Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Ironwood is a public charter school funded by the state of Texas. There is no tuition. We also cover dual-enrollment tuition at Austin Community College and provide shop safety equipment at no cost.

Any student entering grades 9 through 12 who lives in Travis County. There is no entrance exam, no minimum grade point average, and no requirement of prior coursework in technology or the trades.

If we receive more applications than we have seats, state law requires a random lottery. It is drawn publicly, siblings of enrolled students receive preference under our charter, and families are notified within one week of the drawing.

Students select a track after acceptance and can change it through the end of the tenth grade. STEM students choose a specialization in the eleventh grade, after two years of shared groundwork.

No, and we work actively against that assumption. Trades students take the same college-preparatory core as everyone else and are eligible for the same dual-enrollment credit and the same University of Texas at Austin bridge pathway. Some of our heaviest dual-enrollment loads are carried by welding and HVAC students.

Yes. Every senior completes an internship, logged apprenticeship hours, or a co-op placement in order to graduate. The school arranges placements; families are not expected to find them.

Yes. As a public school we provide the full range of special education services, and both tracks are built to accommodate an IEP or 504 plan. Talk to us before applying if you want to discuss specifics; we would rather plan early.

We run two shuttle routes from east and north Austin, and bus passes are available through the student support fund for students whose work placement is across town.

Closed-toe shoes, since tours go onto the shop floor. Everything else is provided. Let us know on the registration form if you need an accessibility accommodation.