CPS Officials Propose Saving Five Acero Charter Schools
Alternative Solution to Acero Charter School Network’s Financial Problems
A top Chicago Public Schools (CPS) official is recommending the closure of only two of the seven Acero charter campuses scheduled to close and then considering whether to take over the other five schools in two years. This plan aims to reduce the effects on families while erasing the charter organization’s financial shortfall.
Five Options Presented to Board of Education
CPS leaders presented five options to the Board of Education on how to address the proposed closures. These options included:
* Closing all seven Acero charter schools
* Taking over operations of publicly funded but privately run charter schools
* Allowing all seven schools to close
* Providing more funding to keep all seven schools open for at least two more years
* Closing only two schools and considering taking over the remaining five schools in two years
Acero Parents and Staff Denounce Closures
Many board meetings have been filled with Acero parents, students, and staff denouncing the closures, which would be Chicago’s largest since 50 schools were closed in 2013. They are calling on the district to intervene.
School Board Criticism of Acero
School board members have been highly critical of Acero, to the point that the charter school network threatened legal action against the board last week for “defamatory” and “reckless” comments. The board has demanded that CPS leaders propose alternative solutions to Acero’s financial problems.
CPS Official’s Recommendation
Senior CPS official Alfonso Carmona recommended closing the Octavio Paz campus in Little Village, an elementary school with 98 students, and Cruz, a K-12 school in Rogers Park that has 542 students. These two schools are the biggest contributors to Acero’s projected financial shortfall, which Carmona predicted could disappear entirely if they closed.
Takeover or Additional Funding
Carmona proposed that CPS take over the remaining five schools in two years, which could cost up to $28 million. Alternatively, providing Acero with more cash to keep all seven operating would require about $3.2 million. However, this would be a temporary solution for only one year and would create a precedent that CPS would step in to provide more funding to charter school operators facing financial difficulties.
Next Steps
The Board of Education did not vote on any of the five paths forward, but some board members said they would like to move quickly. 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. However, officials from the district and the charter school operator have expressed a willingness to work together to find a solution.
Conclusion
The proposed closure of the Acero charter schools has sparked a heated debate in Chicago. While some see it as a necessary step to address the charter organization’s financial problems, others believe it would have a devastating impact on the families and students affected. The alternative solution proposed by CPS officials aims to reduce the effects on families while erasing the financial shortfall. The outcome of this decision remains uncertain, but the community is watching closely.
FAQs
* What is the proposed solution to Acero’s financial problems?
+ Closing two schools and considering taking over the remaining five schools in two years
* How much would it cost to take over the five schools?
+ Up to $28 million
* Would Acero agree to this plan?
+ Unclear, but officials have expressed a willingness to work together to find a solution
* Can the school board force Acero to keep its schools open?
+ No, the school board does not have the authority to do so
