The 2016 Broad Prize for Public Charter Schools winner is IDEA Public Schools. The award was announced Monday at the National Charter Schools Conference.
Individuals Dedicated to Excellence and Achievement is a charter management organization based in Texas, with 44 schools. The vast majority of the network’s student population is low-income and Hispanic. Its prize is $250,000 to support college readiness.
“As a three-time finalist and this year’s winner, IDEA’s dedicated leaders, teachers and families have proved year after year that all students can excel and achieve at high levels,” Gregory McGinity, executive director of the Broad Foundation, said in a press release. “We are proud to honor IDEA’s outstanding track record of preparing its students for college and beyond, and we hope that other public schools across the country can learn from their success.”
In the 2013-14 school year, 99 percent of IDEA’s Hispanic and low-income students graduated on time. Almost every high school senior took the ACT. Seventy percent of the network’s high school students took an Advanced Placement exam in the 2014-15 school year.
“For academic performance among Hispanic and low-income students, all of IDEA’s schools were in the top 30 percent of Texas schools in both proficient and advanced levels of elementary, middle and high school English Language Arts, math and science,” the press release says.
“IDEA is a shining example of how great charter schools are changing the course of children’s lives,” Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Allinace for Public Charter Schools, said in a press release. “It is incredible that for the past nine years, 100 percent of IDEA’s graduating seniors have been accepted to college. Every day, the team at IDEA works tirelessly towards its mission of preparing students from underserved communities for success in college and citizenship.”
The other two finalists for the award were Success Academy Charter Schools, based in New York, and YES Prep, based in Houston. Eligible charter management organizations had to have at least five schools since the 2011-12 school year, with at least 2,500 students and large portions of low-income and minority students.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
