First Day of School 2026: The Texas Girls School Grows Enrollment 70% and Welcomes Its First 8th Grade Class

A large, diverse group of middle school students in red cardigans and plaid skirts sits together on the floor during a school assembly at The Texas Girls School in Austin, TX.
By Published On: August 13, 20263.2 min readCategories: Blog
A group of students clap and laugh together, celebrating school spirit at The Texas Girls School.
A student in a red cardigan and plaid skirt smiles beside a chalkboard sign reading 'First Day at The Texas Girls School 2026,' decorated with butterflies.
A student with long curly hair flashes a big smile in her school uniform.
Two middle school students in plaid skirts and ties, with red cardigans tied at their waists, stand smiling beside a chalkboard sign reading 'First Day at The Texas Girls School 2026.

On August 12, 2026, The Texas Girls School (TTGS) opened its doors in Northwest Austin for its second school year — and it looked nothing like day one of year one. Enrollment grew 70% year over year, and for the first time, TTGS welcomed a full three grades of students: 6th, 7th, and 8th. Last year, the school served only 6th and 7th graders. Here’s what opening day looked like, what the growth means, and how families across Austin can still join the TTGS community this year.

A Bigger, Fuller Campus on Day One

Every first day of school carries some nervous energy — new schedules, new teachers, new classmates. This year, TTGS had an added layer of excitement: for the first time since the school opened, every hallway had three grades’ worth of students in it instead of two.

That’s not a small shift for a young school. Going from two grades to three means new routines, a new grade-level community finding its footing, and a campus that suddenly feels like a real middle school rather than a school still filling itself in. Teachers, staff, and returning students all had a hand in making sure the newest Panthers — across all three grades — felt like they belonged from minute one.

A student looks off to the side with a curious expression during a classroom activity at The Texas Girls School.
A group of students in red cardigans and ties pose together for a group photo at The Texas Girls School in Austin TX
Three middle school girls in red cardigans smile together outdoors at The Texas Girls School in Austin, TX

Welcoming Our First-Ever 8th Grade Class

TTGS opened in August 2025 with founding students in grades 6 and 7 — a school built one grade at a time, the way most new charter schools grow. This year, that plan reached its next milestone: TTGS added 8th grade, meaning the school now serves a complete middle school, grades 6 through 8, for the first time.

For the 7th graders who returned this fall as 8th graders, it’s a milestone with real weight — they’re now the oldest students on campus, the ones the younger girls look up to, and the first class that will experience a full TTGS middle school journey from start to finish. TTGS plans to keep growing grade by grade in the years ahead, and this year’s 8th grade class is the first to show what that looks like in practice.

A middle school student with dark hair and bangs smiles over her shoulder for a portrait at The Texas Girls School."
A sixth-grade student in a red cardigan and tie smiles during class at The Texas Girls School in Austin, TX.
An older student welcomes a younger student in uniform, both smiling, at The Texas Girls School.
A smiling student with curly hair poses in her red cardigan at Texas Girls School

What 70% Enrollment Growth Looks Like in Person

Numbers on a spreadsheet are one thing. Seeing them walk through the front gate is another. TTGS grew its enrollment by 70% heading into the 2026–27 school year — the kind of growth that shows up immediately in fuller classrooms, busier hallways, and a bigger, more energetic first-day crowd than the school has ever had.

That growth reflects something bigger than a single year’s admissions cycle. It’s a sign that word is spreading among Austin-area families about what a tuition-free, all-girls, STEM-focused public charter school can offer — especially coming off a year in which TTGS earned a 92/100 “A” rating from the Texas Education Agency in its very first year of operation, and as a proud member of the Young Women’s Preparatory Network, a statewide network known for outcomes well above the norm.

Two middle school girls in uniform collaborate on schoolwork at a table, reflecting the school's STEM-based, hands-on learning approach.
A middle school student smiles warmly in the foreground of a busy classroom at The Texas Girls School.
Students in red cardigans work at their desks in a Texas Girls School classroom.

A Community, Not Just a Campus

What stood out most on August 12 wasn’t just the number of new students — it was the number of new families standing alongside them. Parents walked daughters to their classrooms, introduced themselves to other families, and stuck around for photos at the gate. Returning families welcomed new ones. It’s the kind of scene that’s hard to manufacture and easy to recognize when a school community is actually taking root.

“Every first day of school is special, but this one felt different. We didn’t just welcome more students this year — we welcomed our first full 8th grade class and watched our community grow right alongside them. Seeing that many families choose TTGS, and seeing our founding students step into the role of the oldest girls on campus, is exactly the kind of growth we set out to build: one grade, one class, one family at a time.” — Dana Stuart Browning, Founder & Superintendent