Acero Schools

Transforming minds through academic empowerment and success. Provide educational opportunities that will launch the next generation of extraordinary life-long learners, discerners and doers. At Acero Schools, we are what we believe. Achievement – We set goals and do what it takes to achieve them. Community – We contribute to, respect and serve in our communities. Excellence – We expect our best and strive to make our best even better. Resilience – We learn and grow through adversity and challenges. Optimism – We believe in our ability to create the future we envision.

Our educational model is built from a foundational belief that all students can learn and achieve at high levels. We are committed to providing every student a complete and comprehensive course of study. At Acero Schools, our curriculum is anchored in the Common Core standards. We are committed to supporting the ingenuity and creativity of teachers in providing standards-based instruction utilizing the most effective instructional resources available.

We place an emphasis on community engagement and the unique background all Acero students and staff members bring to the classroom. By exploring academic content through the lenses of diverse experiences, students begin to evaluate their rich history, their place in modern-day American society and their roles as authors of a bright future.

In addition to core courses, Acero schools provide all students with a balanced program that includes a combination of instruction in Visual and/or Performing Arts, Physical Education, and Spanish Language Arts. Acero places a high value on bilingualism and seeks to foster this asset, supporting students to pursue the Illinois and CPS Seals of Biliteracy. These courses are considered an integral component of our academic model and are organized to address Illinois Learning Standards.

To ensure that all students are able to engage in a high-quality learning experience, Acero teachers create thorough unit and lesson plans that are tailored to individual student needs at each stage of the learning process. Using a “backwards design” approach, teachers identify the desired results, build the necessary background knowledge and prerequisite skills, and facilitate collaborative and individualized learning experiences that will enable each student to attain mastery.

Assessment is a critical component of Acero Schools’ academic program, beginning with standards-based assessments for each lesson and unit, and building toward periodic interim assessments to gauge students’ cumulative mastery of standards. These curriculum-based assessments provide critical information utilized to inform differentiated supports for students at all levels of academic proficiency. Students also participate in standardized tests across the network, consistent with Illinois State Board of Education requirements. (A complete list can be found in the student handbook.)