Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas – IDEA Public Schools will host its annual student lottery on Saturday, February 21, offering families across the Rio Grande Valley the opportunity to secure a seat for the 2026–27 school year. During the lottery, IDEA will announce the names of the students randomly selected at one of the 51 schools in the Rio Grande Valley for the upcoming school year.
“We encourage families throughout the Rio Grande Valley to apply and explore what’s possible at IDEA Public Schools,” said Jill Dominguez, Regional Superintendent of IDEA Public Schools in the Rio Grande Valley. “Our schools are built around high expectations, strong student supports, and a clear, proven pathway to college and career success. The lottery is the first step in opening those doors for students and families.”
IDEA Rio Grande Valley currently serves more than 36,000 students across 51 campuses, offering a tuition-free, public charter school option rooted in academic excellence and whole-child development. In the 2026–27 school year, IDEA Harlingen College Preparatory and IDEA Palmview College Preparatory will celebrate a major milestone as it welcomes its first graduating senior class, marking another step forward in IDEA’s mission of college for all.
From kindergarten through twelfth grade, IDEA schools focus on building strong academic foundations in literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking, while providing consistent support to help students thrive. For the past 18 years, IDEA has achieved nearly 100% college acceptance among graduating seniors and enrolls 95% of graduates in college, more than twice the national rate for low-income students.
During the lottery process, student names are selected at random by grade level, with spots offered in the order of selection. When the capacity is reached for each grade level, the remaining applications will be assigned a position on a waiting list in a randomized order. Once the lottery is complete, parents or guardians will receive a notification via their preferred contact method, including email and/or text message.
Only applications completed before the deadline of February 20 at 11:59 p.m. will be eligible for the lottery. Applications submitted after the lottery deadline are only granted seats if space is available, or applicants will be added to the wait list in order of the date and time of their application.
Families can apply now at https://stream.ideapublicschools.org/login.
