Harmony Public Schools Aims to Lead STEM and Character Education in South Texas by 2026

Superintendent Selcuk Bakir outlines ambitious goals for academics, teacher recruitment, and infrastructure growth.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 4:15pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Selcuk Bakir, area superintendent at Harmony Public Schools, envisions a year full of achievements in 2026 that will position Harmony as the leader in STEM education and character development in South Texas. The school district has set goals in areas like early literacy, closing the gender gap in STEM fields, college readiness, teacher recruitment and retention, and upgrading facilities to support active learning.

Why it matters

Harmony Public Schools' focus on STEM and character education aims to provide equitable access to a world-class education for all students in the Laredo community, helping to power the region's future workforce with literate, ethical, and innovative leaders.

The details

Bakir said Harmony's top academic goals include mastering early elementary literacy, empowering female students in STEM fields, and solidifying their standing as a premier college-preparatory network. On the human resources front, they are aggressively addressing teacher shortages by offering competitive benefits and incentives. Harmony is also continuously modernizing their facilities to support active, project-based learning and ensure campuses remain safe, secure, and technologically advanced.

  • In 2026, Harmony Public Schools aims to achieve their goals.
  • Harmony recently saw a 1% year-over-year growth in reading proficiency at their Laredo-Innovation campus.

The players

Selcuk Bakir

The area superintendent at Harmony Public Schools.

Harmony Public Schools

A network of public charter schools in Texas focused on STEM education and character development.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“In academics (literacy and STEM), our most urgent academic goal is mastery in early elementary literacy. We are doubling down on our K-2 reading programs to ensure every student reads on grade level by third grade.”

— Selcuk Bakir, Area Superintendent

“By 2026, we anticipate seeing a measurable increase in female students leading our robotics teams and entering top-tier university engineering programs.”

— Selcuk Bakir, Area Superintendent

What’s next

Harmony Public Schools will continue to monitor and report on their progress towards their 2026 goals throughout the year.

The takeaway

Harmony Public Schools' ambitious plan to lead in STEM education and character development in South Texas by 2026 demonstrates their commitment to providing equitable access to a high-quality education for all students in the Laredo community.