The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 38% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Idea Burke Academy
IDEA Burke Academy is a charter elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade on Marbach Road in the far southwest part of San Antonio, operated under the IDEA Public Schools network. Its enrollment is sizeable for an elementary campus, with grades running from kindergarten through fifth and roughly even distribution across those years. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with meaningful shares of Black and white students as well.
On state assessments, the school's reading and language arts results are a clear relative strength. By fifth grade, a strong majority of students reach proficiency on the STAAR, and the upward arc from third through fifth grade in ELA is real. Math tells a different story: across tested grades, fewer than half of students reach proficiency, and the fifth-grade science result sits in a similar range. In Texas's three-tier STAAR framework, the school's approaches-grade-level rate across subjects is solid, meaning most students are clearing the minimum bar, but the shares meeting grade level and mastering content are considerably lower, especially in math. A parent interested in where the school stands relative to its neighbors should know that across tested subjects and grades, IDEA Burke's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Bexar County, a meaningful position in a county with more than forty school systems. Multi-year trend data was available for only the most recent year, so it is not possible from this data to say whether results are improving, holding, or declining.
The school sits in the Alamo Ranch area of southwestern San Antonio, a part of the city characterized by newer suburban development and significant residential growth. Publicly reported data indicate San Antonio as a whole has been among the fastest-growing metros in the country, with new home construction rates near the top nationally and substantial apartment development, much of it concentrated in the southern part of the region. Housing values in the zip code around the school have recently declined modestly year over year and sit below both the Texas statewide median and the national median, which may reflect the affordability profile of this part of the metro. Rents have also dipped slightly. The broader San Antonio economy is anchored by healthcare, military, finance, energy, and a growing technology sector, giving families here a range of employment options.
The IDEA network context matters for any family evaluating this school. In early 2024, as publicly reported by the Texas Tribune and other outlets, the Texas Education Agency placed IDEA Public Schools under conservatorship following a years-long investigation into improper spending. Appointed conservators now hold authority to oversee and direct network actions, and a full state takeover remains possible if the network fails to meet corrective benchmarks. Separately, IDEA reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Education requiring the return of a substantial sum in grant and formula funding through monthly installments running into late 2026. In response, the network has publicly reported installing new leadership and board members, expanding compliance staffing, and strengthening internal controls. This governance situation is ongoing, and it is reasonable for a parent to ask the school directly how campus-level operations and stability have been affected.
Data on chronic absenteeism and graduation rate are not applicable here: this is an elementary school, so no graduation rate exists, and absenteeism data was not available in the payload. English learner and special education rates were also missing from the data provided. A parent interested in those support structures would want to ask the school directly.
IDA Burke sits within a growing, affordable corner of a large and economically diverse city. Its ELA results and countywide proficiency standing are genuine strengths; its math and science proficiency gaps are worth a direct conversation with the school about what supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade level.
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