MESA, Ariz., Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Polaris Academy proudly announces that it has received both Academic Accreditation and STEM Certification from Cognia, a globally recognized accrediting body. The average education score for accreditation across Cognia's nationally certified schools is 297, Polaris Academy scored 331 distinguishing it as Accredited with Merit. This accreditation marks a significant milestone in the school's ongoing commitment to excellence in education.
Cognia has accredited thousands of institutions nationally and tens of thousands globally, but only 400+ schools have received a STEM Certification across 35 states in the United States. Polaris Academy is the first autism private school in Arizona to earn both an Academic Accreditation with Merit and STEM Certification.
"We want Polaris Academy to be more than just another option for autistic students and families, our goal is for Polaris to be the standard for autism education both in Arizona and nationally." said [Nathan Palmer, CEO].
Polaris Academy is a K–12 school dedicated to serving children on the autism spectrum. By providing a blended academic and therapy instruction model unique in the field, Polaris fosters a supportive and holistic learning environment. Cognia's decision to award accreditation with merit signifies that Polaris Academy not only meets rigorous, research-based standards for educational quality, leadership, and continuous improvement, but has distinguished itself as a leader in those efforts. Cognia's STEM Certification further speaks to the testament and effectiveness of the hands-on experiential learning approach developed by Polaris in bringing real-world application to learning through its STEM Discovery Center, Culinary Lab, and Student Business Center.
"Becoming Cognia certified marks an exciting milestone for Polaris Academy. It affirms what families experience every day, when high academic standards are paired with strong, compassionate behavior therapy, students don't just learn… they thrive." , said Brad Broyles, CFO. "Cognia certification celebrates the people behind the progress. At Polaris Academy, our staff brings together rigorous, but fun academic standards and intentional behavior therapy to create life-changing outcomes for students."
Cognia is an accrediting organization recognized worldwide ensuring that schools uphold best practices in teaching and learning while engaging in ongoing evaluation and growth. Cognia is the accrediting body for many notable public and charter schools in Arizona including Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley School districts as well as American Leadership Academy, Benjamin Franklin Charter, and ASU Prep Academies. Polaris Academy is proud to join the ranks of such institutions and for Polaris Academy families and partners, this achievement provides added confidence that the school meets internationally respected standards of educational excellence.
"Achieving Cognia Certification with STEM is a powerful validation of the expertise and intentionality our teachers and support staff bring to the classroom every day.", Says Heidi Lee, Campus Director, "This milestone recognizes their success in building a learning environment where our students' unique strengths are fully realized."
This accreditation is effective immediately and reinforces Polaris Academy's role as a trusted leader in specialized K–12 education for students on the spectrum.
For more information about Polaris Academy and its programs, visit www.Polarisacademy.org.
Media Contact
Megan Godlewski, Polaris Academy, 1 480-903-1710, [email protected], www.Polarisacademy.org
SOURCE Polaris Academy
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