 NPA was founded in 2000 as the high school branch of the Northcoast Charter Network, providing a college preparatory program with an emphasis on the arts and sciences.In August, 2004 the International Baccalaureate Organization granted NPA status as an IB World School offering the IB Diploma Programme.In 2009, NPA was ranked as the 30th top public high school in the United States by Newsweek Magazine.