IDRA remains committed to the goal of framing and supporting essential policy and leadership issues for advocacy that will improve educational excellence and equity for all children. The following are a just few examples of IDRA’s accomplishments in the area of policy and leadership in the past 45 years.

  • Since 1973, IDRA is the only organization that can claim continuous, uninterrupted involvement in Texas school finance reform.
  • IDRA’s research in 1994 on school dropouts in Texas led to revisions in the state’s education law regarding monitoring and preventing school dropouts.
  • Dr. José Cárdenas, IDRA founder and director emeritus, and IDRA staff played a key role helping to guarantee the civil rights of all children regardless of race, sex and national origin in landmark court cases such as Rodriguez vs. San Antonio, U.S. vs. Texas, Keys vs. Denver, Lau vs. Nichols, Doe vs. Plyer, and Rodriguez vs. L.A. USD and Edgewood vs. Kirby I, II, III and IV.
  • IDRA has provided leadership in the area of immigrant education throughout its history.
  • IDRA has been creating leadership development around the issue of the use of public funds for private schools. IDRA is informing parents and the general public about the educational, social and economic impact of negative educational vouchers on families who are minority, poor or learning English.

Timeline – A History of IDRA Policy Work to Secure Excellent and Equitable Schooling for All Children

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