MATER ACADEMY, INC.
HIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA

Mater Academy, Inc., a nationally acclaimed network of charter schools headquartered in Hialeah Gardens, Miami-Dade County, Florida, is dedicated to driving college readiness and expanding the horizons of opportunity and success for its students. Since its inception in 1998 with just three classrooms, Mater Academy has grown into a formidable education system comprising twenty-six tuition-free public charter schools serving over fourteen thousand students. The organization maintains a steadfast commitment to teaching effectively, producing college-bound graduates, and upholding excellence across all operations. Mater Academy seeks both human and financial capital to meet the challenges and possibilities of the 21st century as it continues its educational outreach across Florida, the United States, and globally. The institution invites stakeholders to support their mission through donations or volunteer efforts. As part of its dedication to quality assurance, Mater Academy is among the first charter school networks in the U.S. to achieve corporate accreditation from AdvancED since 2011, ensuring all new schools are accredited from inception. The management structure includes a consortium of principals led by a Lead Principal at both elementary and secondary levels, focusing on instruction, curriculum, health and safety, data analysis, technology, special needs populations, operations, community relations, and professional development. Mater Academy undergoes continuous internal reviews to ensure system improvements and hosts external reviews from AdvancED every five years for further validation. Mater is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that operates under performance contracts with the same educational service obligations as traditional public schools but without many of their regulatory constraints. It exercises increased autonomy balanced with accountability for academic results and fiscal practices to various stakeholders including sponsors, parents, and the public. The charter schools' core mission is detailed in these contracts highlighting their goals, assessment methods, and measures of success.