Texas

As students across Texas settle into the new school year, there’s something particularly special happening at Thrive Center for Success in Magnolia. In August, 180 students walked into a transformed learning environment—a 12,700-square-foot expansion featuring 14 new classrooms, expanded play spaces, and specialized facilities designed specifically for their unique needs.

Blueprint is honored to have partnered with Thrive on this project. Thrive is doing incredible work as Texas’s only free, public charter school focused on students with autism, serving grades K-8 and planning to expand through 12th grade. At Thrive, students’ academic achievement speaks volumes: last year, 82% of students met their iReady reading growth goals, and 89% met their math growth goals.

Understanding Unique Needs, Meeting the Community’s Demand

Students with autism have specific facility requirements, and Blueprint listened carefully to deliver exactly what Thrive needed. The expansion includes observation windows that allow adults to monitor students without creating distractions, dimmable lighting systems that can be adjusted for sensory comfort, and flexible spaces for STEAM labs and quiet retreats. A standout feature is the 2,000-square-foot multi-purpose gym where students can safely participate in indoor PE and school gatherings.

The challenge was significant: Thrive had an existing warehouse on-site but needed additional classroom space to accommodate its rapid growth. With 180 students enrolled and 400 more on the waitlist—many families relocate from out-of-state to access this specialized education—the demand was clear. The solution required smaller classrooms to maintain the intimate learning environment, along with dedicated spaces for art and music therapy.

Delivering Results That Matter

Blueprint’s comprehensive approach saved Thrive both time and money. By managing the procurement process, contractor selection, budget planning, and construction oversight, we delivered $277,000 in cost savings. Importantly, we completed the entire project in just two months—from late May, when school ended, to mid-August, when classes resumed—ensuring students could start the school year in their new facility.

This partnership allowed Thrive’s leadership to focus on what they do best: educating students. While Blueprint handled the complex facility development process, Thrive could concentrate on curriculum planning and student support services.

A Growing Impact in Texas

The Thrive project represents Blueprint’s expanding work across Texas, where we’re partnering with charter schools to create learning environments that truly serve their communities. As a nonprofit organization, we understand that every dollar saved on facilities can be reinvested in educational programming and student support.

With 90% of students qualifying for special education services, Thrive provides something unprecedented in Texas public education. The specialized environment, combined with small class sizes and multiple adult supports per classroom, creates conditions where students don’t just learn—they thrive.

The expansion also addresses critical safety considerations, with protected outdoor spaces for fire drills and safe play, plus additional parking for Thrive’s 75+ dedicated staff members.

Looking Ahead

As the Houston Chronicle highlights in its coverage, Thrive’s expansion represents hope for hundreds of families seeking specialized, high-quality education for their children. This is more than just a building project. It’s about creating spaces where every student can reach their potential. 

Blueprint is proud to support Thrive Center for Success as they continue growing, adding new grades each year, and serving as a model for autism-focused education nationwide. When schools like Thrive can focus on teaching while we handle the facility challenges, everyone wins—especially their students.

For more than 20 years, Cedars International Academy has been a cornerstone of public education in Austin, serving generations of families through a rigorous, project-based learning model rooted in community, creativity, and opportunity. Like many high-performing charter schools, Cedars’ greatest challenge wasn’t academic—it was securing a permanent, affordable facility that could support long-term growth.

That challenge is now being solved.

Last November, Blueprint completed a transformative financing and development transaction that set Cedars on a path toward a consolidated, purpose-built K–12 campus. Today, Blueprint is actively managing the project, ensuring the campus is delivered on schedule and ready to welcome students for the 2026–2027 school year.

A Campus Designed for Students—and for the Future

The new Cedars campus is located in Austin in a former charter school building already approved for K–12 educational use. Because the building was recently renovated and fully conditioned for school operations, it is largely move-in ready, requiring only minor improvements before occupancy.

The site offers everything Cedars needs to grow and thrive:

• 51,430 square feet on 7.26 acres
• Approximately 40 classrooms, including large learning spaces and science labs
• A cafeteria and full commercial kitchen
• 400+ parking spaces supporting staff, families, and community events
• A 4,400-square-foot playground with additional outdoor space
• Administrative offices, health facilities, and ample storage

Most importantly, the campus provides Cedars with the capacity to grow toward its charter maximum of 1,000 students, while fully supporting its collaborative, project-based learning model.

Blueprint’s Role: Development, Financing, and Project Management

Blueprint is serving as developer, owner, and project manager for the Cedars campus—guiding the project from acquisition through financing, improvements, and delivery. As part of the financing solution, Blueprint also invested its own capital in the project, aligning its resources directly with Cedars’ long-term success and ensuring the transaction remained affordable, mission-driven, and student-centered.

This integrated role allows Blueprint to align real estate decisions directly with Cedars’ educational goals, while maintaining tight control over costs, timeline, and quality.

In partnership with Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF), Blueprint secured below-market financing to acquire the building on Cedars’ behalf. The structure is intentionally school-centered: Cedars will lease the facility at cost, with no markups or escalations, and retains the option to purchase the building within five years at the original price.

Over the first five years, this approach is expected to save Cedars approximately $2.5 million—resources that stay focused on classrooms, educators, and student programs rather than real estate overhead.

Managing the Path to a 2026–2027 Opening

Because the building already meets educational occupancy standards, the scope of work is limited and highly targeted. As project manager, Blueprint is overseeing final improvements—including site enhancements and perimeter fencing—to ensure the campus is fully ready for students and staff on schedule.

The project timeline is carefully structured to support a smooth transition, with construction and final preparations concluding well ahead of the 2026–2027 school year. This approach minimizes disruption for Cedars families and staff while delivering a permanent home that supports long-term stability.

Why This Project Matters

Cedars International Academy serves a student population that is nearly 80% economically disadvantaged, with a strong academic record and a recently renewed 10-year charter. Bringing its lower school and high school together onto a single campus allows Cedars to operate more efficiently, expand career-connected learning, and deepen partnerships that prepare students for college and the workforce.

For Blueprint, the Cedars project demonstrates what’s possible when nonprofit development, innovative financing, and thoughtful project management come together. By removing facilities barriers, Blueprint helps high-quality charter schools focus on what they do best: educating students and strengthening communities.

As Cedars prepares to open the doors to its new campus, this project stands as a model for how equitable, mission-driven real estate development can create lasting impact—on time, on budget, and centered on students.

We’re excited to share that Blueprint has been awarded a generous grant from the Austin-based KLE Foundation to support charter school growth and high quality charter seats in Austin and Central Texas over the next two years.

With this new funding, Blueprint will provide comprehensive, hands-on support to mission-aligned charter schools across Austin/Central Texas—especially those serving historically under-resourced communities.

Our work will focus on:

• Strategic facilities planning
• Feasibility and financial affordability assessments
• Full project management services, from site search, to design, to construction
• Direct facility investment

One of the schools already benefiting from this expanded support is Cedars International Academy in Austin. Blueprint is working with Cedars to secure a long-term facility solution that will allow them to grow and better serve their students and families.

“Austin is home to incredible charter schools doing life-changing work. With KLE’s partnership, we can support more of them in building long-term, sustainable facilities that reflect the quality of education they deliver every day,” said Eric Kot, Executive Director, Texas.

KLE’s support strengthens our ability to partner with schools early in their growth journey, helping them find and fund the right facility solutions.

We’re grateful to the KLE Foundation for believing in the power of high-quality public charter schools—and in Blueprint’s mission to dismantle systemic inequality in education.

Together, we’re building more than schools. We’re building futures.

Blueprint is a non-profit, full-service real estate development firm working side-by-side with charter school partners to expand access to high-quality educational opportunities in under-resourced communities.

To learn more about Blueprint: Blueprintfutures.org

At PCSD/TCSD, we believe that access to high-quality education begins with providing students and teachers the spaces they need to learn, grow, and succeed. We’re thrilled to announce that PCSD/TCSD has been awarded a $3M grant from Houston Endowment to further this mission by supporting charter school facility development in the Greater Houston area. This is the second grant the Houston Endowment has awarded PCSD, reinforcing their commitment to expanding educational opportunities across the city.

This significant investment is part of the Texas Charter School Development Facilities Fund and will enable us to continue our work with new and existing charter schools, ensuring they have the resources and spaces required to meet their growing needs. Houston is home to a dynamic and rapidly expanding charter school sector, and this grant comes at a pivotal moment as demand for charter schools continues to rise.

Supporting Under-resourced Communities

The Houston Endowment grant will directly impact under-resourced communities by making it possible for more students to access high-quality, mission-driven learning environments. With this support, we can work alongside charter schools to develop affordable, sustainable, and scalable facilities that reflect each school’s unique vision and needs. These new projects will not only meet current demand but also lay the foundation for long-term growth and success in the years to come.

Why Facilities Matter

We know that a well-designed school facility isn’t just about providing a building—it’s about creating an environment that fosters educational equity. A school’s physical space plays a crucial role in student achievement, teacher retention, and overall community engagement. This grant empowers us to expand our impact in Houston and ensure that every student, no matter their zip code, has access to the quality learning spaces they deserve.

Looking Ahead

As we embark on this next phase of development in Houston and beyond, we’re excited to partner with more charter schools to make a meaningful difference. Whether it’s building new campuses, expanding existing ones, or converting spaces into innovative learning hubs, we’re committed to providing solutions that enable schools to focus on what matters most—educating the next generation.

A huge thank you to the Houston Endowment for their belief in our work and their dedication to advancing educational equity. This grant represents a major step forward for both PCSD/TCSD and the students, families, and communities we serve in Houston.

Stay tuned for updates as we begin rolling out new projects and watch our vision for Houston’s charter school landscape continue to grow!