IDEA Public Schools
Encyclopedia
IDEA Public Schools is an independently managed charter school
system in the Rio Grande Valley
in deep South Texas
. The schools have a significant focus on academics and are committed to ensuring that all of its graduating students will attend college. Faculty members in this charter school system adopt the mantra of "No Excuses!" showing their dedication to their students' success. The system is headquartered in Weslaco
.
"One Team,One Mission!"
corps members dedicated to making sure all underserved students can go to college.
Selection of students is initially carried out by lottery; thereafter, students are taken from the waiting list, first-come, first-served. There is no tuition to attend the schools; however, some schools have an activity fee to help cover certain events, such as field trips or experiments. This fee may be made in payments and may be waived for families with financial limitations.
Each campus requires uniforms for each student. The standard uniform generally consists of a polo with the IDEA logo and campus name, khaki or navy pants or shorts, a belt, and tennis shoes and socks appropriate for the pants worn. On designated days, a "college uniform" may be worn, consisting of jeans and a t-shirt displaying a large, visible logo from a college or university of the student's choice.
In some campuses (or all), on a designated day a "morning assembly" is held. At the assembly, announcements are made and other small festivities are held such as chant-offs or music.
And now IDEA is an official International Baccalaureate School.
It was also voted number #13 High School in the Nation by the US News and World Report
campus was founded in 2006 under Dr. Scott Hollinger, principal of the College Preparatory school, and Sharon Chapman, principal of the Academy. The school is located northwest of McAllen, TX. The address is 14001 North Rooth Road, Edinburg, TX 78541. During its first two years, all classes were held in portable buildings; however, the first permanent buildings were ready since Fall 2008, with grades PK-4 and 6-10. IDEA Quest will be fully scaled in 2010. Currently, IDEA Quest Academy is led by Principal Marissa Falcon, and IDEA Quest College Preparatory is led by Principal Jose De Leon.
campus was founded in 2006 under Ernesto Cantú, principal of the College Preparatory school, and Roberta Harris, principal of the Academy. Currently, the College Prep principal is Jill Koehler. The school is located at the intersection Dakota in Brownsville, TX
. During its first two years, all classes were held in portable buildings; however, the first permanent buildings are scheduled to be ready for Fall 2008, with grades PK-4 and 6-10. IDEA Frontier will be fully scaled in 2010. A new campus is expected to open up on August 2012 at 4395 Paredes Line Road starting with kindergarten, first, second and sixth grades.
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
system in the Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
in deep South Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The schools have a significant focus on academics and are committed to ensuring that all of its graduating students will attend college. Faculty members in this charter school system adopt the mantra of "No Excuses!" showing their dedication to their students' success. The system is headquartered in Weslaco
Weslaco, Texas
Weslaco is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,670 at the 2010 census. Weslaco derives its name from the W.E. Stewart Land Company...
.
"One Team,One Mission!"
In the news
IDEA has recently, in 2009, been ranked #13 in the nation, #6 Charter School,and #5 Open Enrollment School by U.S News and World Report.Founding
IDEA was founded in 2000 by Tom Torkelson and JoAnn Gama, Teach For AmericaTeach For America
Teach For America is an American non-profit organization that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States...
corps members dedicated to making sure all underserved students can go to college.
Schools
- IDEA Frontier - BrownsvilleBrownsville, TexasBrownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
(launched 2006) - IDEA Quest - EdinburgEdinburg, TexasEdinburg is a city in and the county seat of Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 77,100 at the 2010 census. The University of Texas–Pan American, the only fully accredited four-year university in the Rio Grande Valley, is located in Edinburg.Edinburg is part of the...
(launched 2006) - IDEA Donna - DonnaDonna, TexasDonna is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,798 at the 2010 census. The city's motto is "The Heart of the Valley." Donna is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas....
(launched 2000) - IDEA San Benito - San Benito (launched 2008)
- IDEA Mission - Mission (launched 2008)
- IDEA San Juan - San Juan (launched 2009)
- IDEA Alamo - Alamo (launching 2010)
- IDEA Pharr - Pharr (launching 2010)
- IDEA Edinburg - Edinburg (launched 2011)
System
All schools in the IDEA system are composed of two campuses, an Academy and a College Preparatory school. The Academy is the school for primary grades, generally kindergarten to fifth grade. The College Prep is a secondary school, a combination of middle school and high school, with grades six to twelve. Starting with College Preparatory classes, students have different teachers for different subjects, as in a traditional school system.Selection of students is initially carried out by lottery; thereafter, students are taken from the waiting list, first-come, first-served. There is no tuition to attend the schools; however, some schools have an activity fee to help cover certain events, such as field trips or experiments. This fee may be made in payments and may be waived for families with financial limitations.
Each campus requires uniforms for each student. The standard uniform generally consists of a polo with the IDEA logo and campus name, khaki or navy pants or shorts, a belt, and tennis shoes and socks appropriate for the pants worn. On designated days, a "college uniform" may be worn, consisting of jeans and a t-shirt displaying a large, visible logo from a college or university of the student's choice.
In some campuses (or all), on a designated day a "morning assembly" is held. At the assembly, announcements are made and other small festivities are held such as chant-offs or music.
Characteristics of Students Entering IDEA Charter Schools
Recent research shows that IDEA charter school students are more "advantaged" than those entering local area schools. More specifically, low-income and special education are less likely to enter IDEA schools than students who were not low-income and not special education. Further, students passing the state-mandated achievement tests and achieving commended status on the same tests were more likely to enroll in IDEA charter schools. (see http://www.statesman.com/news/education/study-challenges-idea-charters-success-claims-1971526.html?printArticle=y)New schools
New schools in the IDEA system are launched with limited grade levels,a kindergarten class, 3rd grade class, 6th grade class and a freshman class. Each year, as students are promoted, additional grades are added. Within six years, each campus will be fully scaled with grades PK-12.IDEA Donna
The IDEA Donna campus was founded in 2000 by Tom Torkelson and JoAnn Gama. The school is currently under the direction of Christina Escamilla, Principal of the IDEA College Preparatory Donna, and Pablo Mejia, Principal of the IDEA Academy Donna. The school is located at 401 South 1st Street, Donna, TX, 78537. IDEA Donna is fully scaled.And now IDEA is an official International Baccalaureate School.
It was also voted number #13 High School in the Nation by the US News and World Report
IDEA Quest
The IDEA QuestIDEA Quest
IDEA Quest is a charter school in Edinburg, Texas in the IDEA Public Schools district. QUEST as an acronym stands for Quality, Unity, Equity, Sensitivity and Tenacity...
campus was founded in 2006 under Dr. Scott Hollinger, principal of the College Preparatory school, and Sharon Chapman, principal of the Academy. The school is located northwest of McAllen, TX. The address is 14001 North Rooth Road, Edinburg, TX 78541. During its first two years, all classes were held in portable buildings; however, the first permanent buildings were ready since Fall 2008, with grades PK-4 and 6-10. IDEA Quest will be fully scaled in 2010. Currently, IDEA Quest Academy is led by Principal Marissa Falcon, and IDEA Quest College Preparatory is led by Principal Jose De Leon.
IDEA Frontier
The IDEA FrontierIDEA Frontier
IDEA Frontier is an independently managed charter school within the IDEA Public Schools system in the Rio Grande Valley in deep South Texas. IDEA Frontier is located in Brownsville, TX, and was founded in 2006. The school has a significant focus on academics and is committed to ensuring that all...
campus was founded in 2006 under Ernesto Cantú, principal of the College Preparatory school, and Roberta Harris, principal of the Academy. Currently, the College Prep principal is Jill Koehler. The school is located at the intersection Dakota in Brownsville, TX
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
. During its first two years, all classes were held in portable buildings; however, the first permanent buildings are scheduled to be ready for Fall 2008, with grades PK-4 and 6-10. IDEA Frontier will be fully scaled in 2010. A new campus is expected to open up on August 2012 at 4395 Paredes Line Road starting with kindergarten, first, second and sixth grades.