In 1985, LBJ became the host of a new academic magnet program, the Science Academy of Austin (SA), which drew students from all over the city.

A second high school magnet program, the Liberal Arts Academy of Austin (LAA), was opened at Albert Sidney Johnston High School in 1987; the two programs were merged in 2002, forming the Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) magnet within LBJ.

[4] In 2007, the Austin Independent School District split LASA and LBJ into separate high schools with their own principals, faculty, and staff in order for LBJ to be eligible for a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to implement the "First Things First" educational enrichment program.

)[9] The school went through various renovations in summer 2010, funded by AISD's 2008 bond,[10] including remodeling many of the science labs (at the time used by LASA.)

[11] As LBJ is built upon a hill, the lowest level of the main school building is partially underground and has no windows.