About Roosevelt Academy
At Roosevelt Academy, we believe that every student deserves an education designed around who they are, not around a standardized system.
Founded by parents and educators in Austin, TX with firsthand experience navigating the challenges of special education, Roosevelt Academy was created with one guiding belief: when we tailor education to the individual, students can achieve extraordinary growth. We recognize that every learner has unique strengths, interests, abilities, and goals. Instead of expecting students to fit into a predetermined curriculum, we design learning experiences that meet them where they are and help them move confidently toward what they are capable of achieving.
Our mission extends beyond earning a diploma. We are preparing students for meaningful, independent, and fulfilling lives through individualized academics, communication, executive functioning, social development, life skills, vocational exploration, community engagement, and real-world experiences.
We believe success should be measured by progress, confidence, independence, and purpose, not by comparing one student to another.
Our Vision
We envision a future where students with diverse learning needs have access to an educational community that celebrates their individuality, while equipping them with the tools to thrive as adults.
We are building a school where families feel supported, students feel understood, and every learner is empowered to reach their fullest potential.
Our Name & Mascot
Why Roosevelt?
Roosevelt Academy was founded on the belief that extraordinary things can happen when a small group of people decides that something must change, and then gets to work.
Our name is inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a leader who entered office at a moment of enormous uncertainty and famously set out to change the course of the country during his first 100 days. Roosevelt also lived much of his adult life with the effects of polio, facing physical challenges while refusing to allow them to define the limits of what he could accomplish.
Our own story began with a challenge and a clock.
We had just 98 days to create a school.
We set out to build a place for children with disabilities and learning differences where education could be shaped around the child, rather than asking the child to fit into a system that was not designed for them. Like Roosevelt’s 100 days, our 98 days became a reminder of what can be accomplished when urgency is matched with purpose, optimism and determination.
Another idea has guided us from the beginning. Anthropologist Margaret Mead is famously credited with saying:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Roosevelt Academy is the product of exactly that kind of group: families, educators and community members who believed there could be a better way.
We believe every child has strengths worth discovering, challenges worth understanding and potential worth developing. Disability should never be mistaken for inability. Our role is to understand how each student learns, give them the support and confidence they need, and create an environment where they can grow academically, socially and personally.
We didn’t start Roosevelt Academy because building a school in 98 days was easy.
We started it because the children who needed it couldn’t wait.
That spirit continues to define who we are: small by design, ambitious in purpose, and committed to changing what is possible for every child who comes through our doors.
The Hermit Crab Principle
Growth begins when you find the right environment.
Just as a hermit crab periodically searches for a new shell that better fits its growth, every child deserves an educational environment where they feel safe, understood, and challenged in the right ways. At Roosevelt Academy, we believe students flourish when the environment adapts to them, not the other way around.
We also have to admit there was a second reason the hermit crab felt like the perfect mascot...
Many of our students are perfectly content being "hermits" every now and then. They often recharge in quiet spaces, prefer smaller groups, and flourish in environments where they feel safe and understood. We don't see that as something to change. We see it as something to respect.
At Roosevelt Academy, we believe every student deserves a place where they can be themselves, grow at their own pace, and emerge with new skills and confidence when they're ready.
Every Student. Their Own Path.
At Roosevelt Academy, we believe every student deserves an education that recognizes who they are, how they learn, and what they need to thrive. Our approach is rooted in connection, flexibility, and the belief that growth looks different for every child.
We know that students are most successful when they feel safe, understood, and supported. That is why we create individualized learning experiences that honor each student's strengths, build confidence, and provide the structure they need to take meaningful steps forward.
Our philosophy is simple: meet students where they are, help them discover what is possible, and walk beside them as they build the academic, social, and life skills needed for their future.
Families & Educators: One Team, One Goal
At Roosevelt Academy, we believe the most successful educational journeys are built on partnership.
Parents know their children better than anyone. They understand what motivates them, what challenges them, what brings them joy, and what success looks like beyond the classroom. Our educators bring professional expertise, creativity, and a commitment to individualized learning. Together, we create something neither could accomplish alone.
We don't believe education should happen in isolation. It should be a collaborative process where families, educators, therapists, and support professionals work together with one shared purpose: helping every student reach their fullest potential.
Communication is at the heart of that partnership.
Families can expect regular updates, meaningful conversations, collaborative goal setting, and opportunities to celebrate progress together. We believe parents should always feel connected to their child's educational journey.
As students grow, we also invite them into the conversation. Learning to advocate for themselves, make choices, and participate in setting goals is an essential part of developing confidence and independence.
At Roosevelt Academy, we are more than a school community, we are a team united by one belief: When families and educators work together, students thrive.
Seven families. Seven students. One school.
The Roosevelt Academy was founded by seven families and seven incredible students who inspired us to stop waiting for the "right" school and start building it ourselves.
Like so many parents of neurodiverse learners, we had experienced the frustration of trying to fit extraordinary children into systems that weren't designed with them in mind. We knew there had to be another way: one that celebrated strengths, nurtured independence, and prepared students for meaningful, fulfilling lives.
Our founding families didn't want to settle for "good enough." They chose to advocate, to dream bigger, and to create something that didn't yet exist.
While our students may each have different abilities, personalities, and paths, they share one thing in common: they deserve to be known, challenged, encouraged, and believed in.
Today, those seven students are at the heart of everything we do. They remind us why Roosevelt Academy exists and why we'll continue growing.
Roosevelt Academy is intentionally being built in phases to ensure we create a thoughtful, high-quality program that grows alongside our students.
Phase One
Our inaugural program will serve students in 8th through 12th grade, providing highly individualized education focused on academic growth, executive functioning, communication, life skills, vocational readiness, and preparing students for successful transitions into adulthood. This initial phase allows us to build the personalized culture and programming that are at the heart of Roosevelt Academy.
Looking Ahead
Our vision extends well beyond high school.
Future phases include expanding our programming to support our students into the future. We envision transition, vocational, and adult learning opportunities that continue helping young adults develop independence, meaningful employment, lifelong learning, and strong community connections.
Because education doesn't end with graduation, and neither should support.
At Roosevelt Academy, we're not simply opening a school. We're building a community and a lifelong pathway where every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, contribute, and thrive.
Come meet our community.
Explore what we offer students across every grade, or help us keep a seat open for the next family who needs us.