Great news! Despite the challenges presented by distance learning this year, IDEA Public Schools is celebrating the record-breaking achievements of our college preparatory students  

Congratulations are also in order to IDEA McAllen and IDEA South Flores for achieving our district International Baccalaureate (IB) goal of 25% IB Scholars with the following:  

• IDEA McAllen saw 25% of students named IB scholars 
• IDEA South Flores saw 26% of students named IB scholars 

By achieving this goal, IB recipients will receive 24 credit hours at their college or university, which is a testament to IDEA’s work to ensuring all scholars are prepared to handle the rigors of college and graduate in 4 years or less. 

The IB programme aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. The IB organization works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment that encourage students to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners. The programme has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities. 

IDEA also recently received official Advanced Placement (AP) test results and despite a change to this year’s testing format due to COVID-19, our results increased!   

 Each fall, the College Board’s AP Program recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP Exams. AP Scholar status is granted to students earning a score of 3 or higher on at least three AP exams.   

 Nearly 85% of IDEA scholars took their planned AP exams, and for the first time ever, 30% of the Class of 2020 has earned the AP Scholar designation!  

 Highlights from this year’s results include:  

• At IDEA McAllen, 48% of the Class of 2020 earned AP Scholar Status  
• At IDEA Alamo, 38% of the Class of 2020 earned AP Scholar Status  
• At IDEA Quest, 36% of the Class of 2020 earned AP Scholar Status  
• At IDEA San Juan, 32% of the Class of 2020 earned AP Scholar Status  
• At IDEA Pharr, IDEA Carver and IDEA Montopolis, 30% of the Class of 2020 earned AP Scholar Status  

 IDEA’s ambitious AP for All initiative is a key driver to its 14-year record of 100% college acceptance across its growing network of schools. Advanced Placement courses, developed by the College Board, give students the chance to tackle college-level work and earn college credit while still in high school.  

 IDEA’s AP for All Program prepares students for the demands of college, enhances their applications to Tier I and Tier II schools and increases the likelihood of completing their degree. In addition, taking a single AP course and passing the corresponding exam makes a student over six times more likely to earn their high school diploma and save money in college.  

 Successfully executing an ambitious plan to provide AP courses for all students requires a significant investment in training for teachers, students, and administrators. That is why IDEA partners with the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), a nonprofit organization that supports teacher success in AP courses. NMSI specializes in helping AP teachers in math, science, and English Language Arts.   

IDEA’s dedicated curriculum team drives success year over year by providing AP teachers with the training, assessments and resources they need to challenge every scholar and get results. Our regional teams and IB Managers also set the vision, work with teachers and campus leaders to achieve and hit the ambitious IB goal. 

A heartfelt congratulations to each of this year’s AP and IB Scholars, our partners, and the talented educators who help coach every scholar on the road to and through college.   

 To learn more about IDEA’s College Preparatory curriculum, click here.   

 And if you’re ready to join our Team & Family, apply today at https://ideapublicschools.org/apply/.