University Academy, 1980 Discovery Loop: a public charter school for K-8, 711 students (2024-25), an A in Florida's 2026 school grades. 850-481-4410.
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.
University Academy is a public charter school for kindergarten through eighth grade on Discovery Loop in Panama City, inside the city limits. Bay District Schools sponsors it as one of its 10 charter schools. The school’s mission page describes it as a research-based community that works with university and college students and faculty on teaching practice.
Who to call
- Front office: 850-481-4410, 1980 Discovery Loop, Panama City, FL 32405
- School website: university-academy.org
- Lottery questions: ualottery@university-academy.org
- Charter schools at the district: Bay District Schools main office, 850-767-4100
| Address | 1980 Discovery Loop, Panama City, FL 32405 |
| Phone | 850-481-4410 |
| Grades | Kindergarten to 8 |
| Principal | Kelly Forehand |
| Type | Public charter school |
| 2026 state grade | A (86% of points) |
Principal. Kelly Forehand is the principal and Wes Smith is CEO and executive director, according to the school’s staff directory.
How admission works
Seats are filled by lottery. The 2026-27 lottery application for kindergarten through eighth grade is open, and the pre-K lottery “will happen at a later date,” the school’s Apply to Attend page says. The draw runs through RANDOM.ORG’s third-party service, and a Bay District School Board member is invited to every drawing. After the lottery, families are emailed an invitation or a waitlist spot; the waitlist is kept for a year. Siblings of current students and children of teachers and staff get priority.
Enrollment and teachers
- Federal count: 711 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 39 full-time-equivalent classroom teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 18 students per teacher.
State report card
Florida gave University Academy an A in its 2026 school grades, with 86% of the points possible, its third A in a row, 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 (86% of points) |
| Third grade English language arts achievement | 90% |
| English language arts achievement | 86% |
| English language arts learning gains | 73% |
| Math achievement | 96% |
| Math learning gains | 81% |
| Science achievement | 82% |
| Social studies achievement | 99% |
| Middle school acceleration | 94% |
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 University Academy 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 University Academy (K-8) at 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The school posts its own calendars on its School Calendars page.
Sports and activities
The school’s athletics page lists girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls track, baseball, cheerleading and swimming. The teams are the Eagles. Athletes need a cleared physical and safety certificates before tryouts.
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 students get into University Academy?
Through a lottery. Families apply online, and the school draws names through RANDOM.ORG’s third-party service, with a Bay District School Board member invited to watch. Siblings and children of staff get priority; others go on a waitlist kept for a year.
What is University Academy’s school grade?
University Academy earned an A in Florida’s 2026 school grades, with 86% of possible points, its third A in a row.
What time does University Academy start?
The district’s 2026-27 schedule lists University Academy at 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What grades does University Academy serve?
Kindergarten through eighth grade, with a separate lottery for pre-K that the school holds later in the year.
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