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Thousands of Pinellas families choose charters, but enrollment stays flat

 
First-grade students from the Plato Academy charter school in Clearwater sing the "The Star-Spangled Banner" before class. About 6,100 students attend charter schools in Pinellas County. [Times (2016)]
First-grade students from the Plato Academy charter school in Clearwater sing the "The Star-Spangled Banner" before class. About 6,100 students attend charter schools in Pinellas County. [Times (2016)]
Published Nov. 1, 2018

Publicly funded but privately managed, charter schools have been around in Florida for two decades, becoming a common, if controversial, part of the state's educational landscape. The schools were created to give families an alternative, and are supposed to offer a more innovative curriculum than traditional public schools.

Charters are multiplying quickly across the state, with a total enrollment of 295,814 last school year — a 29 percent jump from five years ago. But charter enrollment has been flat in Pinellas, staying constant at about 6,100 students over the last five years. That mirrors the overall situation in Pinellas, where enrollment in all public schools has hovered around the 100,000 mark for years.

Here's a look at the charters currently operating in the county:

Academie DaVinci

Focusing on the arts and technology. Pinellas County's first charter school. "In addition to language arts, math, science, social studies, health, and physical education, every student participates in dance, chorus, music instruments and visual arts."

1060 Keene Road, Dunedin; K-7; academiedavinci.org; (727) 298-2778

Alfred Adler

"Strives to reach students who would best benefit from a highly academic, open-ended model, structured around a democratic approach, giving students both the choice and responsibility for their education along with the guidance and support from parents and teachers."

4515 38th Ave. N, St. Petersburg; K-8; alfredadlerschool.com; (727) 329-9545

Athenian Academy

"High standards for performance and behavior ... foreign language instruction in Greek and Spanish ... strong parent participation ... small school environment."

2289 N Hercules Ave., Clearwater; K-8; athenianacademy.org; (727) 298-2718

Discovery Academy of Science (South Campus)

Focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), hands-on learning and regular learning "to insure students don't get behind or aren't being held back."

1380 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin; K-1; discoveryacademy.info; (727) 330-2424

Discovery Academy of Science (North Campus)

1120 Curlew Road, Dunedin; 2-6; discoveryacademy.info; (727) 369-6361

Enterprise High

Personalized attention to each student. "Our instructional method is self-paced, teacher-directed and technology-centered."

2461 N McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater; 9-12; enterprisehs.org; (727) 474-1237

MYcroSchool Pinellas

"A community-based, personalized learning program that prepares 'at-promise' students for college and career."

840 Third Ave. S, St. Petersburg; 9-12; mycroschool.org; (727) 825-3710

Pinellas Academy of Math & Science

"A rigorous and challenging curriculum ... character-based education ... safe, secure campus ... private school environment ... highly qualified teachers providing individualized instructional strategies."

1775 S Highland Ave., Largo; K-8; pinellasacademy.com; (727) 330-9449

Pinellas Primary Academy (K-3)

Pinellas Preparatory Academy (4-8)

"We challenge students through a high-rigor curriculum that encompasses cooperative learning, critical thinking, and problem solving to not only make them successful in school, but to give them true 21st century skills."

2300 S Belcher Road, Largo; pinellasprep.com; (727) 536-3600

Plato Academies

"An environment in which students can learn and teachers can teach. The academic focus is on reading, math and Greek as a second language. All students also receive instruction in science, physical education, the humanities, music, drama, and art" using the Socratic method. Plato system website: platoacademy.net

Plato Academy of Clearwater

2045 Palmetto St., Clearwater; K-8; (727) 228-9517

Plato Academy of Largo

7100 142nd Ave. N, Largo; K-8; (727) 228-9952

Plato Academy of Palm Harbor

1601 Curlew Road N, Palm Harbor; K-8; (727) 228-6850

Plato Academy of Pinellas Park

9200 49th St. N, Pinellas Park; K-4; (727) 521-7260

Plato Academy of St. Petersburg

3901 Park St. N, St. Petersburg; K-6; (727) 521-7258

Plato Seminole Academy

10888 126th Ave., Largo; K-8; (727) 228-9950

Plato Academy of Tarpon Springs

2795 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs; K-8; (727) 939-6413

St. Petersburg Collegiate High

"Offers motivated students a unique educational choice to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate's degree from St. Petersburg College." The Pre-Collegiate Program is for students entering grade 10 and the Collegiate Program is for students entering grade 11.

6605 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg; 10-12; spchs.spcollege.edu; (727) 341-4610

Source: Pinellas County School District; school websites