YES Prep Public Schools is setting in motion a new elementary campus in southwest Houston, targeting an opening for the 2025-26 school year. The Houston Chronicle reports that the groundbreaking ceremony for Brays Oaks Elementary happened on August 5, with YES Prep managing director for elementary school programs, Lance Menster, iterating that this campus would service the same community as the established YES Prep Brays Oaks Secondary.
The new school, which is anticipated to greet 350 students ranging from pre-kindergarten through the second grade in its inaugural year, plans to expand up to fifth grade in the following years. Despite the demanding nature of this undertaking, Menster assures that "We will also have interventionists, special education teachers and teaching assistants for added support." Leveraging the existing demographic, primarily Hispanic, the school is committed to a bilingual education program, which Menster details as a balanced approach combining the preservation of a native language with the acquisition of English proficiency, as detailed by The Houston Chronicle.
Simultaneously, YES Prep is preparing to open other elementary schools, notably Hobby Elementary, North Rankin Elementary, and Southwest Oaks Elementary, this coming August. These schools look to foster community ties before opening their doors by hosting Play Days, which, according to a YES Prep announcement, saw families engaged in various festivities.
Each of the campuses will initially cater to students from pre-kindergarten through second grade, with the intention to incrementally add grade levels. The dedication to creating a continuum of learning from early literacy to intricate language concepts is a cornerstone of YES Prep's educational philosophy. Families are already showing interest in the new campuses, submitting enrollment forms, and anticipating the lottery for the 2025-26 school year come October.
Over the years, YES Prep has grown in both scale and quality, as indicated by its B rating by the Texas Education Agency in 2022. The charter network now oversees the educational journey of over 20,000 students across Greater Houston, providing not only academics but also meals, healthcare, and transportation as essential supports for its students' holistic development.
