The acquisition ensures stable, long-term facilities for a K–12 STEAM school serving nearly 1,000 students in Lantana, Florida.
LANTANA, Florida – Palm Beach Maritime Academy (PBMA), the longest-running general education charter school in Palm Beach County, 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.
In addition to securing PBMA’s long-term facilities, Grow Schools is partnering with the academy on enrollment marketing through its Kids to Fill Your School program, helping connect more Palm Beach County families with PBMA’s one-of-a-kind educational experience.
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.
Adequate facilities remain one of the most persistent challenges facing public schools and districts nationwide. Grow Schools exists to solve that — providing the money, resources, and know-how to create thriving schools.
“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,” said Kirt Nilsson, Head of Originations at Grow Schools. “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.”
“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.”
About Palm Beach Maritime Academy
Founded in 1999, Palm Beach Maritime Academy is a K–12 STEAM charter school in Lantana, Florida, authorized by Palm Beach County. The school serves nearly 1,000 students across an elementary campus at 1518 Lantana Road and a secondary campus at 600 S East Coast Avenue, with a distinctive curriculum rooted in marine sciences and experiential learning. PBMA has been recognized as a Best of Palm Beach County school for multiple consecutive years.
About Grow Schools
Grow Schools helps schools get where they’re going — providing the money, resources, and know-how to create thriving schools. Through its Money to Buy Your School, Money to Run Your School, and Kids to Fill Your School programs, Grow Schools supports schools with facilities, working capital, and enrollment solutions. Grow Schools is affiliated with School Infrastructure Fund II Holdings LLC and its investment entities involved in the acquisition and ownership of public and charter school facilities. American Infrastructure Partners, LLC serves as investment manager to School Infrastructure Fund II Holdings LLC.
About American Infrastructure Partners
American Infrastructure Partners is an infrastructure investment firm founded to rebuild and enhance critical infrastructure across the United States, with a focus on education, logistics, transportation, and water infrastructure. The firm partners with local and state governments to deliver real assets and essential services, leveraging decades of collaboration experience to continuously improve local infrastructure and quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Palm Beach Maritime Academy different from other charter schools in Palm Beach County?
Founded in 1999, Palm Beach Maritime Academy (PBMA) is the longest-running general education charter school in Palm Beach County. The school serves nearly 1,000 K–12 students through a distinctive STEAM curriculum centered on marine sciences, experiential learning and real-world problem solving. Students participate in hands-on activities such as shark tagging, boat building and coastal conservation projects that connect classroom learning to South Florida’s unique environment. PBMA has also been recognized as a Best of Palm Beach County school for multiple consecutive years.
Why is a marine sciences STEAM program uniquely valuable for students in South Florida?
Palm Beach Maritime Academy offers students an opportunity to learn through the environment that surrounds them every day. Rather than studying science solely through textbooks, students participate in hands-on marine science experiences that bring concepts to life. By combining STEAM education, environmental stewardship, project-based learning and career exploration, the school helps students develop scientific literacy, critical thinking skills and college-and-career readiness. For families seeking innovative public school options in Palm Beach County, PBMA provides a one-of-a-kind educational experience.
Why does permanent ownership and control of school facilities matter for charter school students and families?
Facility stability plays a critical role in a school’s long-term success. When a school does not have secure control of its facilities, uncertainty around leases and future occupancy can disrupt planning, staffing and investment in educational programs. By securing long-term facilities for both campuses, Palm Beach Maritime Academy can focus on serving students, strengthening programs and investing in future growth. For families, it provides confidence that the school will remain a stable educational option in the community for years to come.
Why is enrollment increasing at Palm Beach Maritime Academy?
Palm Beach Maritime Academy’s distinctive marine sciences curriculum, improving academic performance, strong community reputation and long-term facility stability are helping attract new families. Enrollment for the upcoming school year is currently tracking above the same point last year, demonstrating growing demand for the school’s educational model and commitment to student achievement.
Why do charter schools struggle to pay for school buildings and facilities?
Unlike traditional public school districts, charter schools in many states receive limited or no dedicated public funding for facilities. As a result, charter schools must often secure, finance, maintain, and improve their own buildings while operating within the same per-pupil funding framework used to educate students. This challenge is particularly difficult for schools serving high-need communities, where financial resources are often stretched the furthest. Access to facilities financing remains one of the most significant barriers to growth and sustainability in the charter school sector.
What is Grow Schools?
Grow Schools is in service to schools, helping school leaders get where they’re going — getting them the money, resources, and know-how to create thriving schools. Through its three core solutions — Money to Buy Your School (facilities financing), Money to Run Your School (working capital), and Kids to Fill Your School (enrollment marketing) — Grow Schools has provided $3 billion in funding and resources to more than 1,000 schools, supporting more than 2 million students.
What is the Kids to Fill Your School program?
Kids to Fill Your School (KTF) is Grow Schools’ enrollment marketing solution for charter schools. It provides schools with the tools, strategy, and support they need to reach prospective families, grow enrollment, and build long-term community awareness. For Palm Beach Maritime Academy, the KTF partnership means more Palm Beach County families will learn about the school’s distinctive marine sciences STEAM program.
What is a sale-leaseback and why does it benefit charter schools?
A sale-leaseback is a transaction in which a school sells its property to an investor and simultaneously enters into a long-term lease to continue operating in the space. For charter schools, this structure provides immediate access to capital — freeing up funds that would otherwise be tied up in property ownership — while guaranteeing long-term facility security. It is one of the primary tools Grow Schools uses to help schools get where they’re going.
What other services does Grow Schools provide?
Grow Schools offers three core solutions for schools: Money to Run Your School (working capital financing), Money to Buy Your School (facilities financing), and Kids to Fill Your School (enrollment marketing partnerships).
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kelliann Amico, APR, Fellow PRSA kelliann@amicopr.com
503-705-6203
