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7309 Lazy Creek Dr.
Austin, TX 78724
(512) 414-LASA (5272)
FAX (512) 414-6050
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Last Updated: October 1, 2009
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LASA Frequently Used Terms

ACT: Standardized test offered by ACT, Inc. that LASA students should consider taking as another measure for their admission into college.

Advanced Placement (AP): Courses taught in schools that offer a standardized test from the College Board at the end of the year. If the student scores well on the test, some colleges will offer credit in the form of credit hours or grades and credit hours.

CAC: Can mean two things. Carruth Administrative Center (where the district’s main offices are located on West 6th Street) and Campus Advisory Council (body that meets monthly to provide assistance and advice to the principal of the school composed of a wide variety of stakeholders in the school.)

Coffeehouse: A LASA-wide talent show that occurs in the spring. This year it will be held at Fiesta Gardens.

Communal Lunch: In the past, it was a student organized, bi-monthly, potluck event during which students eat picnic style on the front lawn. It still occurs, but happens less frequently

Distinguished Achievement Plan: the highest state graduation plan. LASA students are required to complete the DAP when they graduate. In addition to graduation credits, students must complete 4 advanced measures: an original research project (can complete for up to two measures); dual credit courses where the students earn a B or better; earn a ranking as a merit scholar of any type (can count as only one); and AP tests where the student scores a 3 or higher.

Dual Credit: Articulated agreement with Austin Community college enable AISD students to enroll in ACC courses to earn both high school and college credit at the same time. Verify which courses that provide dual credit in the SSIG.

Dungeon: Bottom floor of LBJ where SciTech, Journalism, Robotics, Planet Earth and several other science classes are taught.

Forum: The student focused meeting time formerly known as Advisory. Student leadership and voice, self advocacy, postsecondary plans and school identity are among the goals.

Gradespeed: The district’s new web based grading/attendance program that teachers can access from networks other than AISD’s and parents can view assignments.

LASA: Liberal Arts and Science Academy. Formerly the school was two magnets, the Science Academy of Austin at LBJ High School and the Liberal Arts Academy of Austin at Johnston High School.

Naviance: The web based college counseling program purchased by LASA to more efficiently facilitate the communication between the school and families.

Magnet Buses: Austin ISD and Capital Metro have an agreement to provide bus service to all magnet students around the district to reach their assigned magnets. The AM and PM routes can be found at http://www.capmetro.org/riding/routes_700.asp.

Magnet Curriculum: One of the two levels of curriculum available at LASA. Its structure varies by department, but a rule of thumb is that this level is for students who wish a more traditional style of teaching and learning. (For example: Math for English majors or vice versa.)

Magnet Endorsement: Term applied to extra criteria beyond the state graduation plan that a magnet student must complete. For example, students must graduate on the Distinguished Achievement plan, complete math through at least Precalculus, complete a math or a science course on campus during his or her senior year and completion of the magnet signature courses according to the year of entrance to the magnet.

MPGs: Magnet Planning Guide: This is the scope and sequence of a magnet course. LASA teachers write the MPGs for magnet courses. The MPGs are aligned to the TEKS and existing national standards for each subject area. The district writes both IPGs (instructional planning guides) and APGs (advanced planning guides) for courses at other schools to align the curriculum to the state TEKS. In increasing order of rigor—IPGs, APGs, and MPGs.

PFLASA: Parents and Friends of LASA. This is the fundraising and volunteer group of LASA parents who assist the administration and teachers with events throughout the year. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pflasa/

Project ADVANCE Facilitator: The college counselor and counseling program funded by the district. It is new to the LASA campus in 2008.

Project Graduation: The end of year all night celebration for the senior class that takes place the night of graduation.

PSAT: Standardized test taken by LASA students during the sophomore and junior year. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation or the College Board will recognize students who score highly with a combined verbal, math and written score. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

PTSA: Parent Teacher Student organization. Organization that assists both LBJ and LASA by holding information nights, coordinating volunteers to help around the school, and fundraising for events like Project Graduation and the various graduating classes’ projects. http://www.lbjptsa.org/ptsa/

SAT: Standardized test offered by the College Board that LASA students should take for the first time in the spring of their junior year.

Senior Salute: Program held at the end of every year to honor the students graduating from LASA with the magnet endorsement.

Signature Courses: These courses give LASA much of its identity plus they provide the basis for its core curriculum. These courses are also offered two consecutive periods a day for one semester. The following are the LASA signature courses: 9th grade: Electronic Magazine (Ezine) and Science and Technology (SciTech); 10th grade: Great Ideas and Planet Earth.

SSIG: Secondary School Information Guide. The contents of the book describe the courses and policies regarding graduation and course enrollment. A new one is published every year. http://www.austinisd.org/academics/curriculum/school_guide/index.phtml

TAKS: Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. This is Texas’s current standardized assessment. One way that LASA measures its success is the number of students who score commended on the different sections of this examination.

TEKS: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. The state curriculum for every standard course offered throughout the state of Texas.

Topics Curriculum: One of the two levels of curriculum available at LASA. The rule of thumb for this curriculum that the teaching and learning is faster and more in depth than the magnet level and will also cover more areas (topics) than the magnet level curriculum. (For example: Math for Math majors or English for English majors.)

Weighted Credit: AISD has three scales of grading: 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0. All magnet and AP courses are treated as 5.0. All regular courses are treated as 4.0. Some local credit courses with adjusted TEKS will have a scale of 3.0.