Austin High School (Houston, Texas)

Stephen F. Austin High School

Principal Administrator	Jorge Arredondo
Grade levels	9 - 12
Founded	1935
School type	Public school (U.S.)
Religious affiliation	None
Location	Houston, Texas, United States
Enrollment	1,848 students (2010-2011 school year)
Campus surroundings	Urban
Mascot	Mustangs
School colors	Green, white, black
Yearbook	The Corral
Magnet	Partial: Teaching and Coaching professions

Austin High School

Stephen F. Austin High School is a secondary school located at 1700 Dumble Street in Houston, Texas, United States. The school handles grades nine through twelve and is a part of the Houston Independent School District.

The school, named after Stephen F. Austin, is located in the Eastwood area in the East End. The neighborhood was developed in the 1920s, and the school's Art Deco architecture reflects this. The school has HISD's magnet program for Teaching Professions. The will come to Austin High School in August 2009.

The school is about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast from Downtown Houston.

History

Austin was first built in 1936.

On Monday, October 16, 1989 two students, 16-year-old Alma Rincon and 18-year old-Cedric Smith watched an episode of 21 Jump Street about students who protest and walk out of school. The following day the two discussed the show during an American history class; Austin High School had a lack of textbooks and scheduling conflicts. The students decided that a protest could help change this. Before the walkout, the administration learned that there would be a walkout on Monday, October 23 and principal Otila Urbina warned students to not participate. The organizers tricked the administration by rescheduling the walkout to Friday. On Friday, October 20, 1989 up to 1,000 students walked out of class and talked to reporters. One week later, on Friday October 27, HISD superintendent Joan Raymond announced that Urbina would be reassigned to administrative duties.

In September 1991, Austin was one of 32 HISD schools that had capped enrollments: The school was filled to capacity and excess students had to attend other schools. In December 1991, Austin was one of the largest high schools in Texas, with 2,669 students. Due to the overcrowding, by that month Houston ISD trustees approved a plan to open a new high school in 1995 instead of in 1997.

By 1997, the new high school had not been constructed; area community leaders and parents anticipated the construction of César Chávez High School, as Austin and Milby were still overcrowded. Prior to 1997 residents zoned to Furr High School also had the option to attend Austin and Milby high schools; in 1997 the school district canceled the option.

In the fall of 2000, Chávez opened and took most of Milby's traditional neighborhoods. In turn Milby absorbed some students from Austin. Areas that were zoned to Austin in 1998 were rezoned to Milby, In turn, Austin absorbed areas previously zoned to Furr and Yates high schools.

In 2007, a Johns Hopkins University study commissioned by the Associated Press included Austin in a "dropout factory" list of 42 Houston-area high schools; a "dropout factory" school is where at least 40% of the entering freshman class does not make it to their senior year.

Demographics

For the 2010-11 school year:

• African American: 3.1%
• Hispanic: 95.1%
• White: 1.4%
• American Indian: 0.3%
• Asian: 0.1%
• Pacific Islander: 0.0%
• Two or More Races: 0.0%
• Economically Disadvantaged: 94.9%

In the 2000s, property values around the school increased. This created the large student population decrease. This led to the demotion of the school from 5A to 4A as per the University Interscholastic League ranking.

Neighborhoods served by Austin

Several areas inside the 610 Loop that are east of Downtown, including the area known as the East End, are zoned to Austin; several East End subdivisions such as the Second Ward, Eastwood,^{[citation needed]} Idylwood, East View, Riverview, Forest Hill, Hampshire Oaks, Simms Woods, Houston Country Club Place, Woodleigh, Sunnylan, Broadmoor, Central Park, and some of Magnolia Park, are zoned to Austin. In addition a section of East Downtown is zoned to Austin.^{[citation needed]}

School uniform

Austin High School students wear school uniforms. As of the 2009-2010 school year each student wears a polo shirt of a color depending on the student's year of estimated graduation. Freshmen wear black, Sophomores wear blue, Juniors wear maroon, and Seniors wear green. All students have khaki bottoms.

The Texas Education Agency specified that the parents and/or guardians of students zoned to a school with uniforms may apply for a waiver to opt out of the uniform policy so their children do not have to wear the uniform; parents must specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons or philosophical objections.

Transportation

Houston ISD provides school buses for students who live more than two miles away from the school or who have major obstacles between their houses and the school. Students are eligible if they are zoned to Austin or are in the Austin magnet program.

Three METRO bus stops (Polk Street @ Dumble Street, Telephone Road @ Dumble Street, and Ernestine Street @ Coyle Street) are located near the school. Bus line 36 stops at Polk @ Dumble, and bus line 40 stops at Telephone @ Dumble. Bus line 42 stops at Ernestine @ Coyle. Telephone @ Dumble is the stop closest to the school.

Feeder patterns

Elementary schools that feed into Austin include:

• Burnet
• Cage
• Carillo
• Franklin
• Briscoe (partial)
• Brookline (partial)
• Dodson (partial)
• Gallegos (partial)
• J. P. Henderson (partial)
• Lantrip (partial)
• Peck (partial)
• Rusk (partial)
• Tijerina (partial)

Middle schools that feed into Austin include:

• Jackson Middle School (partial)
• Deady Middle School (partial)
• Edison Middle School (partial)

Notable alumni

• Diana Davila Martinez - Texas state representative of District 145 from 1993 to 1999.
• Ken Spain - professional basketball player
• Bob Allen - Sport Director for KTRK-TV
• Jody Miller - makeup artist
• Eva Guzmán - appointed to the Supreme Court of Texas Advisory Committee
• Joel Youngblood - Major League Baseball Player
• Mayra Moreno-TV Anchor/Reporter KIAH CW 39

External links

• Austin High School Homepage
• Austin Alumni