UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler Re-Brands STEM Charters as University Academy

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August 10, 2018

Media Contact: Beverley Golden
Senior Director of Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.566.7303

The University of Texas at Tyler's STEM-focused K-12 charter schools have a new name: University Academy.

"Our new name, University Academy, indicates we are the beneficiary of the leading-edge pedagogical research from UT Tyler's College of Education and Psychology," said Dr. Jo Ann Simmons, University Academy superintendent. "The name is also appropriate because our students will graduate with an average of 30 hours of college credit from a UT institution, giving them a head start as they continue on to higher ed."

Operated by the UT Tyler College of Education and Psychology, University Academy enrolls more than 750 students on campuses in Palestine, Longview and Tyler. The charter school, founded in 2012, will graduate its first class this Spring 2019.

"The University Academy is an integral part of our college," said Dr. Ross Sherman, Dean of the UT Tyler College of Education and Psychology. "Our teacher education students benefit tremendously from this unique teaching laboratory. The University Academy students also benefit from this synergistic relationship."

As a school district, the University Academy scored in the 88th percentile on the 2017 Texas STAAR tests (based on Index 1 rankings).

A member of the prestigious UT System, The University of Texas at Tyler focuses on student success and innovative research with more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered. With more than 10,000 students, UT Tyler has facilities in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.