CPS Considers Keeping 7 Acero Charter Schools Open Another Year, Then Taking Over 5 of Them
Board Schedules Special Meeting to Approve Plan
After weeks of protests by families and staff against the proposed closure of seven Acero charter schools, the Chicago Board of Education is taking steps to keep them open for one more school year and then take over five of the campuses in 2026.
Hybrid Plan Could Save Money
The board also took the extraordinary step of threatening not to renew Acero’s contract to operate the rest of its schools. CPS leaders first floated this idea among several options at the board’s monthly meeting last week to avoid closing the seven schools. Others included having the school district take over operations of the seven schools, letting them all close or providing more funding to keep the seven schools open for at least two more years.
Most Affordable Option
The hybrid plan that would give the seven schools more time before closing just two of them turned out to be the most affordable option, CPS officials said. The school board ordered CPS to reach an agreement with Acero “to cover the shortfall to operate all seven campuses for the 2025-26 school year” while considering “operating savings, other potential revenues, and Acero’s unspent reserves.”
Two Schools to Close in 2026
Under the Board of Education’s plan, the two schools that would close after the 2025-26 school year would be the Acero Paz campus in Little Village, a 98-student elementary school, and Acero Cruz, a K-12 school in Rogers Park with 542 children. CPS officials said those two schools are the largest contributors to Acero’s projected financial shortfall, which they predicted could disappear entirely if they closed. But the board left open the possibility that Paz and Cruz could be considered for the CPS takeover in 2026.
Five Schools to Become District-Run in 2026
The other five Acero schools—the Cisneros, Casas, Fuentes, Tamayo and Santiago campuses—would automatically become district-run schools in the 2026-27 school year. “These plans must include district support to parents and staff to maximize teacher, staff, and student retention as these schools transition,” the board resolution reads.
Acero Must Comply
The board said Acero officials must comply with these efforts. “The closures announced by Acero are inconsistent with the board’s educational mission and call into question whether the board should renew Acero’s charter school agreement in 2026,” the resolution said. “Acero’s cooperation in these matters may be considered in deciding whether to renew” the contract with the charter operator for another period.
Uncertainty Remains
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 the charter school operator have expressed a willingness to work together to find a solution.
Conclusion
The Chicago Board of Education’s decision to keep the seven Acero charter schools open for one more year and then take over five of them is a mixed bag for the schools’ families and staff. While it provides more time to find a solution, it also raises questions about whether CPS needs these schools and whether they will be able to adapt to district standards.
FAQs
* What is the Chicago Board of Education’s plan for the seven Acero charter schools?
+ The plan is to keep the schools open for one more year and then take over five of them.
* Which two schools will close in 2026?
+ The Acero Paz campus in Little Village and the Acero Cruz campus in Rogers Park.
* What will happen to the other five Acero schools?
+ They will automatically become district-run schools in the 2026-27 school year.
* Will CPS have to pay Acero to keep the schools open?
+ Yes, CPS may have to pay a small amount of additional money to Acero to cover an operating deficit next year.
* Can CPS force Acero to keep its schools open?
+ No, CPS and the school board do not have the authority to force Acero to keep its schools open.
