Freda Deskin Lewis & ASTEC Celebrate a New Chapter
August 2026
IWF Oklahoma member Dr. Freda Deskin Lewis, Founder and CEO of ASTEC Charter Schools, is celebrating an exciting milestone as the school she founded more than 25 years ago continues to grow.
This fall, ASTEC will open a new secondary school on the Dr. Freda Deskin Campus in Oklahoma City. The new facility will give middle and high school scholars dedicated spaces to learn while creating even more opportunities for career preparation and workforce development.
Freda founded ASTEC in 2000 as Oklahoma's first public start-up charter school. What began with donated furniture and supplies has grown into a school serving more than 1,700 scholars from Pre-K through 12th grade.
It's already been a memorable year for Freda and ASTEC. The school was also recently named 2026 Charter School of the Year by Education Insider.
Congratulations to Freda and the ASTEC team as they prepare to welcome scholars to their new campus this fall!