Artículo en español —Post in Spanish
IDEA Public Schools is one of the fastest growing and most visible charter school networks in the San Antonio area. On September 1, 2019, IDEA Public Schools campuses began accepting applications for enrollment for the 2020–2021 school year. We have put together a guide to help you learn more about IDEA Public Schools and take steps to enroll your child for the next school year.
About IDEA Public Schools
Since its founding in 2000, IDEA Public Schools has focused on helping children from underserved communities to get ready for college. The student population is over 88 percent economically disadvantaged, and over 34 percent of students are English language learners. Nevertheless, IDEA Public Schools has had 100 percent college acceptance for 13 years and 99.6 percent college matriculation. Several well-established IDEA Public Schools high schools appear in national rankings, including US News & World Report and the Jay Mathews Challenge Index (formerly Washington Post).
IDEA Public Schools is known for events that celebrate learning, including lively College Signing Day ceremonies when students announce to classmates, friends, and family where they are going to college.
Young students who meet ambitious reading goals can attend parties for Royal Readers.
The College Prep curriculum includes Advanced Placement (AP) courses to help students prepare for college and earn credits to help them finish their degrees sooner. Some, but not all, IDEA Public Schools campuses offer pre-K programs.
For more information about recent events at IDEA Public Schools, we recommend you read some of the news stories linked at the bottom of this post. Also, we invite you to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook and ask questions; the group includes current IDEA Public Schools families who can comment with answers.
IDEA Public Schools in San Antonio
In 2020–21, IDEA Public Schools will have 28 schools on 14 campuses in the San Antonio region. On its most recent school report card, the district earned a B rating; the list below includes links to campus school report cards.
- IDEA Brackenridge: 5555 Old Pearsall Rd., San Antonio, TX 78242; 210-239-4300; grades PK–4 & 6–9 in 2020–21, expanding to K–12; Academy school report card—not rated & College Prep school report card—rated B
- IDEA Burke: 10434 Marbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78245; 210-239-4650; grades PK–2 & 6–7 in 2020–21, expanding to K–12
- IDEA Carver: 217 Robinson Pl., San Antonio, TX 78202; 210-223-8885; grades K–12; Academy school report card—rated A & College Prep school report card—rated A
- IDEA Converse: grades PK–1 & 6 in 2020–21, expanding to K–12
- IDEA Eastside: 2519 Martin Luther King Dr., San Antonio, TX 78220; 210-239-4800; grades K–11 in 2020–21, expanding to K–12; Academy school report card—rated C & College Prep school report card—rated B
- IDEA Ewing Halsell: 2523 W. Ansley Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78224; 210-239-4850; grades PK–4 & 6–9 in 2020–21, expanding to PK–12; Academy school report card—not rated & College Prep school report card—rated B
- IDEA Harvey E. Najim: 926 S. WW White Rd., San Antonio, TX 78220; 210-239-4900; grades PK–4 & 6–9 in 2020–21, expanding to PK–12; Academy school report card—rated C & College Prep school report card—rated D
- IDEA Hidden Meadow: grades PK–1 & 6 in 2020–21, expanding to K–12
- IDEA Ingram Hills: 3115 Majestic Dr., San Antonio, TX 78228; 210-529-3700; grades PK–3 & 6–8 in 2020–21, expanding to PK–12; Academy school report card—not rated & College Prep school report card—rated B
- IDEA Judson: 13427 Judson Rd., San Antonio, TX 78233; 210-529-3600; grades K–10 in 2020–21, expanding to K–12; Academy school report card—rated C & College Prep school report card—rated B
- IDEA Mays: 1210 Horal Dr., San Antonio, TX 78245; 210-529-3200; grades K–10 in 2020–21, expanding to K–12; Academy school report card—rated B & College Prep school report card—rated A
- IDEA Monterrey Park: 222 SW 39th St., San Antonio, TX 78237; 210-239-4200; grades K–12; Academy school report card—rated B & College Prep school report card—rated B
- IDEA South Flores: 6919 S. Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78221; 210-239-4150; grades PK–12; Academy school report card—rated A & College Prep school report card—rated A
- IDEA Walzem: 6130 Walzem Rd., San Antonio, TX 78239; 210-239-4600; grades K–12; Academy school report card—rated B & College Prep school report card—rated B
Download the free San Antonio Charter Schools app for an interactive map that includes these campuses and many more. You can also find campus information about IDEA Public Schools (and many other schools of choice) on our page Guide to Charter Schools in San Antonio.
Enroll at IDEA Public Schools
Families can apply online to enroll their children at IDEA Public Schools. Open enrollment for 2020–2021 began on September 1, 2019 and will continue through February 14, 2020. On February 15, 2020, IDEA Public Schools will hold a random lottery, and the students who are selected will receive an email inviting them to register. The other students will be placed on waiting lists; if a spot becomes available, they will be notified. Find more information at IDEA’s Frequently Asked Questions.
During application season, there will be events in the community for families to learn more about IDEA Public Schools. We recommend following the local IDEA Public Schools campuses on social media, as well as joining the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook.
Facts about IDEA Public Schools
IDEA Public Schools has a joyful, hardworking, competitive, high-achieving culture. In turn, every campus has its own mascot, sports teams, and unique features, like the mariachi ensemble at IDEA South Flores and the farm at IDEA Monterrey Park.
Co-founders Tom Torkelson and JoAnn Gama started IDEA (an acronym for “Individuals Dedicated to Excellence and Achievement”) as a school-within-a-school in 1998 in Donna, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. In 2000, IDEA Public Schools applied for and became a Generation 4 charter school.
IDEA Public Schools’ headquarters are still in the Rio Grande Valley, but the network is expanding in other regions of Texas—including San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Tarrant County, Greater Houston, and the Permian Basin—as well as Southern Louisiana.
In 2018, Torkelson and Gama were inducted into the Charter School Hall of Fame.
Basketball legend David Robinson is on the regional board for IDEA Public Schools in San Antonio. Robinson and his wife founded Carver Academy as a private school in 2001, and in 2012 it became IDEA Carver—the first IDEA Public Schools campus in San Antonio. IDEA Carver College Prep is now home to a David Robinson museum.
IDEA Public Schools in San Antonio is partner of Choose to Succeed, a nonprofit organization working to attract the nation’s best public charter schools to San Antonio.
Read More about IDEA Public Schools
- “IDEA Understands That College Is the New High School — For the Texas Charter Network That Means Making It Attainable for Everyone,” Richard Whitmire, The 74, August 19, 2019
- “The Charter Effect: Enrollment Loss Hits San Antonio’s “Destination’ Districts,” Camille Phillips, Texas Public Radio, July 1, 2019
- “Change Your School, Change Your Life,” Tianna Renteria (IDEA Carver alumna), National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, June 12, 2019
- “San Antonio charter school turns farming into a classroom,” Liz Teitz, San Antonio Express-News, May 22, 2019
- “As It Closes In on 20 Years, IDEA Public Schools, Texas’s Homegrown Charter Network, Is Big, Bold and Sticking to the Basics,” Bekah McNeel, The 74, May 12, 2019
- “Kids celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week by schooling KENS 5,” Jon Coker, KENS 5, May 7, 2019
- “IDEA Carver student accepts invitation to Naval Academy, gets visit from Rep. Cuellar,” News 4 San Antonio, May 3, 2019
- “‘A School Everywhere On The Map’: IDEA’s Big Plans For San Antonio,” Camille Phillips, Texas Public Radio, May 2, 2019
- “IDEA Carver is preparing to send off their first graduating class,” Marvin Hurst, KENS 5, April 13, 2019
- “Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas Welcomes the First Gamma Sigma Girls at IDEA Eastside,” Inga Cotton, San Antonio Charter Moms, October 11, 2018
- “AP For All: IDEA Public Schools in San Antonio Gives All Students Access to Advanced Placement Courses,” Inga Cotton, San Antonio Charter Moms, September 18, 2017
- “IDEA Public Schools luncheon honoring David Robinson, board member and Carver Academy founder,” Inga Cotton, San Antonio Charter Moms, May 13, 2015
