Ted Holmes is drawn to this work by a belief that a student’s zip code shouldn’t condemn them to subpar education and a lifetime of poverty. He wants to start a school that will provide students with the same quality education opportunities he had, since he knows firsthand that those opportunities can be platforms that enable students and families to change the trajectory of their lives. In his prior career in the military, Ted spent twenty years in operations and technology, often providing strategic support during critical missions. In founding a school through the BES Community Co-Design Fellowship in partnership with Good Reason Houston, Ted sees an opportunity to capitalize on those knowledge and skills, and become part of the new paradigm that provides access and opportunity for a myriad of students regardless of their race, economic circumstances, or physical address.
Ted’s proposed school will focus on high academic success, excellent staff and student culture, and data-driven processes. He believes that student-centered schools that focus on both high academic achievement and social-emotional engagement have the power to transform entire communities. Achieving high academic success calls for having high-quality teachers and necessitates both professional development and direct coaching for all staff using an assets-based approach. Leaders and teachers must also be able to collect and interpret data in order to adjust and course-correct in ways that support student growth and achievement. Through academic achievement, strong culture, and data-driven systems, students at Ted’s proposed school will become leaders and gain the skills to be successful both academically and in life.
Prior to joining the BES Fellowship, Ted served as regional director of operations at IDEA Public Schools – Southern Louisiana, where he managed operations for eight schools. Previously, he served as regional director of IT at Charter Schools USA and director of innovative CTE programming at the Louisiana Department of Education. Ted received his master’s in educational leadership from The Broad Residency in Urban Education and holds a master’s in instructional technology from Texas A&M University.
