Palm Bay Preparatory Academy, 1104 Balboa Ave.: a public charter school for grades 6-12, 203 students (2024-25), an A in 2026. 850-215-0770.
Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Sources: the school’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.
Palm Bay Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free public charter school for grades 6 through 12 on Balboa Avenue, inside the Panama City limits. It is one of three charter schools run by Palm Bay Education Group, a nonprofit with one shared school board; the others are Palm Bay Elementary on the same campus and Central High School on West 17th Street. Bay District Schools sponsors all three. The school calls itself a Title I school.
Who to call
- Front office: 850-215-0770, 1104 Balboa Ave., Panama City, FL 32401
- School website: palmbayschools.org/prep
- Enrollment: the school’s registration page, or call the office
- Charter schools at the district: Bay District Schools main office, 850-767-4100
| Address | 1104 Balboa Ave., Panama City, FL 32401 |
| Phone | 850-215-0770 |
| Grades | 6 to 12 |
| Principal | Patty Phillips |
| Type | Public charter school |
| 2026 state grade | A (71% of points) |
Principal. Patty Phillips is the principal of Palm Bay Elementary and Palm Bay Preparatory Academy, according to the school’s about page. Ron Danzey is executive director of Palm Bay Education Group, its staff page says.
How admission works
“Enrollment is open to any Florida student” in grades 6 to 12, with no test and no application fee, the school’s home page says. Families start with a short online form and finish enrollment in person at the office. If a grade level reaches capacity, students go on a waitlist, and “a lottery is held when waitlist demand exceeds available openings,” the registration page says. Military families can enroll before records arrive from a previous school.
Enrollment and teachers
- Federal count: 203 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 11 full-time-equivalent classroom teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 18 students per teacher.
State report card
Florida gave Palm Bay Prep an A in its 2026 school grades, with 71% of the points possible, up from a C in 2025 and a B in 2024, 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 (71% of points) |
| English language arts achievement | 77% |
| English language arts learning gains | 73% |
| Math achievement | 69% |
| Math learning gains | 75% |
| Science achievement | 58% |
| Social studies achievement | 91% |
| Middle school acceleration | 67% |
| Graduation rate, 2024-25 | 100% |
| College and career acceleration, 2024-25 | 14% |
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. The state’s file lists Palm Bay Prep as a combination school, where A is 65% of points or more.
Attendance zone
None. Charter schools do not take students by address. 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.
Calendar and bell times
The district’s 2026-27 start and end times list Palm Bay Elementary and Preparatory Academy at 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. The school keeps its own prep school calendar.
Programs and sports
- Dual enrollment: qualifying high school students can earn college credit through Gulf Coast State College and Tom P. Haney Technical College, the school’s academics page says.
- Diplomas: a standard Florida diploma of 24 credits, or the three-year ACCEL option of 18 credits for students who declare by the end of 10th grade.
- Athletics: the school’s athletics page lists high school boys soccer, middle school boys and girls soccer, track and field, and boys and girls cross country. Alex Devey is athletic director.
- Uniforms are required every school day.
More on Panama City schools
- The district’s charter schools page, with every Bay County charter school
- Every public school in Panama City, with zones and report cards
- Our Panama City schools guide for the district calendar, registration and School Board meetings
Frequently asked questions
How do I enroll at Palm Bay Preparatory Academy?
Enrollment is open to any Florida student in grades 6 to 12. Start with the school’s online form, then finish in person at the office. If a grade is full, students go on a waitlist, and a lottery is held when demand exceeds openings.
What is Palm Bay Preparatory Academy’s school grade?
Palm Bay Prep earned an A in Florida’s 2026 school grades, with 71% of possible points, up from a C in 2025. Its 2024-25 graduation rate was 100%.
What time does Palm Bay Preparatory Academy start?
Classes run 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., according to the district’s 2026-27 start and end times.
What grades does Palm Bay Preparatory Academy serve?
Grades 6 through 12. It shares its Balboa Avenue campus with Palm Bay Elementary, which serves kindergarten through fifth grade.
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