Palm Beach Maritime Academy Finds Its Forever Home
Grow Schools
June 9, 2026
For 25 years, the kids at Palm Beach Maritime Academy have been tagging sharks, building boats, and doing coastal conservation work in the waters of South Florida. Now, the school that’s been doing it longer than any other general education charter school in Palm Beach County has a permanent home to keep doing it.
PBMA has found a permanent home for its two Lantana, Florida, campuses with support from Grow Schools, a provider of facilities, financing, and enrollment services to charter schools nationwide. School Infrastructure Fund II Holdings LLC, a school facilities owner managed by American Infrastructure Partners, LLC, acquired both campuses for $21.3 million — ensuring PBMA’s nearly 1,000 K–12 students have stable, mission-aligned facilities and positioning the school for continued growth across Palm Beach County.
Grow Schools is also partnering with the academy on enrollment marketing through its Kids to Fill Your School program — helping connect more Palm Beach County families with what PBMA has to offer.
Founded in 1999, PBMA offers a distinctive STEAM curriculum with a hands-on emphasis on marine sciences, including shark tagging, boat building, and coastal conservation. The school’s elementary campus at 1518 Lantana Road serves K–5 students, while the secondary campus at 600 S East Coast Avenue serves grades 6–12.
Together, the two campuses serve a high-need community in the Boynton/Lantana area, with over 61% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch and more than 79% of students from minority backgrounds. PBMA has been recognized as a Best of Palm Beach County school for multiple consecutive years.
The investment reflects the school’s strong and improving trajectory. The elementary school advanced from a C to a B rating in the 2024–25 school year, with both campuses on track for continued academic gains. Enrollment for the upcoming school year is tracking 11% above the same point last year — a signal that families across Palm Beach County are taking notice.
“For 25 years, Palm Beach Maritime Academy has been a home for kids in this community, — a place where they can explore, grow, and discover what they’re capable of,” said Steve Casenza, CEO & CFO, Palm Beach Maritime Academy. “Securing our facilities means we can keep building on everything we’ve worked so hard to create. We’re grateful to Grow Schools for believing in our mission and helping us take this next step.”
— Steve Casenza, CEO & CFO, Palm Beach Maritime Academy
A School That’s Delivering on Its Mission
PBMA isn’t a typical K–12 school. It’s a STEAM school built around marine sciences. The school’s elementary campus at 1518 Lantana Road serves K–5 students. The secondary campus at 600 S East Coast Avenue takes grades 6–12. Together, they serve nearly 1,000 kids in the Boynton/Lantana area, a community where over 61% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch and more than 79% come from minority backgrounds.
PBMA has been recognized as a Best of Palm Beach County school for multiple consecutive years. The elementary school moved from a C to a B rating in 2024–25. Enrollment for the upcoming school year is tracking 11% ahead of where it was at this point last year. Families are finding it — and they’re staying.
“Palm Beach Maritime Academy has been delivering on its mission for years — securing kids in this community and giving them access to a one-of-a-kind learning experience. We’re proud to support them in getting the message out, advancing their facility, and making sure even more families in Palm Beach County know what this school has to offer.”
— Kirt Nilsson, Head of Originations, Grow Schools
An aerial view shows one of Palm Beach Maritime Academy’s two Lantana campuses, which were recently acquired through a transaction supported by Grow Schools. The acquisition provides long-term facility stability for the charter school and its nearly 1,000 students. (photo courtesy of Palm Beach Maritime Academy)
