KBTX New charter school hosts informational meeting for interested parents

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COLLEGE STATION, Tex. (KBTX) - A new charter school focused on foreign language skills is several months from opening its doors in College Station.

Wednesday officials hosted the first of six information

nal meetings about the curriculum.

International Leadership of Texas, while still under construction, will sit near Longmire Drive and Rock Prairie Rd. It’s scheduled to open this fall.

"This is something new,” said Nelly Forsyth a College Station mother of three. “We are all excited about it. Everyone is talking about it. I am excited that it is also public education."

The free public charter school boasts a trilingual curriculum made up of English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

"If a kid is able to communicate in all three of those languages, we want to be able to create an opportunity for them to just have exceptional opportunities when they graduate from college," said IL Texas Superintendent Eddie Conger.

Forsyth says the languages are what sparked her interest in the school.

"I think that kids now have to be global citizens and multilingualism comes with it," said Forsyth.

Forsyth is a former teacher in both districts and says the traditional public education in both Bryan and College Station is extremely valuable, but she believes the language program is a unique opportunity.

But not everyone will get in, while the school doesn't screen the students that apply, there are only 1,416 slots available. If more apply the final total is selected at random.

"That's one of the big misconceptions out there,” said Conger. “People believe the charter is going to pre-screen, it's not going to allow this kid or that kid in. No, it is absolutely random."

Like a traditional district, IL Texas is funded by the government, Conger says charter schools receive between $1,000 and $2,000 less for each student, so they won’t have large stadiums and other large facilities. However, he says there will be athletic programs.

The school also has opportunities for students to complete a service project and take Texas and US history trips.

The school is also looking for teachers and plan to fill 128 positions by the fall.

The application is open to all Bryan and College Station students. The deadline is March 31st. You can log on to ILTexas.org for the application.