IDEA Public Schools wins H-E-B award

AUSTIN - IDEA Public Schools on Sunday became the first charter school district to win the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award for the best small district in the state.

"The exciting thing was being able to stand up there and tell everyone the wonderful things going on in the Rio Grande Valley," said Tom Torkelson, who along with fellow Teach For America alumna JoAnn Gonzales founded IDEA Public Schools 10 years ago.

The charter school district bested two other systems in Texas to capture the $50,000 cash prize.

H-E-B started the awards program with the Texas Association of School Administrators in 2002 and the program has become the largest monetary award given to educators in the state, a total of more than $500,000 each year.

The grocery chain gave more than $380,000 in cash prizes at its awards ceremony at the Barton Creek Resort and Spa Sunday night.

IDEA was named a finalist in March for the best small district and received a $2,500 prize. The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo district was named one of four finalists for the best large school district then and received a $5,000 prize. Six educators from the Valley also received nominations for the state award and received cash prizes for their campuses and themselves.

Though the district has received numerous grants over the past decade to help further its efforts to make sure every child goes to school and graduates, the H-E-B award was thrilling for Torkelson because of the recognition it gives the district, he said.

"It seems, after 10 years, all of the hard work is beginning to pay off," Torkelson said.

The H-E-B award tops off what has been a banner year for IDEA Public Schools.

The charter school district's high school in Donna was named among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report and was accepted to offer the International Baccalaureate Organization's Middle Years Programme for students in grades 6-10.

Earlier this year, the district's leadership received recognition, with Torkelson mentioned in Time Magazine in April and last month, with Torkelson, Gonzales and IDEA College Preparatory Principal Jeremy Beard receiving the Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership from Teach for America.

IDEA Public Schools currently has five campuses - in Donna, Brownsville, San Benito, McAllen/Edinburg and Mission - and plans to open its sixth campus in San Juan this fall.

Torkelson said the money might go toward a matching donation to the schools' employee giving campaign. That campaign raises money for college scholarships and emergency loans for students and alumni in college.

This is the second time a Rio Grande Valley school district captured the statewide award.

The Hidalgo school district won the Excellence in Education Award for small school districts in 2007.