Rising Tide’s founders were a group of Plymouth community members who sought to build a small, community-based middle school. They wanted to create a school focused on high academic achievement and project- and skills-based learning. The founders felt such a school would provide parents with a choice in public education.

Rising Tide first opened in 1998 with 162 students in grades 5-7. The school expanded in September of 1999 to 216 students in grades 5-8. By September of 2004 the school had expanded to 250 students and in September of 2006 the school grew to its current middle school capacity of approximately 320 students in grades 5-8. Over the next few years, Rising Tide expanded to include grades 9-12. Currently there are 660 students in grades 5-12.