About Us

During the winter of 1995, Dr. and Mrs. James Cotton became discouraged that two of their children’s needs were not being met by the local public school system. They met with a number of local educators and decided to form a private school in order to ensure the educational success of their children, as well as others in the East Texas area. In August, 1996, the school opened with 30 students. The following year with an enrollment of about 40 students, the Board of Directors saw an opportunity to better achieve the goals of the school by changing from a private school to a charter school thereby eliminating the burden of tuition. Cumberland Academy became the first chart school in East Texas in August, 1998 with 60 students. The school has grown and now serves more than 230 students.

The journey from small private school to a successful charter school has been enlightening to say the least. For during this journey, we came to realize that every student is unique and learns differently from others. While at the heart of our school is the child for whom learning is difficult, we learned that an individual curriculum in the setting of a small classroom allowed all children the best opportunity to reach their maximum potential. We embrace and welcome all students.