How and Why We Opened
In response to an influx of residents and a need for schools following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the City of Pembroke Pines decided to start a Pembroke Pines Charter School System which today is the largest Charter School System in Broward County, and the largest municipally run non-profit charter system in the State of Florida.
In 1998, Pembroke Pines built and opened two elementary schools and a middle school: Pembroke Pines Charter West Elementary and Middle, and East Elementary campuses. The Charter High School was then built as part of the City’s Academic Village. Two years later, another elementary and middle school were built – Pembroke Pines Central Charter Elementary and Middle Campus. And in 2003, the Pembroke Pines Florida State University (FSU) campus opened, the last campus to be built.
Our Charter School System Successes
In 2007, our Charter Schools were named as one of the 2007 National Charter Schools of the Year. In 2009, the Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. This is the highest award a school can receive. Additionally, based on FSA scores and other factors, our elementary & middle schools have earned an A rating for 19 consecutive years. In 2015, the Pembroke Pines Florida State University Charter Elementary was also named a National Blue Ribbon School. Recently, US News & World Report listed the Academic Village Charter School as one of the nation’s best high schools of 2016-17, earning a silver medal. In 2017, the schools were named a School of Excellence by the Florida Department of Education. The Pembroke Pines Charter High School was listed as #10 on Niche’s 2020 Best Charter High Schools in Florida and in that same year earned the College Board Computer Science Female Diversity Award.
The Pembroke Pines Charter School Foundation, a 501c3, was established in January of 2004 to assist teachers and students through the creation of a one-million-dollar endowment. These monies provide scholarships for high school graduates, teacher scholarships for advanced degrees, and Employee of the Year bonuses for instructional and non-instructional employees in the Pembroke Pines Charter School System.
In 2011, the Foundation revised the Articles of Incorporation with approval from the Internal Revenue Service, to allow financial contributions to the Pembroke Pines Charter Schools. The Foundation is supported entirely by the generous contributions from individuals, businesses and granting organizations. The Foundation also hosts fundraising events annually that help to provide funding for Foundation programs.
In June 2013, the charter school governing board created the Save Our Schools (SOS) Committee. The main objective of the SOS Committee is to raise money for the charter schools. Dedicated parent and teacher volunteers work together to raise money through parent pledges and fundraising events. Due to its success, the "Save Our Schools" campaign was rebranded to "Support Our Schools".
What is the Money Used For?
Money that is donated the Support Our Schools goes directly into raising the quality of education and resources for the students of the Pembroke Pines Charter School System. Campaign proceeds can be utilized for:
Supporting my Charter School as a Parent
Although we understand not every family may be in the financial position to donate as much as others, we recommend that each household donate $250 annually to the Pembroke Pines Charter School Foundation as a lump sum or by installments.
There are many in-school and city-run events benefiting the Foundation each year. Please visit the 'Get Involved' tab at the top of this page to learn more about these opportunities.
FEIN #20-1192922 Registration #CH31946
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE