IDEA MCALLEN COLLEGE PREPARATORY

ideapublicschools.org/our-schools/idea-mcallen/

Charter School 820 Students

High School 6th - 12th

School Overview

IDEA McAllen College Preparatory is a tuition-free, public charter school located in McAllen, Texas, serving students in grades 6 through 12. As part of the extensive IDEA Public Schools network, the campus is built upon a mission to prepare students from underserved communities for success in college and citizenship. The school is widely recognized for its rigorous academic culture, which emphasizes high expectations, data-driven instruction, and a structured environment designed to keep students on a clear path toward higher education.

Beyond its focus on core academics, IDEA McAllen is known for its "college-for-all" philosophy, which permeates the student experience from middle school through graduation. The school provides extensive support systems, including Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and dedicated college counseling, to ensure that students are not only accepted into universities but are also equipped to succeed once they arrive. By fostering a community centered on goal-setting and resilience, IDEA McAllen aims to bridge the achievement gap and empower its students to become leaders in their communities.

820

Total Students

48.5

Full-Time Teachers

16.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

74.8%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for IDEA MCALLEN COLLEGE PREPARATORY
Demographic	Student Count
White	26
Hispanic	781
Black	3
Asian	10

Hispanic
781 (95.2%)
White
26 (3.2%)
Asian
10 (1.2%)
Black
3 (0.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	N/A
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Phone:	(956)429-4100
Website:	http://ideapublicschools.org/our-schools/idea-mcallen/
Grade Range:	6th - 12th
Total Students:	820
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	48.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	16.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	605
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	8

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 131

Grade 7 132

Grade 8 136

Grade 9 113

Grade 10 126

Grade 11 106

Grade 12 76