UP Partnership engaged IDRA to lead a student-driven evaluation examining the progress of local partners toward the Future Ready Bexar County goals. This countywide initiative brings together school districts, youth development organizations, including IDRA, local colleges, civic entities and corporate partners committed to advancing equity and increasing postsecondary enrollment to 70% by 2030.
IDRA is supporting the team of seven high school students from Harlandale, San Antonio, Edgewood, East Central, Southwest, Judson, and Northside ISDs. The students are studying the Future Ready Bexar County partner goals, programs and initiatives to provide a student-informed formative and summative evaluation.
The project stands on the principle: “Nothing about us, without us.” This has been the foundation of student-led recommendations, research and activism concerning education, philanthropic giving, health initiatives and numerous programs that are often implemented without the advice of those most impacted by such plans.
Throughout its history, IDRA has elevated students’ perspectives through our leadership programs, youth advisory boards and intergenerational advocacy projects. IDRA envisions this project as a logical part of our asset-based practices that focuses research away from deficit notions of students and their families.
During the summer of 2025, the students met weekly to study their school districts’ efforts. The students reflected on their prior knowledge of district commitments as IDRA trained them in foundational research and evaluation concepts, such as sampling, quantitative and qualitative methods, and focus groups. The students created sophisticated surveys for district leaders and are collecting data that will be shared with Future Ready Bexar County partners once the students analyze and write up their results.
Contact Hector Bojorquez, IDRA director of operations and educational practice for more information.
News
Students Weigh the Promise and Challenges of Big College Readiness Initiative, by Hector Bojorquez, January 2026
