Foundation for the Education of Young Women

In early 2001, Lee Posey, Chairman of Palm Harbor Homes, read about a new single-sex public school in New York City, The Young Women’s Leadership School of East Harlem. Founded in 1996 by philanthropists Ann and Andrew Tisch in partnership with the New York City Board of Education, the school had achieved remarkable success, with 100% of its graduating classes accepted to four-year colleges and universities. Mr. Posey and his wife, Sally, contacted Ann Tisch and visited the school. They came back to Dallas inspired by both the school and Ann Tisch, by her vision, and her Young Women’s Leadership Foundation.

In early 2002, the Posey’s created the Foundation for the Education of Young Women and began the effort to get a similar school established in the Dallas Independent School District, with the intention of founding similar schools in other Texas cities.

In May of 2002, they accompanied two senior Dallas administrators to New York to visit the Harlem school, and in November of that year several DISD board members and community leaders visited the school and met with Ms. Tisch and the Foundation. In August 2004, after thoughtful consideration by the District and the Board, the Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School opened its doors with the support of the Foundation for the Education of Young Women.

Since Opening 2004..........

Through grants the Foundation supports programs to enhance the education experience at Irma Rangel to support three core values: College Preparation, Responsible Leadership and Wellness Life Skills.

The Irma L. Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School is the First All-Girls Public Magnet School in Texas. Originally housed in the historic Stephen J. Hay Building, located at 3801 Herschel Ave, in the city's Oak Lawn district, it opened its doors to students on August 16, 2004 under the leadership of Principal Vivian Taylor-Samudio, with 125 girls.

In the 2005-2006 school year the school expanded to receive 9th grade students.  In the 2006-2007 school year it has expanded to receive 6th & 10th grade students with additional grades to be added through Grade 12 by 2008-09.

Irma L. Rangel is a 6-12 college preparatory public school which capitalizes on the intellectual curiosity and creative spirit inherent in all young women. The school views learning as a dynamic participatory process that must allow young women to experience success upon success because young people with the confidence to learn want to learn more. The school has developed a seamless articulation of curriculum in English, Social Studies, Math, Science, Foreign Language, the Arts, Health, Physical Education, and Technology based on a structure of balanced learning, infusing and integrating literacy into every course and moving toward making every student an independent, lifelong learner.

The school is named after the Honorable Irma Lerma Rangel who was the first Mexican-American woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives and the first woman elected to serve as Chair of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus.