CPS Officials Propose Saving 5 Acero Charter Schools
Alternative Solutions Presented to Board of Education
A top Chicago Public Schools official is recommending closing only two of the seven Acero charter campuses slated to shut down, considering whether to take over the other five schools in two years, arguing that could minimize the effects on families while erasing the charter organization’s financial deficit.
Options Presented to Board Members
CPS leaders presented five options to Board of Education members for how to address the proposed closings. These options included:
* Closing only two of the seven Acero charter campuses, with the district considering taking over the other five schools in two years
* Taking over the operations of the publicly funded but privately managed charter schools
* Letting all of the charter schools close
* Providing more funding to keep all seven schools open for at least two more years
Board Members’ Concerns
Several board members have been highly critical of Acero, and some have demanded that CPS leaders come up with alternative solutions to the cited financial troubles of the charter network. The board has also been frustrated with the removal of a CPS presentation of various solutions from a meeting agenda last month.
Financial Considerations
The projected financial deficits of the Acero charter network require action, according to senior CPS official Alfonso Carmona. Absorbing the schools into CPS could cost up to $28 million, while giving Acero more cash to keep running all seven schools would take around $3.2 million. However, this would be a temporary solution for just one year and would create precedent for CPS to step in and provide more funding to charter operators facing financial hardship.
Recommendation
Carmona recommended allowing the closure of the Paz campus in Little Village, a 98-student elementary school, and Cruz, a K-12 school in Rogers Park with 542 children. These two schools are chief contributors to Acero’s projected financial deficit, and closing them could erase the deficit. Under this plan, CPS would provide Acero with little to no additional money to keep operating the other five schools for two years, then consider taking them over in 2026.
Uncertainty Surrounds Acero’s Response
It is unclear whether Acero officials would agree to any of these plans. CPS and the school board do not have the authority to force Acero to keep its schools open, but officials from both the district and charter operator have expressed a willingness to work together to find a solution.
Conclusion
The proposed plan to save five Acero charter schools by closing only two and considering taking over the others in two years could minimize the effects on families while erasing the charter organization’s financial deficit. However, the uncertainty surrounding Acero’s response to this plan remains, and the Board of Education will need to continue to work together to find a solution that benefits all parties involved.
FAQs
* What is the proposed plan to address the Acero charter school closings?
+ The plan proposes closing only two of the seven Acero charter campuses, with the district considering taking over the other five schools in two years.
* Why is the district considering taking over the Acero charter schools?
+ The district is considering taking over the schools to erase the charter organization’s financial deficit and minimize the effects on families.
* How much would it cost to absorb the Acero charter schools into CPS?
+ It could cost up to $28 million to absorb the schools into CPS.
* Would giving Acero more funding to keep running all seven schools be a viable option?
+ No, giving Acero more funding would be a temporary solution for just one year and would create precedent for CPS to step in and provide more funding to charter operators facing financial hardship.
