While most students receive a diploma at high school graduation, Rapoport Academy students can also earn up to 72 transferable college credit hours at no cost to families for tuition, books or fees.

Rapoport Academy, no-tuition public charter school (pre-k through 12th), opened in 1998 with 16 students.  Enrollment has increased each year with 340+ students in 08-09. The Academy is an open-enrollment, lottery draw school with transfers accepted from 13 school districts. Though not consistently funded by any entity other than the state (as a public school) , the Academy is named in honor of Bernard and Audre Rapoport, who have so graciously supported the school by giving of their time to interact with students and have generously contributed to the scholarship endowment fund and start-up expenses.

With superior TAKS scores, high attendance rates and outstanding teachers, Rapoport Academy is the ideal school for the student seeking an academically challenging environment. Students can choose from a host of extra curricular activities, including robotics and rocketry clubs, basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, track, swimming, music, 1-A UIL academic and athletic competitions and much more.

According to Gaylene Reed, we are a quiet and powerful force in the field of education—recognized by the Texas Education Agency as one of their strongest charters, designated as part of the Texas High School Project as an innovative model and one of three small district finalists for the HEB Excellence in Education Award in 2008. We are breaking new ground in our approaches to college readiness—working with students so that they will enter college without need for remediation and without barriers to college completion.

The Academy is currently a TSTEM and an Early College High School as part of the Texas High School Project (sponsored by Gates Foundation, Dell Foundation and Communities Foundation of Texas). R.A. has built curriculum around science, technology, engineering and math with integrated, relevant and innovative teaching in the humanities. Two recent T-STEM activities were the FIRST international robotics competition in Dallas and the national TARC rocketry competition.

Students at R.A. enroll in college classes beginning in 9th grade—with the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree by graduation or have up to 72 hours of credit to transfer to a four year University . By working with our major collaborative partner, Texas State Technical College, students can take advantage of FREE college tuition, FREE books and fees and FREE transportation between campuses.

We consider ourselves to be like “The Little Engine That Could” –forging forth in innovative ways using scientifically based research for student success. Students who transfer into our Academy thrive in this environment. We set high standards and offer tremendous support systems to help ensure success for each child. Students at the Academy report that they are challenged to do their best, they feel supported in their educational endeavors, and they really enjoy coming to the Rapoport Academy. Their parents are very pleased with the programs and staff (as indicated by current parent satisfaction surveys). Visitors to the campus are astounded by the campus culture – that positive feeling in each building as well as the level of concentration of students in each classroom. Students are actively engaged in the learning process –and visitors notice this immediately.

Because the Rapoport Academy is rapidly expanding, we are working hard to provide facilities to house additional students. Exciting, hands-on student activities and restored educational facilities have brought the campus back to life—-and the Academy has plans for two more buildings. The Academy has, since 2003, accomplished the renovation of three buildings on the Paul Quinn campus and the remaining two buildings are essential to the revitalization of the community and restoration of the campus as well as for providing adequate space for enrollment expansion.

Grant Hall (previously a dormitory) will become the creative arts center for middle and high school students: art, drama, music, dance, fitness and culinary arts (including dining facilities to support our fitness and nutrition initiatives of breakfast and lunch for all students and staff members). Including the arts in education is essential for all students (research shows the correlation between arts and core curriculum performance). As we already have an integrated content approach, it is imperative that we have adequate space for the arts.

This will also provide a space for students to show their work or perform for others.

The Gomez Administration Building will be the central site of the high school, including classrooms and limited office space. Basic high school courses are currently in the renovated Quinn library building. This space will become the fifth grade center to allow for enrollment expansion at the middle school on campus.

These renovations will support restoration of the exterior in an “as they were” fashion historically, while orienting the interior for energy efficient use. This preservation project is a must for this historical property as well as for revitalization of the neighborhood.

Our intent is to stay a small learning community where rigor, relevance and relationships flourish—- with a projected final enrollment of less than 700 students.