Building strong minds and good hearts is the mission of Innovation Academy of Excellence, the latest Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) campus to open in Tallahassee.
CSUSA, the nation’s largest charter school operator, previously managed Renaissance Academy, which shuttered its doors abruptly in May after five years of operations.
“These are two separate entities and directions. That was Renaissance and this is under Charter Schools USA in collaboration with Tallahassee State College,” the school’s founding director Stacy Chambers told the Tallahassee Democrat about the controversial closure.
Innovation Academy will operate in the University Partners building on the TSC campus after the college authorized the charter school in June.
The building Renaissance once occupied on Mahan Drive will soon become a private school, Tallahassee Preparatory Academy.
Innovation Academy will open this school year and will heavily use AI as part of the curriculum and streamlining the process for teachers when it comes to grading and creating lessons.
Innovation Academy will be opening Aug. 11 on the campus of Tallahassee State College, which authorized and sponsored the school’s charter. It is Florida’s first AI integrated middle school, according to CSUSA.
The school will serve grades 6-8 in a “microschool” fashion with only 120 students. They will learn curriculum that is infused with artificial intelligence tools for ethical use. The school will have up to eight teachers.
And Chambers said the AI integration isn’t just for the students, it’s a tool for teachers as well.
“AI is going to be a tool for our teachers too but what’s not going to change is their wisdom,” Chambers said. “It synthesizes, analyzes and frees up the teachers to allow them to have more one-on-one time with the student. This is never going to replace the teacher.”
Teachers will use AI to create lesson plans and determine when and how to intervene for students who may be struggling with learning content.
Students are expected to accelerate their learning in the sixth and seventh grade and by the time they reach eighth grade, they can enroll in high school credit courses with the Tallahassee Collegiate Academy, TSC’s charter high school.
Innovation Academy academic director Precillia Vaughn gives insight on what students can expect at the new middle school Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
Former Renaissance Academy Principal Precillia Vaughn will also serve at the school as chief academic director to assist teachers who are learning how to teach the unique curriculum.
“I really believe in the model that’s offered here and it’s exciting to be a part of something new,” Vaughn said. “We want these kids to walk away from this program with workforce related skills and a real-world experience.”
The school’s mascot is the heron to align with the TSC eagle, representing the act of taking flight and “soaring to new heights.”
Over 50 seats for the school are still open, Chambers said. Parents interested in applying can visit https://shorturl.at/CjpFJ.
Alaijah Brown covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ABrown1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter/X: @AlaijahBrown3.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Innovation Academy in Tallahassee soars with AI-powered learning