AMIkids Maritime Academy, 200 E. Beach Drive: a public charter high school for grades 9-12, an A in Florida's 2026 school grades. 850-919-2213.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Sources: the academy’s website, Bay District Schools and its charter schools page and 2026-27 start and end times, the Florida Department of Education’s 2026 school grades and the federal NCES school directory.

AMIkids Maritime Academy is a tuition-free public charter high school on East Beach Drive in downtown Panama City, inside the city limits. Bay District Schools sponsors it as one of its 10 charter schools; a volunteer board runs it, and AMIkids Inc. is its education service provider, according to the academy’s website. Classes center on hands-on maritime and STEM learning.

Who to call

  • Front office and admissions: 850-919-2213, 200 E. Beach Drive, Panama City, FL 32401
  • School website: amikids.org/location/amikids-maritime-academy
  • Charter schools at the district: Bay District Schools main office, 850-767-4100
  • Zoning and school choice questions: Student Services, 850-767-4328
Address 200 E. Beach Drive, Panama City, FL 32401
Phone 850-919-2213
Grades 9 to 12
Principal Lauren Chapman
Type Public charter school
2026 state grade A (69% of points)

Principal. Lauren Chapman is the principal, according to the school’s website.

How admission works

The academy serves Bay County students in grades 9 to 12 who are eligible to attend a public school in the county. Students complete an application within the posted timelines. If more applications arrive than there are seats before the registration deadline, “all applicants will be entered into an equal chance random selection lottery operated by a third party,” the academy’s website says. Siblings of current students and children of school employees get enrollment preference. Families provide their own transportation, the page says.

Enrollment and teachers

  • Federal count: 26 students in the 2024-25 school year, with five full-time-equivalent classroom teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about five students per teacher.

State report card

Florida gave AMIkids Maritime Academy an A in its 2026 school grades, with 69% of the points possible, up from a C in 2025, according to the Florida Department of Education’s 2026 school grades file. The school’s state report card has results by student group; it is an interactive dashboard that could not be read for this page.

2026 school grade measure Result
School grade A (69% of points)
English language arts achievement 60%
English language arts learning gains 67%
Math achievement 68%
Social studies achievement 79%

The state’s file lists no science, graduation or acceleration figure for the school in 2026, usually because too few students were counted. Florida grades schools A to F on the share of possible points earned across these measures. Achievement is the share of tested students on grade level; learning gains is the share who improved from the year before. For a high school, A is 65% of points or more, the state’s file says.

Attendance zone

None. Charter schools do not take students by address; any eligible Bay County student may apply. To see which district schools serve a home, use the district’s School Zone and Bus Route search or Bay County’s school zone map.

Bell times

The district’s 2026-27 start and end times list AMIkids at 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The academy uses a block schedule of four 90-minute periods: a large group meeting at 8:30 a.m., first period from 8:43 a.m. and fourth period ending at 3:28 p.m. Breakfast is served 8:15 to 8:30 a.m., the school’s website says. Ask the school for its holiday calendar.

Programs

The academy names these pathways and activities on its website:

  • Leadership, construction, aerospace and maritime career pathways
  • Industry certifications such as CPR, boater safety and lifeguarding
  • Dual enrollment for college credit, including aerospace classes with the Gaetz Aerospace Institute at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Civil Air Patrol, Sea Cadets, Beta Club and robotics

More on Panama City schools

Frequently asked questions

How do students get into AMIkids Maritime Academy?

Bay County students eligible for public school apply to the academy. If applications exceed seats before the deadline, every applicant goes into a random lottery run by a third party, with preference for siblings and children of staff.

What grades does AMIkids Maritime Academy serve?

Grades 9 through 12. It is a tuition-free public charter high school at 200 E. Beach Drive in downtown Panama City, sponsored by Bay District Schools.

What is AMIkids Maritime Academy’s Florida school grade?

The academy earned an A in Florida’s 2026 school grades, with 69% of possible points, up from a C in 2025.

What time does AMIkids Maritime Academy start?

The school day runs 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the district’s 2026-27 bell schedule. The academy’s own schedule starts with a large group at 8:30 a.m. and ends fourth period at 3:28 p.m.