Achievement Academy (formerly Child Development Center of Polk County, Inc.) has served children with developmental delays and disabilities for more than 68 years. Opening in 1955 as United Cerebral Palsy, Achievement Academy has expanded over the years to include children with various types of developmental delays or disabilities.
We became a charter school in 1997, making Achievement Academy one of the longest established charter schools in the state of Florida. Founded by a dedicated group of staff, board and community members, Achievement Academy has never been affiliated with a management company or corporation.
Today we are a non-profit United Way partner agency and public Charter School serving children with special needs from birth through age five. We serve the children in our community through two programs: the Birth to Three early intervention program and our ESE Charter PreK. Both are offered at no charge to the children and their families.
The Birth to Three Program provides in-home early intervention services to infants and toddlers up to three years of age throughout Polk County who are “at-risk” for developmental delays and/or have been identified with a specific diagnosis. Professional early interventionists from Achievement Academy serve these children and families in their natural environment to help the children achieve their appropriate developmental milestones.
The Charter School has a total enrollment of 157 students, age 18 months through age five, with three campus locations: Lakeland, Winter Haven and Bartow. Each facility offers specialized instruction by certified teachers; small class sizes; individual speech, occupational and physical therapies; and assistive technologies that enable each student to reach his or her full potential. Because of the age and special needs of the student population that Achievement Academy serves, we do not receive a school grade from the state. We consistently meet our classroom and therapy goals established in our School Improvement Plan as reported to Florida’s Department of Education.
Achievement Academy is a Drug-Free workplace and all candidates will be successfully background screened and fingerprinted prior to hiring.
A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free within the state 1-800-435-7352. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.
