National data was recently released and the Town of Westlake and Westlake Academy is pleased to announce that Westlake Academy is once again ranked in U.S. News and World Report as one the best high schools for 2016, nationally ranked at No. 58, No. 9 in Texas and No. 17 in charter schools nationwide! And Westlake Academy continues to make The Washington Post Most Challenging High School list at No. 32 in the nation, rising four places for 2016! National rankings for Newsweek have not been released yet for 2016.

In addition, Westlake Academy students are excelling on state mandated assessments. The Texas Education Agency awarded Westlake Academy seven Academic Distinction Designations based upon Westlake Academy's 2014-2015 STAAR/EOC performance scores. Furthermore, Westlake Academy's 2015 Texas Performance Reporting System Report concluded that:

• 96 percent of WA students met state Level II Satisfactory performance standards on all tests taken 
• 98 percent of students met the state Level II Satisfactory performance standard in reading
• 94 percent of students met the standard in math
• 94 percent of students met the standard in writing
• 94 percent of students met the standard in science
• 99 percent  of students met the standard in social studies (humanities)

Mechelle Bryson, executive principal/director of education, said the high level of achievement recorded by Westlake Academy students on state-mandated assessments is indicative of the work that WA  teachers and administrators have done on aligning the written, taught and assessed curriculum over the past few years. She said the high achievement is also due to the work that Westlake Academy teachers and administrators have done on improving the collective instructional pedagogy of each member of the Westlake Academy staff.

“Our greater aim has been to build a school culture where educators use data continuously, collaboratively and effectively to improve teaching and learning,” Bryson said.

The executive principal/director of education said this “work in progress” on the Westlake Academy School culture shows the Academy is rapidly approaching what Malcolm Gladwell, speaker/bestselling author, described as the "Tipping Point ... that magic moment when an idea, order trend or social behavior crosses the threshold, tips and spreads like wildfire."

“We will achieve that tipping point and continue to permeate our school culture with teaching and learning that always improves and expands,” Bryson said. “We will become the best place for teachers to teach and for students to learn.”