IDEA Health Professions to Break Ground in East Austin

Austin, Texas (November 14, 2018) –  This morning, IDEA Public Schools will join Austin community members, and supporters in the groundbreaking of IDEA Health Professions. The campus will serve more than 468 students when it opens in August 2019.

IDEA Health Professions will be the first health professions secondary school in the city of Austin, and the first comprehensive public charter magnet school in the country focused on building a diverse STEM and health professions pipeline from K-12.

“I’m thrilled that IDEA Health Professions will bring to East Austin a greater breadth and depth of exposure to the exciting range of health career professions students can pursue,” said Dr. Aliya Hussaini, Portfolio Director, Health at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.  “Coupling that exposure with the academic and experiential preparation that has made 100% of IDEA students successful in getting to college over the last 12 years, opens up new opportunities for a meaningful career and future for more of Austin’s youth.”

In 2017 the U.S. Department of Education awarded IDEA a $15 million Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant to fund IDEA Health Professions’ diverse by design K-12 campus.

IDEA Health Professions is accepting applications, and will open in East Austin in August 2019, serving Kinder through 2nd and 6th grade in its inaugural year.

WHO:       Dr. Reg Baptiste, Director of Pre-Health Professions, Dell Medical School

                   Tom Torkelson, Founder and CEO, IDEA Public Schools

                   Cameron Cook, Health Professions College Prep Principal, IDEA Austin

                   Al Lopez, Board Member, IDEA Public Schools

                   Larkin Tackett, Board Member, Parent and Community Leader, IDEA Austin

                   Alexandra de Avila, Senior Student, IDEA Montopolis

 WHAT:  IDEA Public Schools will break ground on IDEA Health Professions, a campus

                 that will serve more than 468 local students for the 2019-2020 school year.  

WHEN:  Wednesday, November 14

                 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

WHERE: 5826 Wilcab Road

                 Austin, Texas 78721

To attend the event or learn more about IDEA Public Schools, contact Jennifer Flores at Jennifer.Flores2@ideapublicschools.org, or 210-551-9253.

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