The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Idea Rise College Preparatory
IDEA Rise College Preparatory is a charter school serving grades six through ten in Fort Worth. It is part of IDEA Public Schools, a large charter network that has undergone significant governance changes since being placed under conservatorship by the Texas Education Agency in March 2024 following an investigation into improper district-level spending. The school is located on the south side of Fort Worth, an area experiencing rapid growth as the city has become one of the nation's fastest-growing metropolitan centers.
The school draws a student body that is largely economically disadvantaged and Latino. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is split roughly equally across Hispanic and Black students, with smaller shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students. The school does not report special-education enrollment or English-learner identification rates in available data.
On state assessments administered in 2024-25, IDEA Rise's performance reveals uneven proficiency. In English language arts, the school shows stronger results: sixth-grade proficiency stands at a modest level, improving to around half the class in grade seven and holding at slightly higher levels in grade eight. Math proficiency is notably lower, with sixth grade at about a third of students meeting or exceeding the standard, improving to about half in seventh grade. Overall across tested subjects, when proficiency is averaged across all grades and subjects, the school sits above the midpoint among Tarrant County school districts, though this metric includes strong performance in social studies (where over half of eighth graders meet the standard) that offsets weaker results in other areas. Science proficiency data for eighth grade was suppressed in reporting.
The school does not serve grades eleven or twelve, so no graduation rate is available. The school's college-preparatory identity is reflected in its name and charter authorization, though specific course offerings, dual-credit pathways, or AP programs are not detailed in available data.
The broader context matters for families. IDEA Public Schools' financial settlement with the federal government requires the network to repay funds in monthly installments through December 2026. The network has restructured its board and leadership, expanded compliance staff, and strengthened internal auditing following the investigation. Whether these measures stabilize operations or whether further governance changes occur remains an open question. A parent may want to learn directly from the school about how any ongoing oversight affects operations and planning, as conservatorship and repayment obligations are uncommon in the charter landscape and represent unusual risk factors.
Fort Worth itself is a large, fast-growing city with distinct neighborhoods organized around the downtown business and cultural cores, the Stockyards historic district, and the Cultural District museum quarter. Housing costs have risen sharply with recent growth, though remain below some peer Texas metros. The school's south-side location puts it in a residential area experiencing active development.
IDEA Rise serves students in a critical middle-school transition window. The proficiency pattern suggests the school may be building skills incrementally through this span, with stronger literacy progress than numeracy. Sixth-grade math performance is a soft spot that a parent may want to discuss with the school further, particularly if a student shows weakness in that subject. Because the school does not extend to graduation, families will need to plan for secondary placement elsewhere, which introduces another transition point to consider.
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