Disclosure :: this post is sponsored by IDEA Southern Louisiana.
What Makes IDEA Unique?
In 2018, IDEA Southern Louisiana in Baton Rouge will be home to IDEA Cortana Academy and College Prep, and IDEA Innovation Academy and College Prep, serving a total of 1,000 Baton Rouge students between our academy and college prep campuses in grades K through 2 & 6.
IDEA is a family of tuition-free public charter schools committed to seeing each child to and through college. We achieve our record of 100% college acceptance through a focus on personalized
learning, core subjects, critical thinking and college preparedness. IDEA’s expert teachers partner with students and families every step of the way to ensure students are prepared for success in college and life. Our approach is different – and it works!
- Personalized Learning: Through small learning groups and daily access to technology, every student learns at the level and speed just right for them.
- Expert Teachers: IDEA’s teachers bring subject matter expertise and an unwavering commitment to set each student on a path to success.
- Family Partnership: At IDEA, school is family. Parents, teachers, and administrators work as a team to help each student reach their full potential.
How IDEA Goes the Extra Mile
At IDEA Public Schools, students and teachers go the extra mile every day. It’s one of the main reasons why students are prepared to succeed in college and in life when they graduate from IDEA.
Success in college and in life requires determination, grit, and confidence in oneself. These are the qualities that are gradually built in every IDEA student.
In the early grades, IDEA students learn in small groups and receive personal attention from expert teachers, who make sure each student is learning at the level just right for them. Students also have regular access to technology starting in kindergarten.
These are ingredients for early academic success.
Katia Luna, a first grader at IDEA Riverview Academy, noted: “At IDEA, I have improved in reading and math. I am currently in the highest group for reading with only 57 lessons to go to finish the first grade program, and it is only October. IDEA has taught me to do Whatever It Takes to accomplish my goals.”
Katia is on the road to success in college and in life. When she enters college preparatory at IDEA, she will take part in IDEA’s AP for All program. This program requires all students to take at least 11 AP courses before graduation. IDEA offers 
AP classes as early as sixth grade to gain the skills necessary to be successful in college and beyond. Some IDEA campuses also offer IB (International Baccalaureate) programs. Through AP and IB classes, students prepare for the rigor of college, gain the ability to skip introductory college classes if they pass exams, stand out in the admission process, and reduce overall college costs.
Paulina Garcia, an IDEA 2017 graduate from IDEA Frontier College Preparatory, had this to say about her high school career at IDEA: “I was nervous when I started ninth grade, but I persevered with the help of my teachers and friends, who were very supportive. By the time I graduated from IDEA, I had passed four AP classes! In the fall of 2017, I began my collegiate career at The University of Texas at Austin. I’m proud to say I am ahead of the game and ready to excel in college and in life.”
IDEA ensures that students like Katia and Paulina succeed by creating a personalized environment that adapts and grows to meet the needs of each student. Personalized learning at IDEA means every student from Kinder through high school learns at the level and speed just right for them. IDEA also has unique programs like iLearning Hotspots that bring computer stations into each classroom so that every student gets to practice math material personalized to their learning level. Each IDEA school also has an Accelerated Reading Zone with books that students can access based on their reading level so they can continually grow and advance at the pace just right for them.
Dedicated teachers track each student’s progress and match instruction to their specific needs.
Teachers are also available for after-hours homework help, and often hold Saturday and after-school camps for extra learning. An IDEA educator always puts student practice, engagement, and mastery before anything else.
“I just love the way teachers support me at IDEA,” said Fatima Gomez, 6th grader at IDEA Tres Lagos College Preparatory. “They never give up on you, and every teacher really makes learning fun and hands on. If I had to choose a favorite class so far, I think I would go with my math and coding lab. While math and coding may be my favorite classes, I have also been amazed by the culture of reading here. I want to be Royal Reader this year, which means I not only need to read more than one million words, but also maintain a good average on the books I test on in the Accelerated Reader program. My new teachers are showing me awesome reading strategies to make sure that happens.”
At IDEA, we go the extra mile, and so do our students.
Learn More
IDEA is so excited to join the Southern Louisiana community in Baton Rouge. We invite you to follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/IDEASchoolsSouthernLouisiana to stay updated on upcoming community events and information sessions, and you can visit our website at www.ideapublicschools.org to learn more about IDEA Public Schools.
