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About the school
An educator-led private institution, opening to its founding class.
Agape Leadership Academy was founded in 2026 by educators who believe rigor, character, and individual attention belong in the same building — even when the building is virtual.
Mission
To prepare students for college, character, and consequential work.
Agape exists to graduate young men and women who think clearly, write precisely, lead servantly, and arrive at college genuinely prepared — not just admitted. Every program decision is measured against three outcomes: academic preparation strong enough to outperform open admission expectations, character formation strong enough to lead well in any room, and dual credit acceleration that meaningfully reduces the cost and time-to-degree of college.
Three commitments to every family
Rigor. A curriculum benchmarked against the strongest college-prep schools in our states — not against the floor.
Honesty. Plain English about what we teach, what we charge, what your ESA covers, and what we measure. No hidden fees. No marketing-speak.
Personalization. Self-paced pacing for self-direction, named teachers of record for accountability, a 24/7 AI tutor for help, and a dedicated college and career counselor from grade nine.
Faith-aligned
Faith offered as an invitation, not a requirement.
Agape Leadership Academy is a faith-aligned private school. Faith is offered through elective courses rather than required of every student.
Practically, this means:
- Every student takes a rigorous, secular college-preparatory core: English, math, science, social studies, and world languages.
- Faith content is offered through four electives: World Religions, Ethics, Servant Leadership, and Statement of Faith. Students elect into them.
- Families of every tradition — and none — are welcome. No statement of faith is required to enroll. No religious test is administered.
- Instructors approach faith content historically and philosophically, exposing students to multiple traditions rather than catechizing in one.
This posture lets Agape welcome ESA-funded families across every state in which we operate — while still offering meaningful, substantive faith electives to students who choose them.
Leadership
Educator-led from the founding day.
LaMario Richards · Founding Principal
Chief Executive · Accountable to the Board of Directors
The Founding Principal carries strategic responsibility for academic outcomes, financial performance, regulatory compliance across our seven target states, and WASC accreditation. The Principal owns university partnerships, state registrations, and the school's faith-aligned curriculum design.
Dean of Instruction
Reports to Principal · Operations & Academic Delivery
The Dean of Instruction owns daily academic operations: scheduling, content delivery, dual credit coordination with our university partners, Scholarship Granting Organization compliance for North Carolina and Indiana families, and the school's standardized testing program. The Dean is the bridge between strategy and execution.
Director of Special Education
Reports to Principal · IDEA & 504 Compliance
A licensed Special Education professional carries full responsibility for IEP execution and Section 504 plan development across all seven states — each with its own procedural requirements — and supervises Special Education teachers and student athlete liaison.
A team built for the model
The founding faculty includes licensed Teachers of Record, an ELA / Etymology Interventionist, a Math Interventionist, a College & Career Counselor, an Assessments Coordinator, a Registrar, a Director of Family & Enrollment, and a Technology Coordinator who owns our entire integration layer. Twelve dedicated positions in total, each with role-specific four-week onboarding and quarterly performance review.
Governance
A real board. Real oversight. Real accountability.
Agape Leadership Academy operates under a Board of Directors structured to provide the substantive oversight an educational institution should have.
The Board reviews academic outcomes, financial performance, accreditation status, and major institutional decisions. Board reporting cadence is monthly written and quarterly verbal. WASC accreditation review happens annually with a target of zero compliance findings.