Florida Atlantic: Leading the Way

Nestled on Florida Atlantic’s Boca Raton campus is a shining gem of K-12 education. A top-ranked school in the nation, A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High School is a public laboratory school leading the way in STEM education. The school recently opened a brand new, state-of-the-art facility further enhancing its national reputation for excellence and innovation.

During a pivotal moment in public education, the A.D. Henderson and FAU High model is built on the premise of access and affordability, fracturing the cycle of poverty through extraordinary outcomes. The program, which is affiliated with FAU’s College of Education, equips all students, regardless of financial circumstances, gender or race, with the necessary skills for an ever-evolving job market. The mission of A.D. Henderson and FAU High is to reshape education in America and to replicate this unique model throughout the state and the nation.

“The long-term success of our country is dependent on our public school system – and that system has been significantly compromised,” said Joel Herbst, Ed.D., superintendent of FAU Lab Schools. “We are here to develop programs and strategies to combat the decline.”

A.D. Henderson University School was originally funded by a gift from the A.D. and Lucy Henderson Foundation in 1968. In 1991, the Florida Legislature designated developmental research (lab) schools at four state universities — including Florida Atlantic — as independent public school districts under the auspices of the State University System. A.D. Henderson is currently the No. 1 lab school in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Education rankings, and was named the No. 2 public elementary school in the country by Niche. It also is the No. 1 public school in the state for developing National Merit Scholars — and 15 percent of those scholars are Title I, or low-income, students.

In September 2024, A.D. Henderson received its third National Blue Ribbon distinction awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. The coveted National Blue Ribbon award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. In 2019, A.D. Henderson and FAU High was named a Green Ribbon School District Sustainability Awardee by the Department of Education. This national recognition was given based on innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.

Established by FAU’s Board of Trustees, FAU High School opened in 2004. The highly selective, merit-based program at FAU High serves as an early college prototype. Students spend their ninth-grade year in a high school classroom taking advanced coursework. This prepares them for grades 10-12, where all classes are collegiate courses taken at the university for both high school and college credit.

A second location, FAU High School – Jupiter Campus in partnership with Max Planck Academy, welcomed its first students in 2020. This location allows for the brightest high school students to work side-by-side with preeminent scientists at one of the world’s leading neuroscience research institutions. The first cohort of 23 students graduated in May 2022.

“We are offering exceptional high school students an extraordinary opportunity to work alongside renowned scientists,” Herbst said. “It is the only program of its kind in the world.”

FAU High’s partnership with Florida Atlantic gives students the opportunity to simultaneously earn their high school diploma and a cost-free bachelor’s degree. Often this means students will graduate with their bachelor’s degrees a week before receiving their high school diplomas. It paves the way for students to graduate college debt-free, primarily with high-demand STEM degrees.

The FAU High School Research Program exposes students to research and scholarly inquiry in a variety of disciplines to ignite their curiosity and create solutions to local, state, national and international problems. More than 60 students have published their research in peer-reviewed journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine. Their research is referenced and cited globally, allowing other scientists to build off our students’ knowledge and further research worldwide.

Teacher training has always been a top priority for A.D. Henderson and FAU High. A recent transformative gift by David J.S. Nicholson established the Stiles-Nicholson STEM Teacher Academy on the Boca Raton campus, which aims to bridge the high-caliber research setting with middle and high school teachers and students, and will provide premier experiential STEM training programs for educators throughout the region — and ultimately, the state and nation.

A reimagined campus is in the works in Boca Raton, thanks to $43.8 million in state funding, and university and philanthropic contributions of $9.3 million. Phase I of this incredibly modern and innovative campus opened in fall 2022. It consists of:

• Flexible-use classrooms
• Wet and dry science laboratories
• Media and digital arts center
• Open flex spaces
• Multi-use athletic center and gymnasium for athletics and STEM
• Outdoor environmental learning
• Indoor and outdoor dining

Construction will continue with Phase II focusing on state-of-the-art STEM facilities to house world-class programs including:

• Outdoor athletic complex – Olympic size track and field
• Institute for Biodesign
• STEM Center and auditorium
• District STEM Teacher Training Center
• AquaScience Center
• Aquatics Center

“We can no longer build the education of tomorrow with the facilities of yesterday,” Herbst said. “We are in an era of unprecedented expansion for A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High School as we are leading the national charge in education re-design. Our reimagined campus and tried-and-proven educational platforms will be the blueprint on how to reshape education in America.”