Originally founded in Florida and Nevada, the school expanded to its Austin location, 1333 Fire Cracker Drive, in 2020, with its first operational year in 2022-23. Now serving pre-K through eighth grade with 400 students, Doral Academy aims to grow into a full high school in the coming years.
“Folks don't necessarily know what Doral stands for,” Superintendent Courtney Oliver said. “We want people to know that if they choose us, [their student will get] a high-quality education. Highly rigorous, advanced academics are the area that we focus on.”
Doral Academy’s eighth graders are already enrolled in high school-level courses such as biology, algebra and computer science. The school is currently in the process of securing approval to expand through 12th grade. If approved, the expansion would allow students to continue their studies on the same campus. Students will have opportunities to take dual-credit, tuition-free courses at Austin Community College, with the possibility of earning an associate degree by the time they graduate high school.
Hands-On STEM learning
STEM education is a major focus at Doral Academy, and the school introduces students to technology and engineering concepts from an early age. In kindergarten through fifth grade, students participate in a special STEM rotation class, where they gain computer literacy skills through programs like Learning.com. By middle school, STEM education becomes even more immersive, with students enrolled in 90-minute STEM classes that incorporate hands-on projects.
“Last year, [the middle-schoolers] designed the lost and found center at the school,” Oliver said. “They went through the design layout and built a prototype. They built a presentation around their prototypes, and then they presented it to the school, just like they would if they were engineers and had a design idea. Then they physically built it.”
STEM challenges are also integrated into the curriculum, with the entire school participating in monthly engineering and problem-solving exercises.
The school’s commitment to excellence is seen through the success of its students, 12 of whom recently competed in the Austin Regional Science Fair.
A growing school with community support
Doral Academy has seen strong support from both students and parents, particularly regarding its STEM offerings.
“[STEM] is their favorite class. They enjoy it. We know that they're highly engaged in the actions they're taking for engineering practices,” Oliver said. “[Families are saying] this is what they want. They want their kids exposed to STEM. They want them to be ready for whatever challenges there are after this.”
Beyond academics, the school offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including choir, garden club, cooking, Lego club and sports teams that compete in the Texas State Charter Athletic Association League. Outside vendors also provide gymnastics and dance programs on campus.
“Two of our [cross country] runners made it all the way to state, which was super impressive,” Oliver said.
As a tuition-free charter school, Doral Academy is open to all students, with an enrollment application available on its website. While enrollment is currently open at all grade levels, the school anticipates a lottery system may be necessary as demand increases.
With expansion plans underway, Doral Academy of Texas is set to provide an innovative and focused approach to STEM education in the region, all the way through 12th grade.
“We want to do STEM well. We want [to master it],” Oliver said. “From there, we can grow.”
For more information, visit the Doral Academy of Texas website, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
