A Public Charter School in West Palm Beach Faces Closure
A K-8 tuition-free public charter school located in West Palm Beach is shutting its doors, causing significant concern among parents and students. University Preparatory Academy, situated at 2101 North Australian Avenue, will not be open when students return to school in Palm Beach County on August 11. This unexpected closure has left many families in a difficult situation, especially with the school year beginning in just a few weeks.
Tiffany Bassett, a parent from Lake Park, expressed her frustration over the sudden decision. She explained that over 300 families are now without a place for their children to attend school. “It’s devastating,” she said. “We’re talking about families with multiple children who were relying on this school.”
Bassett, who has two children set to attend the academy, learned about the closure through a Facebook post and later an email from the school principal. The email, sent by Principal Dr. Mike Hill on July 14, stated, “It is with a heavy heart that we write to inform you of an important change for the upcoming school year. Following the recent release of school grades, we have made the difficult decision that our school, University Preparatory Academy, will not be reopening for the 2025-2026 school year.”
According to the Florida Charter School Alliance, a non-profit organization that advocates for charter schools, the reason for the closure is due to poor academic performance. The academy received a D grade in the 2022-2023 school year, an F in 2023-2024, and another D in 2024-2025. These results over three consecutive years led to the decision to close the school.
Bassett shared the impact this has had on her family. She mentioned that she had already purchased school uniforms for her children, which cost nearly $300, and she cannot get a refund. She also discussed the challenges of finding a new school for her children, particularly one that can accommodate her son, who is borderline autistic and requires smaller class sizes for more individualized attention.
“We should have been informed earlier, instead of waiting three weeks before school starts. That’s unacceptable,” she said.
The school office and the Palm Beach County School District did not provide interviews for the story. However, the Florida Charter School Alliance noted that there are 11 public schools nearby where parents can enroll their children before the start of the next school year.
University Preparatory Academy opened in 2014 and had an enrollment of 170 students at the time of the closure announcement. The sudden shutdown has created uncertainty for families who relied on the school for their children’s education. As the school year approaches, parents like Bassett are scrambling to find alternatives, hoping for support from the community and local school districts.
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