Why The Largest Charter School Network in Texas Is Coming To Houston
Nearly 20 years after a new elementary and middle school opened up in the Rio Grande Valley, the fast-growing charter school network called IDEA Public Schools has spread across Texas, opening schools in Austin, North Texas, San Antonio and El Paso.
Now IDEA is planting its flag in Greater Houston, with an ambitious plan to open four schools in 2020 and a total of 20 schools by 2026 — and perhaps more after that. It’s part of IDEA’s larger goal to enroll 100,000 children in Texas and other states by 2022.
The Houston expansion doesn’t just involve a number of campuses, but also a wide swath of territory across the region that stretches from Cy-Fair to Santa Fe and includes top-rated traditional public schools and other charters alike. It’s drawn both excitement and skepticism from parents — and concern among some traditional school districts, like Houston, about competition for student enrollment.
IDEA’s executive director for its Houston Region, Allison Serafin, said that the expansion is all part of their mission.
Read more: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/in-depth/2019/08/13/342725/why-the-largest-charter-school-network-in-texas-is-coming-to-houston/
