Dive Brief:

• The IDEA Public Schools charter network will add a comprehensive health professions school for students in pre-K through 12th grade to its portfolio, with construction set to begin in 2017.
• In announcing the new school, IDEA Austin said the site will be in or near downtown Austin and will open in August 2018 for pre-K, kindergarten, first grade, and sixth grade students to address the need in Texas for primary care doctors and give students the science and data skills they’ll need for health professions.
• The curriculum is expected to include science, technology, engineering and math classes, as well as electives in health science principles, public health and prevention, patient care and laboratory practicums, anatomy and physiology.

Dive Insight:

Schools across the country are developing targeted programs that organize curriculum around STEM fields, arts, foreign languages or other industries. In districts with schools that struggle to maintain enrollment or seek to diversify their student populations, these initiatives provide a draw for families and a way to stay competitive. The Los Angeles Unified School District is opening 16 new magnet schools this academic year along with an all-girls school. A number of Catholic schools have implemented dual-language programs to capitalize on the Latino Catholic majority and entice families away from free charter or public school options. In an age of sometimes fierce competition among schools, innovative programs are one way to stay on top.