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IDEA Public Schools, in unique Partnership with PSJA ISD

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

Only Organization in Texas to Receive Historic Federal Innovation Grant

Texas Border Business

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TX (Aug. 5, 2010) – IDEA Public Schools, in partnership with Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD (PSJA) and Teach For America (TFA), has been awarded $4.95 million (with an expected $3.3 million match from private philanthropy) to establish the Rio Grande Valley Center for Teaching and Leading Excellence. This cutting edge center will create an end-to end human capital pipeline by building permanent and sustainable capacity to train and develop teachers and leaders for both school systems. 

“This work will generate multiple pathways to teacher and school leadership, thereby increasing the number of highly effective teachers and school leaders for high-need students” said Dr. Daniel King, Superintendent for PSJA ISD.  “This will ultimately increase student growth and achievement.” 

This unique partnership, the only one of its kind in the country, will leverage the expertise of all the organizations involved in an effort to close the achievement gap and prepare more Rio Grande Valley students for college, work and citizenry. “We are excited to partner with Dr. Daniel King, one of the most innovative and visionary leaders in South Texas,” said Tom Torkelson, Founder and CEO of IDEA Public Schools.  “We believe our work will have a transformative impact in developing a leadership pipeline with an intense, strategic focus on teacher and leader effectiveness.”

TFA is a long-standing partner of both IDEA Public Schools and PSJA ISD.  Their collaboration in this effort will allow both organizations to leverage the proven training and development techniques that have so effectively worked with TFA corps members. 

The US Department of Education selected 49 proposals from nearly 1,700 applicants for potential funding through the Investing in Innovation (i3) program.  This partnership is the only one in Texas to receive this historic federal innovation grant. The competition was open to school districts as well as non-profit organizations and institutions of higher education working in partnership with public schools. 

Applicants were required to demonstrate their previous success in closing the achievement gaps, improving student progress toward proficiency, increasing graduation rates, or recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers and principals.

About Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD

One of the largest school districts in South Texas, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) Independent School District educates over 31,000 students. In 2010, the Texas Education Agency awarded PSJA “Recognized” status for academic performance with 11 PSJA campuses receiving an “Exemplary” rating and 19 “Recognized”. PSJA ISD has been acknowledged as a state and national leader for its successful dropout reduction and recovery efforts, increase in number of graduates and connecting students to college. This year, PSJA was designated a state model by the Texas Education Agency for developing a district-wide college readiness initiative to help expand college-readiness to all students. Last fall, Bowie Elementary was named a National Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education. PSJA ISD has also been named one of five Outstanding School Districts in Texas through the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards for two consecutive years. The district’s Dual Language Program has been featured in state and national publications, as has the district’s dropout recovery high school, The College, Career & Technology Academy. Visit www.psja.k12.tx.us for more information.

About IDEA Public Schools
IDEA Public Schools operates a system of tuition-free public charter schools with a laser-like focus on college readiness that begins in the primary years and continues throughout middle and high school, culminating in 100% of IDEA students attending a four-year college or university­. In 2010 all of IDEA’s schools were rated Exemplary by the Texas Education Agency. In 2009, IDEA College Preparatory Donna was named top-performing high school in the Rio Grande Valley, #3 high school in Texas, and #13 high school in the nation. IDEA achieves this through a high-quality, focused approach to teaching and learning that is derived from the rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) model, a unique and powerful school culture, a small school size, a partnership with parents, and a vision based on the core beliefs of High Expectations, Closing the Achievement Gap, 100% Everyday, Team and Family, Whatever It Takes, Sweating the Small Stuff, and No Excuses. IDEA currently operates twelve schools and has plans to launch and operate 22 schools by the year 2012. Visit www.ideapublicschools.org for more information.

About Teach For America

Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates of all academic majors and career interests who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity.  Teach for America’s mission is to build the movement to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our nation's most promising future leaders in the effort.

 

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