Teachers & Leaders
August 25, 2023
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Our Story
We're Glad You're Here. Get To Know Us.
Who We Are
IDEA Public Schools believes that each and every child can go to college. Since 2000, IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school with 150 students to a national network of tuition-free, K-12 public charter schools in the United States.
Currently, the network serves over 80,000 college-bound students in 143 schools across Texas and its affiliates. IDEA has been recognized as a “Great Place to Work” and received national rankings in The Washington Post, the U.S. Department of Education’s list of Blue Ribbon Schools, and U.S. News & World Report’s Top High Schools lists. For the last 16 years, IDEA has sent nearly 100% of its graduates to college and remains on track to uphold that legacy.
Commitment to Our Core Values
IDEA Public Schools was built on the foundation that all children can and will succeed if given the chance. As such, we committed to a mission of “College for ALL children,” ensuring more students from low-income backgrounds, students who would be the first generation in their families to attend college, and students who come from groups historically underrepresented in higher education have access to realizing their dreams by first completing a college degree on the path to becoming future leaders.
We believe in cultivating an environment of deep belonging by prioritizing relationships, understanding the strengths and assets of the communities we serve, and embedding those strengths and assets into our schools through living out our core values. Through our desire to continuously learn and develop, we will close gaps between our commitments and where we are currently, which requires humility to grow, adjust, and change—even if it’s uncomfortable.
WE ACT WITH INTEGRITY
We put the best interests of the IDEA Team & Family—and most importantly our students—at the forefront of all our decisions and actions, taking personal responsibility to model the honest and ethical behavior we want our students and each other to demonstrate every day.
WE ACHIEVE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
We believe ensuring college success for 100% of our students is the best way to help them succeed in life and in seeing obstacles they face as opportunities for learning and growth. Every member of the IDEA Team & Family works together to ensure each student on every campus and in every classroom receives a high-quality education.
WE DELIVER RESULTS
We set ambitious goals, hold ourselves and each other accountable for achieving results, and believe that our students will succeed to and through college. Our results show what’s possible when the adults in the system get it right and represent the collective effort and focus of the entire IDEA Team & Family.
WE ENSURE EQUITY
We set high expectations and share compassion and empathy for every member of the IDEA Team & Family. We differentiate our support and resources, proactively address racism and discrimination, and advocate alongside our students and staff to empower them with the opportunities to succeed and ensure the respect they deserve.
WE BUILD TEAM & FAMILY
We foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity by treating every member of the IDEA Team & Family—our students, staff, families, and community—with compassion, respect, and humility. We maximize our individual best efforts through collaboration and support of each other in the focused pursuit of our collective mission.
WE BRING JOY
We create a positive, uplifting, and joyful environment for every member of the IDEA Team & Family, every single day. We operate with a sense of optimism, and our traditions celebrate learning, growth, and the accomplishments of our students, staff, and community.
WE SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
We embrace that achieving excellence lies in paying attention to and carrying out the details—the ‘small stuff’—that go into effective execution and positive implementation. Every step of the way, the IDEA Team & Family prioritizes actions contributing to our mission of College for All.
