IDEA Public Schools

Not-for-profit charter operator running 143 tuition-free K-12 schools across Texas, Florida and Ohio, serving nearly 87,000 students.

IDEA Public Schools is a not-for-profit charter school operator running a network of tuition-free public schools for students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Founded in 2000 in Weslaco, Texas, with an initial enrolment of 150 students at a single school, it now teaches nearly 87,000 students across 143 schools in 11 regions, making it one of the largest and fastest-growing charter networks in the United States. Its operations span Texas, Florida and Ohio, with headquarters in Weslaco, Texas.

Teaching roles sit within an academic programme built around the stated vision of "College For All Children" and a mission to prepare graduates to succeed in college and life. The network reports that nearly 100% of its graduates have gone on to college for more than 16 years. Classroom work, including English and language instruction, is oriented towards college preparation, with a particular emphasis on students from low-income backgrounds and those who would be the first in their families to attend college.

Schools in the network have received recognition from The Washington Post, the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools programme and the U.S. News & World Report Top High Schools lists. Further information is available at https://ideapublicschools.org/.