IDEA Brownsville

With a background in literacy and bilingual studies, Luz has applied her expertise in developing teachers during the last 6 years of her career. Before her current role as PIR, Luz had served our community as a Reading Specialist, Assistant Principal and as a teacher in elementary, middle school, and high school.

Passionate about reading, Luz has created professional development sessions for her teachers and has provided ideas and strategies to address bilingual learners as well as how to reach struggling readers.

Most of all Luz is an advocate for children. She is passionate about literacy and second language acquisition, two of our most critical areas of need in education. We are excited about her passion, energy and heart for the children of IDEA Brownsville Academy.

In 2002, Lopez began teaching with the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD), where he used his interdisciplinary skills gained in the military to teach middle school math and coach middle school football, cross country and track. Among his achievements in education, he was selected as lead math teacher for the department in 2005-2006. In 2009, he was asked to assist in writing the new math curriculum for BIS. He then achieved an 8th grade 98% student passing rate with 38% commended rate.

Marco joined the IDEA Team & Family in the Spring of 2009 as a pre-calculus teacher and math coach. Since joining IDEA, Lopez’s accomplishments include leading 100% of the junior class to pass the exit level Math TAKS Exam, overseeing the math department to a 94.8% passing and a 35.4% commended rate on the TAKS Exam for 2009-2010, along with being a Statewide Teacher Finalist in the H-E- B Excellence in Education for the Secondary Rising Star category.

He became an Assistant Principal of Instruction for IDEA Frontier College Prep, and in 2011 became a Principal in Residence at IDEA Frontier. Lopez is the founding principal for IDEA Brownsville College Prep and continues driving his team to excellence.

Before pursuing a career in education, Claudia began her professional journey in the field of engineering but quickly discovered that her true passion was in education. With 13 years of experience in education under her belt, she has served in various roles that have shaped her expertise and leadership. Prior to becoming the Assistant Principal of Operations, she worked as an Instructional Coach at the academy level. She also taught kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade reading. Claudia brings extensive knowledge in reading decoding and fluency, equipping young learners with the foundational skills for lifelong success.

Claudia has proudly served as APO for the past 5 years, where she continues to lead with dedication and excellence. She embodies a deep passion for IDEA's mission and is committed to fostering strong lasting relationships with IDEA Brownsville families. Her dedication, experience, and heart for students continue to make a meaningful impact on the school's community.