Academica (charter school)
Academica is an education organization, headquartered in Miami, Florida. As an education service provider (ESP), it services over 200 public charter schools in the United States.[1] It is owned and managed by CEO Fernando Zulueta as is considered one of Florida's largest school management company. In 2011 it reported $158 million in revenue.[2]
Privately held company | |
Industry | Education |
Founded | 1999 |
Headquarters | Miami, Florida |
Website | www |
Schools
Florida
- Ben Gamla Palm Beach
- Ben Gamla Charter School
- Ben Gamla Charter School
- Ben Gamla Charter School North Campus
- Ben Gamla Charter School South Broward
- The Ben Gamla Preparatory Academy
- Cornerstone Charter Academy
- Cornerstone Charter High School
- City of Hialeah Educational Academy
- Doral Academy
- Doral Academy of Technology
- Doral Academy Charter Middle School
- Doral Academy High School
- Doral Performing Arts & Entertainment Academy
- Just Arts and Management Charter Middle School
- International Studies Charter Middle School
- International Studies Charter High School
- International Studies Virtual Academy
- Integrated Science And Asian Culture Academy (ISAAC)
- The Theodore R. and Thelma A. Gibson Charter School
- Mater Academy
- Mater Academy East Charter School
- Mater Academy East Middle School
- Mater Academy East Charter High School
- Mater Academy of International Studies
- Mater International Preparatory
- Mater International Academy
- Mater Academy Charter Middle School
- Mater Academy Charter High School
- Mater Performing Arts & Entertainment Academy
- Mater Gardens Academy (Consolidated with Mater Gardens Academy Middle School 6042)
- Mater Academy Lakes Middle School
- Mater Academy Lakes High School
- Mater Academy (Miami Beach)
- Mater Grove Academy (Consolidated with Mater Brickell Prep 5046)
- Mater Academy at Mount Sinai
- iMater Academy
- iMater Academy Middle School
- iMater Preparatory Academy High School
- Mater Academy Bay Elementary
- Mater Academy Bay Middle School
- Mater Academy Bay High School (f.k.a. Mater High South)
- Mater Preparatory Academy
- Mater Virtual Academy Charter Middle High School
- Mater Brighton Lakes Academy
- The Mater Academy Preparatory High School
- Mater Palms Academy
- Mater Academy St. Cloud
- Miami Children's Museum Charter School
- Pinecrest Preparatory Academy
- Pinecrest Preparatory Academy Charter Middle School
- Pinecrest Preparatory Academy Charter High School
- Pinecrest Academy (South Campus)
- Pinecrest Academy (North Campus)
- Pinecrest North Preparatory (Fontainebleau Campus)
- Pinecrest Cove Academy
- Pinecrest Glades Academy
- Pinecrest Glades Preparatory Academy Middle High School
- Pinecrest Preparatory Academy
- Pinecrest Creek Academy
- Pinecrest Academy Avalon (fka Pinecrest Collegiate Academy)
- Pinecrest Collegiate Academy Middle High School Charter
- Pinecrest Lakes Academy
- Pinecrest Lakes Middle High School
- Pinecrest Academy Four Corners
- Pinecrest Academy Taveres
- Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel
- Pinecrest Academy Space Coast
- Somerset Academy
- Somerset Academy Charter Middle School
- Somerset Academy (Silver Palms)
- Somerset Academy Charter High School
- Somerset Academy Silver Palms at Princeton
- Somerset Arts Academy
- Somerset Oaks Academy
- Somerset Academy Elementary School (South Miami Campus)
- Somerset Academy Middle School (South Miami Campus)
- Somerset Academy Charter Elementary School (South Homestead)
- Somerset Academy Charter Middle School (South Homestead)
- Somerset Academy Charter High School (South Homestead)
- Somerset Gables Academy
- Somerset Academy Bay
- Somerset Academy Bay Middle School
- Somerset Preparatory Academy Sunset
- Somerset Palms Academy
- Somerset Academy Kendall
- Somerset Preparatory Academy (Homestead)
- Somerset Preparatory Academy Middle School (Homestead)
- Somerset Preparatory Academy High School (Homestead)
- Somerset Virtual Academy Middle High
- Somerset Academy
- Somerset Academy Middle School
- Somerset Academy Charter High School Miramar Campus
- Somerset Arts Conservatory
- Somerset Academy Elementary South Campus
- Somerset Academy Elementary (Miramar Campus)
- Somerset Academy Middle School (Miramar Campus)
- Somerset Academy Miramar South
- Somerset Academy Davie Charter School
- Somerset Academy East Preparatory
- Somerset Village Academy
- Somerset Academy Village Charter Middle School
- Somerset Preparatory Academy Charter School at North Lauderdale
- Somerset Preparatory Academy Charter High School at North Lauderdale
- Somerset Neighborhood School
- Somerset Preparatory Charter Middle School
- Somerset Academy Charter High School Miramar Campus
- Somerset Pines Academy
- Somerset Academy Pompano
- Somerest Academy Key Charter Middle School
- Somerset Academy Key Charter High School
- Somerset Academy Riverside Charter School
- Somerset Academy Riverside Charter Middle School
- Somerset Parkland Academy
- Somerset Island Preparatory
- Somerset Academy Boca
- Somerset Academy Boca Middle
- Somerset Academy Canyons Middle School
- Somerset Academy Canyons High School
- Somerset Academy Lakes Charter School
- Somerset Academy JFK Charter School
- Somerset Academy Wellington
- Somerset College Preparatory Academy
- Somerset Academy St. Lucie
- Somerset Academy Bethany
- Somerset Academy Elementary Eagle Campus
- Somerset Academy Middle School Eagle Campus
- Jefferson County Elementary A Somerset Charter School
- Jefferson County Middle A Somerset Academy Charter School
- Jefferson County High A Somerset Academy Charter School
- Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) Charter Middle School
- Sports Leadership and Management Charter High School
- Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) Middle School - North Campus
- SLAM Academy Charter High School (North Campus)
- Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) Middle School
- SLAM High School Palm Beach
- Sports Leadership Arts Management (SLAM) Academy Charter Middle High School (Boca)
- Sports Leadership and Management Academy (Tampa)
- SLAM Academy at Apollo Beach
- University Preparatory Academy
Controversy
Academica came under controversy as its owners also own significant real estate assets, which houses the schools chartered by Academica, exempting them from property tax. In 2010, the owners of Academica own more than 20 companies doing business with Academica schools.[2] Moreover, it was claimed that the school boards, which approve the real estate contracts, are financially connected to Zulueta.[2][3]
In 2007, Miami-Dade school district auditors asked the Miami-Dade state attorney’s office to investigate a multi-million construction contract to build an Academica charter school given to a contractor which served on the same school's board.[2]
Between 2013 and 2014, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the US Department of Education has conducted an audit of the relationship between charter schools and ESP's, including Academica's schools in Florida, identifying related party transactions between the for-profit Academica and a real estate company that leased both buildings and security services to the schools.[4][5]
References
- "Academica's website". ACADEMICA.
- Kathleen McGrory, Scott Hiaasen (13 December 2011). "Academica: Florida's richest charter school management firm". Miami Herald.
- Klein, Rebecca (6 April 2017). "Betsy DeVos Chooses To Tout A Problematic Charter School Founded By Pitbull". HuffPost Canada.
- Strauss, Valerie (3 May 2019). "Florida's charter-school sector is a real mess". WaPo.
- McGrory, Kathleen. "Florida charter school management company under federal scrutiny". Tampa Bay Times.