Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg

Name

Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg

Legal name

Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg, Inc.

Website

https://stpete.academyprep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit middle school
• Tuition-free education
• College preparatory program
• Graduate support services
• Need-based scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The primary revenue source consists of individual donations (one-time, monthly, and recurring), matching gifts through employer programs, gifts of stock, IRA qualified charitable distributions, and in-kind donations. The school leverages Charity Navigator recognition and Platinum Seal of Transparency for donor confidence.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships support specific priority areas including technology, campus improvements, supplemental programming, summer session, enrichment activities, and scholarship programs. Companies receive recognition and direct impact on educational outcomes.
3. Special Events Revenue: Annual signature events (Breakfast for Scholars, Evening of Dreams, Fabulous Females) generate sponsorship revenue and ticket sales from the St. Petersburg business and philanthropist community.
4. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Bequests, charitable annuities, and trust arrangements create sustainable long-term funding through legacy giving programs.
5. Community Contribution Tax Credit Program: Florida businesses can claim up to 50% tax credit for donations to approved community development projects. Academy Prep is an approved sponsor, enabling corporate donors to maximize their impact while receiving state tax benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg operates a tuition-free, college-preparatory middle school program for students in grades 5-8 who qualify for need-based scholarships. The 11-month curriculum combines rigorous academics with 25+ enrichment classes and specialty programs (financial literacy, health, entrepreneurship), and is extended by a minimum 8-year Graduate Support Services program that follows students through high school and college.

Product overview

Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg is a nonprofit middle school offering a unified educational program for grades 5-8. The core product is its rigorous college-preparatory middle school education, which includes an 11-month curriculum with mandatory summer session. The school supplements its academic curriculum with enrichment programs (over 25 classes spanning arts, athletics, and life skills), specialty programs (Fit Families for Life, Raymond James Project, Regions Financial Education, Enterprise Village), and a Graduate Support Services program that provides ongoing counseling through high school and college. All offerings are integrated into a single tuition-free program for students qualifying for need-based scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Middle School Education Program (Grades 5-8) Rigorous college-preparatory middle school program for economically disadvantaged students in grades 5-8, limited to approximately 18-20 students per class. Emphasizes literacy across the curriculum, additional English and math classes, STEM education, Spanish instruction, financial literacy, and media literacy.
• Summer Session Mandatory abbreviated summer program (part of the 11-month curriculum) combining academic study with enrichment activities. Serves as a trial period for new students and a bridge to the fall term, beginning in early June.
• Enrichment Programs Over 25 enrichment classes offered each semester including arts, athletics, life skills, and cultural activities such as basketball, chess, robotics, guitar, dance, karate, tennis, theater, and student government.
• Fit Families for Life Health and wellness educational initiative partnering with Florida Blue, Lightning Foundation, and YMCA to engage students and families in nutrition training, physical fitness, cooking classes, yoga, swimming, and dance activities.
• Raymond James Financial Literacy Project Financial literacy program for 8th graders providing classroom learning and hands-on activities in personal and business finance topics including stock markets, mortgages, credit cards, and banking, including simulation at Finance Park.
• Regions Financial Education Monthly financial education classes taught by Regions Bank employees to 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students covering banking, credit, and entrepreneurship.
• Enterprise Village 5th grade social studies program where students spend eight weeks studying economic concepts and culminate with a full day at Enterprise Village running a business and managing personal finances.
• Graduate Support Services Ongoing support program providing a minimum of 8 years of one-on-one counseling through high school and college, including high school and college preparation courses, entrance testing preparation, financial aid guidance, alumni network services, and continuous contact with graduates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% attendance rate - one of the highest in Tampa Bay region
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major partner, core, minor and partners in learning.

• Raymond Jamesmajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRaymond James is a major partner providing the Raymond James Project for 8th grade students covering personal and business financial matters including stock market, mortgages, credit cards, and banking. Also provides classroom learning and hands-on activities at Finance Park.
• Rays Baseball Foundationmajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRays Baseball Foundation supports Academy Prep through various initiatives including hosting students for ceremonies like the ceremonial first pitch at Tropicana Field. The foundation provides enrichment and educational opportunities.
• United Way Suncoastmajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way Suncoast is a major community partner supporting Academy Prep's mission. United Way provides funding, volunteer coordination, and community resources to support students and families.
• Florida BluecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida Blue partners with Academy Prep on the Fit Families for Life initiative, an educational program designed to engage students and families in healthy life choices and positive behaviors. Includes nutrition training, physical fitness, cooking classes, yoga, swimming, and dance activities.
• Regions BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegions Bank partners with Academy Prep to provide monthly financial education classes to 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students. Classes taught by Regions employees cover banking, credit, entrepreneurship, and related topics.
• Gus A. Stavros InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Stavros Institute partners with Academy Prep on Enterprise Village, a 5th grade social studies curriculum where students spend eight weeks studying economic concepts before spending a full day at Enterprise Village managing a business, receiving paychecks, and making purchases.
• WEDUminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEDU, Tampa Bay's public television station, partners with Academy Prep to provide Media Club enrichment, exposing students to broadcasting and media production skills.
• Ruth Eckerd HallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRuth Eckerd Hall provides Songwriting enrichment classes for Academy Prep students, introducing them to music composition and performance arts.
• freeFall TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerfreeFall Theatre provides Theatre enrichment classes for Academy Prep students, exposing them to performing arts and theatrical skills.
• City of St. Petersburgpartners in learningStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of St. Petersburg is a Partner in Learning supporting Academy Prep's educational mission through community collaboration and resources.
• Dali Museumpartners in learningStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dali Museum partners with Academy Prep as a Partner in Learning, providing cultural enrichment and art education opportunities for students.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Academy Prep Center of Lakeland: Third campus in the Academy Prep network, applying the identical small-class, need-based scholarship, graduate-support model. A direct peer for benchmarking student outcomes and fundraising performance.
• Academy Prep Center of Tampa: Sister school within the Academy Prep Centers for Education network, serving the same grades 5-8 with the same Nativity Miguel-based tuition-free model for economically disadvantaged students. Closest direct comparable in mission, structure, and operating model.
• Nativity Jesuit Academy (Milwaukee): Catholic, Nativity Miguel-affiliated middle school serving low-income students with a rigorous college-prep curriculum and alumni support services. Direct peer in program design and student demographic.
• Nativity Prep Academy (Boston): A Nativity Miguel Network school serving academically at-risk middle school students with a tuition-free, extended-day model and graduate support through high school and college. Highly comparable in mission, methodology, and target population.

Broad incumbents

• SEED Schools (The SEED Foundation): National network of public, college-prep boarding schools serving underserved students grades 6-12. Comparable mission and demographics, with a residential component that differentiates the operating model.
• Uncommon Schools: Nonprofit charter management organization operating college-prep schools in underserved communities across multiple states. Shares the college-prep-for-low-income-students mission and outcomes orientation, but at significantly larger scale.
• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): Large national charter network serving predominantly low-income students in grades K-12 with a college-prep focus and alumni support through college. Comparable mission and demographics, but operates at much greater scale as a charter system.
• Cristo Rey Network: National network of 38+ Catholic college-prep high schools serving low-income students with a corporate work-study funding model. Same population and college-prep mission, but operates at the high school level with a different revenue mechanism (work-study wages).

Others

• United Way Suncoast: Major community partner and funding intermediary for Academy Prep and many other regional nonprofits. Not a peer school, but a key funder and pipeline for both dollars and volunteer hours.
• Step Up For Students: Florida state-approved scholarship organization administering the income-based K-12 scholarships that fund Academy Prep students. Not a peer school but a critical funder and ecosystem partner that gates enrollment and revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/academyprepstpete

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg