Spring Ridge Academy
Boarding school in Arizona, US, 1996–2023
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spring Ridge Academy, was a Therapeutic boarding school for female adolescents 13–17 years old located in Mayer, Arizona, United States.[5] It was founded 1996 and continued to operate until its permanent closure in 2023.[6]
| Spring Ridge Academy | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
13690 S Burton Rd , Yavapai County , Arizona 86333 United States | |
| Information | |
| School type | For-profit program, Therapeutic boarding school |
| Opened | 1997 |
| Founders | Jean (Jeannie) Courtney |
| Status | closed |
| Closed | February 2023 |
| NCES District ID | 42 |
| CEEB code | 030422 |
| NCES School ID | A0900156[1] |
| Principal | Justin Zych |
| Teaching staff | 11 (on an FTE basis)[1] |
| Gender | Girls |
| Age range | 13-17 |
| Enrollment | 48 |
| Capacity | 76[2] |
| • Grade 9 | 3 |
| • Grade 10 | 11 |
| • Grade 11 | 16 |
| • Grade 12 | 18 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 4.4[1] |
| Hours in school day | 5.8 |
| Accreditations | Cognia (education)[3] |
| Tuition | $126,000 to $162,000[4]
springridgeacademy |
Background
The campus was originally a house with a barn attached and only had one student.[7] By the end, it was capable of housing up to 76 girls with a facility that included classrooms, medical areas, labs, and athletic fields and courts.[7] Spring Ridge Academy was operated by Suzanne Courtney (Executive Director) at its time of closure.[8]
Programming
Spring Ridge Academy described itself as a "clinical therapeutic program with a college preparatory academic curriculum".[9]
The program included four phases that each student completed at their own pace.[9] The program's average length of stay was 14 to 18 months.[9]
Parents or guardians who had their child admitted to Spring Ridge paid tuition and fees. Medical insurance may have covered part of the costs.
Controversy
In 2021, the parent of a former resident filed a lawsuit against Spring Ridge Academy, alleging causes of action for negligence and fraud, amongst other things.[10][4][11] The mother claims that the troubled teen program used non-evidence-based treatment practices on her daughter and misrepresented the tactics the program used before she enrolled her child there.[10][4] In a large group awareness training workshop, for example, girls at Spring Ridge Academy were allegedly instructed to beat their chairs with rolled-up towels containing their anger while other students screamed at them.[4]
In 2024, Spring Ridge Academy lost the fraud court case in Phoenix federal court, with the Jury awarding $2.5 million in punitive damages.[12]
Other former students have claimed that the workshops at the center of the lawsuit are "abusive" and "shame-based."[11] Former students say they had to participate in attack therapy as well.[11]
Spring Ridge Academy has also been accused of using conversion therapy.[13]
Other alumni have come forward alleging abuse as part of the Breaking Code Silence movement, describing the academy as a cult and as being exploitative of families.[14] One Spring Ridge Academy alumnus was also featured in a Lifetime movie special Beyond the Headlines: Cruel Instruction, talking about the allegations of abuse in the troubled teen industry and the PTSD and anxiety that many survivors continue to live with.[15][failed verification] Spring Ridge Academy issued several in response to the Lifetime movie.[16][17][18]