health (sem) and Fine Arts credit as they are required for graduation in Texas.

I AM AN INCOMING 9TH GRADER BUT I ALREADY HAVE CREDIT FOR BIOLOGY, ENGLISH OR WORLD GEOGRAPHY. CAN I REPLACE THEM WITH 10TH GRADE COURSES?

• No, it is important for our students to stay together in English, science and social studies classes as a cohort. The skills they will learn with their cohorts far outweigh the perceived benefits of moving to 10^th grade courses. Students that have credit in these courses will be placed in pass/fail courses.

I AM AN INCOMING STUDENT THAT HAS COMPLETED AN ADVANCED MATH CREDIT AT MY CURRENT SCHOOL WHAT DETERMINES MY NEXT COURSE LEVEL?

• You will proceed to the next course sequence or if you struggled in the previous course, you can repeat the course at LASA for a pass/fail credit. All math placements will be based on end of year transcripts. For example, if you are in Algebra I, but you did not pass the course, you will repeat Algebra I. If you complete Algebra I successfully, you will be placed in Geometry. The math sequence of courses at LASA is Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus and Calculus or math of your choice.

I AM AN INCOMING 9^TH GRADER BUT I HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THREE YEARS OF A LANGUAGE. DO I HAVE TO TAKE A LANGUAGE COURSE AT LASA?

• Yes, we want to instill the love for languages and it is our hope to help you continue with the same language through your high school years.

I AM AN INCOMING SOPHOMORE AND I HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED MY THREE YEARS OF A LANGUAGE. DO I HAVE TO TAKE A LANGUAGE COURSE AT LASA?

• No, we will try and convince you to take a new language or continue with your current language but ultimately, the decision will be yours.

I AM AN EXTREMELY MOTIVATED STUDENT AND PLAN ON TAKING ACC CLASSES OR ADVANCED CLASSES ONLINE DURING THE SUMMER OR SCHOOL YEAR. CAN THESE COURSES REPLACE THE SEQUENCE OF COURSES AT LASA?

• No. The acceptance to attend LASA means that you will follow LASA’s sequence of courses. Taking a course at ACC or online does not guarantee that it will cover the same curriculum that we teach at LASA. If you take these courses because you want to learn them and you enjoy the subjects, that is great, but you must get an administrator/counselor permission and the courses will be transcripted but you will repeat the course at LASA. We do allow three courses to be completed in the summer to replace LASA courses. They are: US History at ACC after your sophomore year. Government at ACC after your junior year. Economics at ACC after your junior year.

WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK WE CAN EXPECT?

• Keep in mind this is only an estimate. The workload may be higher before tests and projects. In addition, regular review of material is expected. If a student is spending more time than what is listed below please encourage them to see their teacher or counselor. The course guide also might be able to provide general information regarding the amount of homework for certain courses.

  • ESTIMATED HOMEWORK TIME BETWEEN CLASS MEETINGS:

    • Before we mention subjects, it is important for your student to come to LASA with some sort of system for managing their time. Some students use an electronic calendar and some use a physical calendar. Please know that all students will receive an electronic organizer called “studyo” and this will contain an electronic calendar to their classes to help them stay organized.

    • English: 30-40 pages of reading

    • World Language: Levels 1-3: 20-40 minutes, AP: 45-60 minutes, Levels 5-6: 15-20 minutes

    • Math: 60 minutes

    • Science: 30 minutes for non AP classes, 60 minutes for AP classes

    • Social Studies: 30 minutes for non-AP classes, 60 minutes for AP classes.

WHAT IS THE GRADUATION EXPECTATION FOR LASA STUDENTS?

• All LASA students are expected to work toward achieving the magnet endorsement. The magnet endorsement requires curriculum above and beyond the expectations for the highest graduation plan in the State of Texas & can be found in the Course Guide online.

WHAT COLLEGE APPLICATION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO MY STUDENT WHEN HE/SHE GETS TO THAT POINT?

• LASA is fortunate to have two college counselors to help juniors and seniors (counselors will meet with juniors starting second semester) and their families as they prepare for the college admissions process. They will coordinate on-campus college recruiter visits (over 200 colleges visit LASA during the course of the year), the Naviance college access system, secondary school reports, financial aid and scholarships. Additionally, each student at LASA is assigned an academic counselor who can assist in the college admissions process. The English IV classes have built into the curriculum the composition of college essays during the first semester. The school hosts one night in the second semester during the junior year for parents to hear college scholarship and financial aid information and then one night during the senior year first semester for parents as a forum to ask questions and to ask for assistance.

I AM INTERESTED IN TAKING ATHLETICS AT LASA. HOW DO I DO THAT?

• LASA offers athletics in the period (during the school day) and outside of the school day. Typically, football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, and baseball are during the school day and after school. All other sports are outside of the school day. If students want to take the previously mentioned sports, during the school day, they would specify that on their choice sheets. If students want to participate in athletics but not during the school day (regardless of the sport), they need to communicate that on their choice sheets. More information will be shared by the coaches in future communications. There is also a choice sheet meeting in late March or early April where this information will be shared with students and families.

MY STUDENT CANNOT ATTEND NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION. WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

• It is expected that all students attend as they will meet their cohort of students, they will receive their textbooks, chromebooks, badges, lockers, tour the school, & meet some of the school staff so please make every attempt to attend orientation.

I AM AN INCOMING 10^TH-12^TH GRADER. DO I STILL NEED TO ATTEND NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION?

• Yes, we will have a special cohort just for 10^th-12^th graders.

IS BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO AND FROM LASA?

• Yes, all students within the boundaries of Austin ISD are eligible for transportation to and from school. There are significant changes to our bus routes over the summer as our student demographic shifts with each incoming class. Routes are only finalized in August for the upcoming school year. However, if you want a sneak peek at what it currently looks like, please go to the AISD bus stop finder: https://busstop.austinisd.org/regedpub/default.aspx?load=addressInput&skipPlan=true

• The bus finder will ask you for your street number so please only enter your street number in this box. Next, it will ask you for the street name but omit the words “street”, “drive”, “Lane” …

• Select LASA in the list of schools and then hit submit. If there are several areas with similar names you may be asked to confirm street number and zip code in a short list before being sent to the bus information.

• More information about transportation and AISD school buses can be found here: https://www.austinisd.org/transportation

WHICH STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES SHOULD WE BE SUBMITTING?

• LASA does not require standardized test scores for the 2025/2026 School Year application.

• LASA does not require test scores as part of our application, but other schools might. If you are applying to other schools, we recommend following their guidelines for test score upload. If you are only applying to LASA, you may safely leave this blank or use this slot to submit a second report card.

DO I NEED TO APPLY FOR A TRANSFER TO ATTEND LASA?

• No, LASA is a magnet school. Students need to apply for admission. Accepted applicants will be enrolled at LASA with no need for transfer paperwork. Please note that acceptance to LASA will supersede any other approved transfer.

WILL I BE RECEIVING ANY EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS AFTER I APPLY OR DURING THE APPLICATION PROCESS?

• Yes, LASA will send periodic emails about various events and status updates through the application process. You may receive email notifications and prompts from our email server. If you do not receive these emails after applying, your mail server may be identifying some of our email as spam. If these emails are in your spam folder, please add @lasahighschool.org to your list of safe senders (google how to whitelist a domain for your email provider, eg. gmail (create a filter to "Never send it to spam" for any @lasahighschool.org emails, hotmail, yahoo, etc)).
• LASA will send out admission related emails beginning in December.
• Email addresses we may use are: donotreply@lasahighschool.org, admissions@lasahighschool.org, LASAadmissions@austinisd.org. Please check your spam.
• If you have not submitted the Enroll Austin Application, the LASA Supplemental Materials Form or the LASA Interest Form, LASA does not have your email address and cannot send you emails. If you have submitted any of these forms, please check the spelling of your email and update accordingly. As a last resort, please reach out to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org and we can update your email address (in our records only) manually. LASA cannot make alterations to the Enroll Austin Application.

I JUST GOT A STATUS EMAIL FROM LASA AND IT SHOWS AN ITEM I KNOW I HAVE SUBMITTED AS PENDING. WHAT'S GOING ON?

• There could be several reasons and there's usually a clue in the email itself! Please make sure you read it thoroughly to ensure your submitted documents follow all guidelines. The status emails usually have a space for a note below the list of items showing as pending/received. This note should clarify if there is an issue with a submitted item. For report cards labeled pending, it may be that the report card does not show the final year or semester grades or is missing one of the four core subjects. If it's the Creative Project, it is likely that we are unable to access it.

• If the item showing as pending is the Enroll Austin Application or one of the teacher recommendations, please know that there is a slight delay between submission and it becoming visible to LASA. If you receive two status update emails and one of those items still show as pending when you know they have been submitted, please forward your confirmation emails to LASAadmissions@austinisd.org and we can problem solve on our end.

• Finally, while we try to send out status update emails with the most recent updates, processing materials is very time-consuming and you may see a delay of 3-5 business days between submission and processing being complete. Report cards (from non-AISD sources, only), proof of residence, and creative projects take the longest to process as we double check them manually to ensure they have the information we need, and are accessible before marking them RECEIVED.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING REQUIRED TO APPLY TO LASA?

• Status update emails will be sent out frequently leading up to the application due date, showing items as either pending or received. Pending may mean that an item has yet to be submitted, that it is yet to be processed, or that it is missing vital information. Once you have attended one of the CogAT Admission Test sessions in addition to completing all checklist items, you will receive an email congratulating you on completing your application

HOW DO I KNOW IF LASA HAS SENT SOMETHING OUT AND I NEVER RECEIVED IT?

• LASA will update a special LASA Admission Update page on our website whenever we have something to share. This information will be general in nature and not specific to any student. Please visit update page here and subscribe to receive those updates via email. You can opt-out at anytime by selecting unsubscribe from the bottom of each update email.