Kiker Elementary School in Austin, Texas

“The administration and all the teachers are wonderful. There is a dedicated staff that make the school seem like family.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We moved to Kiker from a small community with a rank 3 public school and in one year the dedicated and wonderful teachers and staff at Kiker were able to really make my sons bloom. They are the greatest!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My youngest is finishing up his 5th grade year at Kiker so we will no longer be here anymore and I will miss it. This is school is outstanding in all aspects. This school is the type of school you WISH on each elementary student. The Prinicipal and Teachers are so caring not to mention they have high acedmeic standards. We'll really miss Kiker!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Kiker is an extraordinary school. I can't say enough about it. The teachers, the principal, and the parents are first rate. Everyone is involved and works together for the children. We are getting ready to relocate to another state, and I only hope we can find a school even close to the caliber of this one. I have my doubts though because Kiker is truly one in a million!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Kiker is in one word- Amazing. It is essentially a private school in every aspect. The teachers and staff are nurturing as well as determined to assist every student strive for personal excellence in achievements. The parent involvement complements the teachers and staff efforts to result in an excellent elementary school. Moving from the northeast, I had always been warned that schools in the South are just not the same caliber as those in the north. If that is true, Kiker is the exception. Comparing notes with friends all over the country, I know this is a great school. We are very happy to have found it!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We're very pleased with Kiker. The GT program is serving my son well. Great class size.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Primary focus is teaching to the test. Many areas of giftedness are overlooked because of the high focus on the state testing scores. Kindergarten classes were nearly 100% worksheet driven. There were at least 2 children in the kindergarten class that were out of control and more than even an aid designated for them could handle. Very disruptive for the other kids that were expected to behave. The teacher was in one corner telling the class that Level 2 behavior was expected while one of the other 2 kids continued thrashing and yelling in another corner. We are hoping for a more rewarding 1st grade year. Principal appears to not often be on campus. The background of one of the assistant principals is middle-school or higher. So far, a very positive first impression of the 1st grade teacher. We are more optimistic beginning this year.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We came from Dallas where children just simply do not attend the public school system, so we had planned on sending our children to private schools. That is, until we happened to move here in the Kiker School District. As my husband said, 'this is a public school with a private school feel'. The Principal is outstanding, the teachers are superb, the extras (music, physical fitness classes..etc.) are such a plus, and the parental and community involvement are exemplary. No wonder Kiker continues to get 'exemplary' status year after year. They really live up to their reputation. (By the way, they were overcrowded, but now there is a new school down the road that takes the overflow and has tried to follow in the example of Kiker.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We found Kiker to be totally overrated. We were unimpressed with the staff as we found them to be teaching solely to the taks test. There was little time left over to challenge the children, encourage them to be creative thinkers, and there was a real lack of instruction on the social level, as we found there was quite a bit of teasing that went unchecked. Everyone was incredibly friendly and there is an extremely high degree of parent involvement. That said, I learned from several new mothers as well from my own experience that certain parents 'run' the school making it difficult to find your niche as they are expected to drive every school event. There is an assembly each morning that is totally unorganized and unnecessary. The arrival and dismissal are not well run and parents wait for more than half an hour to pick up their children.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We enrolled our daughter in Kindergarten based on Kiker's excellent reputation. It lives up to the hype in that the principal is great and teachers (I hear) are good. However, we suffered the effects of exteme overcrowding are considering removing her from the school. Despite enrolling her months prior to the first day, she was placed in an hastily formed overflow class with a substitute teacher. This teacher may be replaced at the whim of the district within the first few weeks. Her room is also significantly smaller and less equiped than the other classrooms. The substitute is excellent and the principal is fighting the good fight to keep her. This overcrowding should alleviate next year when a new neighborhood school opens. All-in-All, a superior school and staff are operating under difficult circumstances not of their own making.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Quality administration, excellent teachers... new building addition being added this summer (2005).”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Great extracuricular activities (choir, etc); good ptsa; nice principal; good safety program”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I have been very pleased with Kiker so far. We are new to the area, and our child has adjusted beautifully. The only reason for the low rating of the principal is that she's new and still learning. I have had extremely positive interactions with all staff and faculty. Parent involvement is superb at this campus.”
This review was posted by a parent.