Jose De Leon is originally from Elsa, Texas, where he attended and graduated valedictorian of his class in 1993 at Edcouch-Elsa High School. He is a 1997 graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he studied Management Science (Course 15) at the Sloan School of Management and played collegiate football for the Mighty Beavers. He is featured in MIT’s Rushing and Longest Plays Record Book.  

De Leon began his career in education as a math teacher in 2000 at Weslaco East High School, where he taught for four years. Before earning his Masters in educational leadership from the University of Texas-Pan American in 2006, he became a founding Assistant Principal of Sauceda Middle School in Donna. Thereafter, he returned to his hometown as assistant principal of Truan Junior High. In 2007, he became Principal of Edcouch-Elsa High School and began leading his alma mater. While principal, he personally directed the math department to achieve an 11 point increase in TAKS scores in just two years.

De Leon left Edcouch-Elsa ISD in 2010 to help fulfill the IDEA mission of College For All Children. As a former migrant worker, he knows first-hand the power of a college education. He is a strong instructional leader who helped guide IDEA Quest College Preparatory to graduate its first of many 100% college-bound classes.

As principal at Quest College Preparatory, Quest has been named College Preparatory of the Year four times, Campus of the Year three times, has had the highest ACT average in the district six years in a row setting a district record last year with a 23.45% average. Quest College Preparatory is currently a National Blue Ribbon School nominee awaiting an announcement in September.

De Leon is currently serving as principal at IDEA Quest College Preparatory this year, in addition to Executive Director. He will transition out of the principalship role next year and launch one of IDEA’s out-of-state regions in Jacksonville, Florida beginning Fall of 2022.