Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

Summary:

Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy is a public charter high school located in Palm Springs, Florida, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 550. However, the school has consistently struggled with poor academic performance, extremely low graduation rates, and alarmingly high chronic absenteeism, raising concerns about the quality of education it provides.

Over the past 8 years, Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Florida high schools, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Its four-year graduation rate has been abysmal, ranging from just 6.3% in 2019-2020 to 59.4% in the most recent 2022-2023 school year, significantly lower than the state and district averages, as well as the graduation rates of nearby schools like Santaluces Community High (92.8%) and Slam Academy High School Palm Beach (74.4%). Additionally, the school has experienced a dramatic increase in chronic absenteeism, from 51.9% in 2018-2019 to a staggering 97.1% in the most recent 2022-2023 school year, more than 5 times the chronic absenteeism rate of the nearby Santaluces Community High (18.2%) and Slam Academy High School Palm Beach (0.0%).

The data analysis also reveals significant demographic shifts at Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy, with the Hispanic student population increasing from 56.68% in 2021-2022 to 71.27% in 2022-2023, while the White and African American student populations have decreased during this time period. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 72.36% in 2022-2023 to 89.69% in 2020-2021, significantly higher than the nearby Santaluces Community High (61.38%) and Slam Academy High School Palm Beach (69.28%). These findings raise questions about equity and access to quality education for all students at the school, especially in comparison to the stronger academic performance and lower absenteeism rates of nearby schools like G-Star School Of The Arts and Santaluces Community High.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

3525 S Congress Ave
Palm Springs, FL 33461

(561) 623-6935

District: Palm Beach

SchoolDigger Rank:
731^st of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,521

Student/teacher ratio: 91.6

Number of students: 550

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

71.3%

African American:

18.7%

White:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy ranks worse than 90.6% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 36^th among 42 ranked high schools in the Palm Beach School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.24. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (71.3%), African American (18.7%), White (7.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 72.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy is 91.6. 45 high schools in the Palm Beach School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy employs 6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy is $8,521. 41 high schools in the Palm Beach School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy 731^st of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy in the ranking list.)

Palm Beach:

SchoolDigger ranks Palm Beach 41^st of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2014	3.48	648^th	687	5.7%
2016	4.08	643^rd	693	7.2%
2017	2.50	689^th	714	3.5%
2018	1.87	694^th	716	3.1%
2019	3.68	671^st	734	8.6%
2022	2.76	733^rd	774	5.3%
2023	2.69	768^th	792	3.0%
2024	4.24	731^st	807	9.4%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	71	181	0	194	4	6	13	469
2013	87	190	1	196	5	6	13	498
2014	90	189	1	213	2	1	15	511
2015	107	203	1	220	6	1	14	552
2016	83	208	2	233	6	1	12	545
2017	36	124	2	177	5	0	12	356
2018	36	139	4	202	6	0	12	399
2019	35	149	4	229	8	0	8	433
2020	38	114	1	261	11	0	8	433
2021	26	77	1	178	6	0	3	291
2022	41	141	2	263	2	0	15	464
2023	40	103	1	392	3	1	10	550

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	469	9.0	52.1	53.1
2013	498	10.0	49.8	47.8
2014	511	16.0	31.9	69.5
2015	552	11.0	50.1	0.5
2016	545	18.0	30.2	61.1
2017	356	14.0	25.4	13.8
2018	399	7.0	57.0	72.9
2019	433	7.1	60.3	72.7
2020	433	6.0	72.1	57.3
2021	291	7.0	41.5	89.7
2022	464	9.0	51.5	85.6
2023	550	6.0	91.6	72.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	469	9.0	52.1	53.1
2013	498	10.0	49.8	47.8
2014	511	16.0	31.9	69.5
2015	552	11.0	50.1	0.5
2016	545	18.0	30.2	61.1
2017	356	14.0	25.4	13.8
2018	399	7.0	57.0	72.9
2019	433	7.1	60.3	72.7
2020	433	6.0	72.1	57.3
2021	291	7.0	41.5	89.7
2022	464	9.0	51.5	85.6
2023	550	6.0	91.6	72.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$35 (0.5%)	$7,434 (99.5%)	$7,469
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$7,242 (100.0%)	$7,242
2020	$131 (1.7%)	$7,447 (98.3%)	$7,578
2021	$241 (2.7%)	$8,541 (97.3%)	$8,782
2022	$456 (6.0%)	$7,103 (94.0%)	$7,559
2023	$826 (9.7%)	$7,695 (90.3%)	$8,521

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 671^st of 734 High schools	Ranks 768^th of 792 High schools	5.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy)	6	2	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Palm Beach)	54	52	2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy)	9	7	2%
End of Course Biology 1 (Palm Beach)	69	63	6%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy)	27	11	16%
End of Course US History (Palm Beach)	69	62	7%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy)	7	0	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Palm Beach)	65	54	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy)	0	2	2%
End of Course Geometry (Palm Beach)	61	53	8%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	433	550	27%
African American	149	103	30.9%
American Indian	8	3	62.5%
Asian	4	1	75%
Hispanic	229	392	71.2%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	35	40	14.3%
Two or More Races	8	10	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	72.7%	72.4%	0.4%

Schools Near Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	3525 S Congress Ave	Palm Springs	33461	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	Yes	No	No	Yes	(561) 623-6935	550	6	91.6	72.4%	40 (7.3%)	103 (18.7%)	392 (71.3%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.8%)	4.2	731^st of 807 public high schools	9.4%		2.7	768^th of 792 public high schools	3.0%	37	5.0	9.0	7.0	9.0	22.0	25.0	$8,521	$826	$7,695
Pace Center For Girls	Public	6-12	1640 S. Congress Ave	Palm Springs	33461	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	No	(561) 472-1990	52	5	10.4	5.8%	9 (17.3%)	13 (25.0%)	25 (48.1%)	2 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.8%)								(n/a)
G-Star School Of The Arts	Public, Charter	9-12	2065 Prairie Rd Bldg J	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	Yes	No	No	Yes	(561) 967-2023	754	32	23.5	45.8%	271 (35.9%)	138 (18.3%)	307 (40.7%)	10 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.6%)	57.8	225^th of 807 public high schools	72.1%		56.3	227^th of 792 public high schools	71.3%	2	55.0	59.0	37.0	62.0	75.0	74.0	$11,750	$1,705	$10,045
Lake Worth High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1701 Lake Worth Rd	Lake Worth	33460	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 533-6300	2,683	150	17.8	71.3%	150 (5.6%)	747 (27.8%)	1,651 (61.5%)	19 (0.7%)	76 (2.8%)	6 (0.2%)	34 (1.3%)	15.4	656^th of 807 public high schools	18.7%		10.9	658^th of 792 public high schools	16.9%	2	26.0	27.0	16.0	23.0	47.0	47.0	$12,035	$1,608	$10,428
Ese Other Teaching Services	Public	6-12	3378 Forest Hill Blvd Ste A203	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	No	(561) 434-8626	92	4	23.0	3.3%	24 (26.1%)	28 (30.4%)	39 (42.4%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
John I. Leonard High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	4701 10th Ave N	Greenacres	33463	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 641-1200	3,549	175	20.2	67.3%	368 (10.4%)	601 (16.9%)	2,483 (70.0%)	45 (1.3%)	13 (0.4%)	7 (0.2%)	32 (0.9%)	27.8	564^th of 807 public high schools	30.1%		23.3	571^st of 792 public high schools	27.9%	7	36.0	39.0	29.0	30.0	59.0	56.0	$11,247	$1,431	$9,815
Forest Hill Community High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	6901 Parker Ave	West Palm Beach	33405	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	Yes	No	Yes	(561) 540-2400	2,407	122	19.8	66.0%	284 (11.8%)	266 (11.1%)	1,790 (74.4%)	22 (0.9%)	11 (0.5%)	5 (0.2%)	29 (1.2%)	30.5	534^th of 807 public high schools	33.8%		28	522^nd of 792 public high schools	34.1%	12	45.0	45.0	24.0	37.0	55.0	47.0	$11,806	$1,552	$10,255
Slam Academy High School Palm Beach	Public, Charter	9-12	2845 Summit Blvd	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	Yes	No	No	Yes	(305) 669-2906	319	12	25.9	69.3%	34 (10.7%)	43 (13.5%)	239 (74.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	28.1	562^nd of 807 public high schools	30.4%		29.3	509^th of 792 public high schools	35.7%	53	35.0	48.0	21.0	39.0	51.0	58.0	$9,650	$1,189	$8,461
Palm Beach County Jail	Public	6-12	3228 Gun Club Rd	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	No	(561) 681-5908	31	3	10.3	9.7%	1 (3.2%)	19 (61.3%)	9 (29.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.2%)	1 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$24,013	$3,761	$20,251
Educational Services Program-East	Public	5-12	3228 Gun Club Rd	West Palm Beach	33406	Palm Beach County	Palm Beach	No	No	No	No	(561) 868-5391	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy

What district is Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy in?

Palm Beach

How many students attend Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 550 students attended Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy.

Is Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy a good school?

Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy ranks in the bottom 9.4% of Florida high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy?

Students at Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy are 71% Hispanic, 19% African American, 7% White, 2% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.