About Us

Florida Children’s Academy was founded to support the well-being of children in Central Florida and to meet the unique educational needs of families affected by autism. Grounded in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), our academy empowers parents to advocate confidently for their child’s growth and development.

In response to the growing community demand, the academy was re-established in Orange County, where it now offers a specialized ABA-based curriculum that complements public education and works in collaboration with the local Exceptional Student Education (ESE) department.

Originally founded in 2012, Florida Children’s Academy opened a new facility in 2018 on the campus of Orlando Junior Academy. As of January 2026, we had to leave our room at Orlando Junior Academy, and we have acquired a brand new, beautiful space on the premises of Calvary Orlando. Our location is in Winter Park, Florida, a private school that offers access to two beautiful playgrounds, a gymnasium, and multiple classrooms thoughtfully designed for hands-on, ESE-style instruction.

In this nurturing environment, students are guided to build independence through individualized support provided by our lead teachers and a team of Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs).

We are proud to partner with Mr.Dev, the owner of Pieces Behavioral Group, allowing each student to receive one-to-one ABA support from a dedicated RBT throughout their school day.

Additionally, we assist families in updating or correcting their child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to ensure alignment with their academic and developmental goals.

History

Florida Children’s Academy evolved from a program that started as a Home Day Care. It grew to a child care facility with a license of 200 including a school program. The original director Maria E. Rodriguez, guided her daughter into this educational path. Now Rachel Rodriguez as School Director of Florida Children’s Academy has since re-established in Orange County at the grounds of Orlando Junior Academy.

Curriculum

We utilize STARS Autism Support Curriculum as well as Time4Learning elementary curriculum: We are adapting to the learning speed of your child. This allows your child to progress independently. This is unlike the “public school model” where the group is lock stepped regardless of the student’s academic abilities. Our teachers create an individual educational plan that models development appropriate education and learning skills for each child.

 

New Campus

As an act of giving back to its community, Orlando Junior Academy has opened its doors, for our program to establish a threshold of support and collaboration with Special Needs parents/guardians and their families’ students. With this type of behavioral service and continued collaboration, we will reach more families in our community.

Florida Children’s Academy
Located Onsite @Orlando Junior Academy
30 East Evans Street #402
Orlando, FL 32804

Our Staff

  • Rachel Rodriguez is the School Director of Florida Children’s Academy, Inc. located in Orlando, Florida. She is a passionate advocate for children’s issues and works avidly on advocating for special needs children’s rights in the State of Florida. Rachel Rodriguez currently holds a Master’s in Public Administration, an ESE Teaching Degree, a Florida Director’s Credential and recently completed her second Masters in Applied Behavioral Science to soon become a BCBA (Board Certified Behavioral Analyst). She has worked as a Private School Director for 12 years. Mrs. Rodriguez has a strong desire to continue developing behavioral plans that address the educational needs of children on the Autism Spectrum by teaching and applying ABA in the educational setting. She assists families with their child’s IEP, Behavioral Intervention Plans, State required developmental assessments and help with them soliciting Florida Educational School Choice Scholarships.

    Mrs. Rodriguez is a mother of two children and has been a teacher to children from birth to middle school-age gaining the experience to qualify her to be a successful leader in her church community. She has been the Assistant Director in IDDPMI and works in Children’s Ministry for over 18 years, every other Sunday in her current local church “City of Life”. She has also travelled extensively outside of her community to assist other missions’ relief programs and training missionary workers in the following countries: Africa (Kenya & Uganda), Thailand, China, India, Peru, Ecuador, and Dominican Republic. Mrs. Rodriguez even developed a curriculum program that educates local children on culture and missions outreach called “Aventura Misionera or Adventure in Missions”. This one-day event shares over 20 countries in an all-inclusive local church setting for children ages 2-18 the gospel as presented through games, theater, outdoor play, and hands-on sensory activities. A fun fact about Mrs. Rodriguez is that she is a Rescue Diver and enjoys scuba diving in many of the countries she has visited.

    Mrs. Rodriguez has made it her personal mission to be a trainer for other educators in teaching the advantages of an inclusive environment to our special needs children in these countries as well teaching them to be an advocate for children’s rights in their own community.

  • As a BCBA at Florida Children’s Academy, they provide introductory and ongoing training programs that provide teacher lead instructions in ABA school setting. The BCBA will shadow the student in the inclusive setting and facilitate learning experiences within the guidelines of the Behavioral Plan they write. Be energetic, creative and imaginative when working with children who have developmental delays. BCBAs are professionals who help solve behavior-related issues in all sorts of environments. They will observe behavior, analyze data and implement behavioral plans for the classroom setting. ABA is leveraged in education, social settings and useful for the child’s development while addressing problem behaviors associated with children on the autism spectrum.

  • My name is Leslie, and I serve as the Assistant Administrator at Florida Children’s Academy. My role is to help ensure that your registration experience is as smooth, supportive, and welcoming as possible. I’ll be here to provide all the necessary documentation and to guide you step-by-step through the process.

    At FCA, we deeply value open and consistent communication. Ms. Rachel and I will stay in close contact with you and our dedicated school staff to keep everyone informed about important program details and any updates that may affect your child.

    As a member of our administrative team, I also attend team meetings, help coordinate school events, and assist in organizing opportunities for families to connect. I make sure to relay any upcoming county IEP meetings to our BCBA team so they can remain involved and contribute meaningfully to your child’s support.

    I truly look forward to working with you and being a part of your child’s journey here at FCA.

  • I’ve been working with children for many years—from babysitting as early as the age of eight, to becoming a certified home daycare assistant in 2008, and later serving as a teacher in kids ministry. It wasn’t until my direct challenges I faced with teaching a child with special needs in children’s ministry back in 2014 that a passion I never knew existed was born. The challenges I faced in connecting and teaching a child with special needs sparked a deep desire within me to seek out effective strategies and teaching techniques that would help include children with special needs in the classroom. During what often felt like a lonely journey of learning and searching for the right tools, I was connected to Rachel Rodriguez, the founder of Florida Children’s Academy. Although the thought of becoming a teacher had never crossed my mind, when Rachel offered me the job in 2018, I knew it was the perfect fit.

    My experience teaching at Florida Children’s Academy using ABA strategies and techniques has profoundly transformed my teaching style. My approach has evolved significantly and is now deeply influenced by the knowledge I’ve gained through learning and applying ABA. Thanks to Dev Lachman’s ABA training through Pieces Behavioral Group, I’ve been able to effectively combine each student’s academic goals with evidence-based ABA strategies.

    In addition to all of the above, my passion and dedication are fueled by the lack of attention and support I experienced when I was a young student myself. That personal history is what drives my deep commitment to providing the best possible education and care for students with special needs. I strive to use my skills and compassion to meet each child where they are and help them grow. This is why I am so passionate about working at Florida Children’s Academy—it gives me the opportunity to offer students the kind of support I once needed but didn’t receive.

  • Hey there! I’m Cindy, and I’ve spent over 10 years helping kids who learn differently have the best learning experiences possible as an Exceptional Education Teacher. I absolutely love creating fun, hands-on activities in a welcoming and inclusive environment because I believe every child has the potential to shine!

    When I’m not in the classroom, I enjoy soaking up nature with a nice walk, diving into a good book, or getting creative with some DIY projects. I am looking forward to connecting with you all!