Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by IDEA Public Schools.
IDEA Public Schools Will Provide a Rigorous Curriculum to Louisiana Students
IDEA Public Schools, the fastest-growing network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States, is coming to Baton Rouge in 2018. 
We spent the last two weeks meeting with moms and dads in Baton Rouge, and they are passionate about their child’s education. Here are some questions they had and the answers to them—we figured you might have some of the same questions.
Frequently Asked Questions About IDEA Public Schools
What is A Charter School?
Charter schools are public schools that are allowed the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Because they are public schools, they are open to all children, do not charge tuition, and do not have special entrance requirements.
What accounts for the tremendous success students achieve under the IDEA model?
IDEA Public Schools’ approach to education is focused on college preparation for all children by employing high-quality, nurturing teachers that provide students with a challenging curriculum. Our goal is to meet each student’s individual needs. We believe the key to academic success is teaching children at their level—letting them advance quickly on material they understand and helping them fill deficits in subjects where they struggle.
What is IDEA’s focus?
The focus at IDEA is preparing students for college and life. In fact, for the past ten years 100% of our students achieved college acceptance. Most recently, 100% of IDEA’s 2016 graduates were accepted to college and 99.6% matriculated to a college campus last fall.
The IDEA Class of 2016 was accepted to more than 290 colleges and universities across the nation, received more than $25 million in scholarships, and achieved a record number of admissions into Ivy League, Tier 1, and Tier 2 colleges and universities this spring—including the University of Virginia, Denison University, Cornell, Princeton, The George Washington University, The Art Institute of Chicago, Northwestern, NYU, John Hopkins, and Brown.
What’s the student/teacher ratio at IDEA?
IDEA creates a personalized environment that adapts and grows to meet the needs of each student without compromise. In grades K-2, student groups remain small and each student group has no more than 12 students. Beginning in 3rd grade, the teacher to student ratio is 1:29.
Are IDEA’s Teachers Certified?
IDEA is committed to maintaining, training, and recruiting the very best teachers and campus leaders to support our students and mission. It is not a requirement that IDEA teachers be certified, however more than half of our teachers are.
What’s the focus of IDEA’s academy curriculum?
Good question! Here’s how our classrooms are designed for grades K-5. Our K-5 academy curriculum is focused on ensuring 
every student is reading, writing, and performing math on level. Additionally, IDEA boasts a hybrid learning model for all elementary grades. This technique provides students with a combination of intimate, individualized instruction, and web-based, adaptive support from the nation’s leading educational technologies and software.
Students rotate daily specials that allow them to progress at their own pace. These stations include the iLearning Hotspot, where students complete math software that understands where each child is and continues to challenge them based on their level, the Accelerated Reader (AR) Zone that promotes a culture of reading to help students unlock the world of opportunity and equip them for a lifetime of learning and enjoyment, and the AR Zone where students read books, complete a test about each story they read, and keep track of the total amount of books, and words, they read throughout the year.
Students also learn how to be upstanding members of the community and participate in field trips and activities that promote the development of problem-solving and social skills.
What does IDEA’s college prep curriculum entail?
The IDEA 6th grade-12th grade college prep curriculum continues the focus on college preparation across all subjects. The primary goal of their college-readiness efforts is for every student to enter their first year of college without the need for remedial courses in any content area, and to be well-prepared to succeed in college-level courses. All IDEA students are on the college track and participate in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, through IDEA’s AP for All model. This program provides rigorous coursework for every college preparatory student. All IDEA students are required to complete 11 AP courses by the time they graduate from an IDEA high school.
Does IDEA provide special education services and support?
In IDEA’s special education program, students receive individualized support through targeted resources, accommodations, extra help, and training so they can complete the same work and curriculum as their IDEA peers. IDEA special education teachers utilize the newest technologies and on-the-forefront learning accommodations so that every student receives the guidance and support they require to master the material. IDEA provides support for students with special learning needs through individualized academic coaching by expert special education teachers who maintain constant communication with families and support systems.
What extracurricular and athletic programs does IDEA provide?
This is where we want to hear from you! What programs would you like to see IDEA provide for students in Baton Rouge? In addition to receiving a high-quality education, IDEA students also spend time involved in extracurricular activities and athletics. You can learn more about current extracurricular activities across our schools, like soccer at IDEA Toros, flag football at IDEA Edinburg, volleyball at IDEA Judson, and tennis at IDEA Weslaco Pike, in the latest edition of IDEA’s IMPACT magazine.
