Where Will Acero Students Go? Parents Grapple With Options As They Await Word On School Closures
Separating Siblings?
Moving schools could also bring new challenges to families with more than one child.
Stephanie Gomez has two daughters — a sixth-grader and a kindergartener – who attend Santiago, where her oldest son graduated from.
While Gomez was familiar with the GoCPS system, the process to find a potential new school for her daughters has been discouraging, she said. The challenge was “finding a good school” with open spots, as well as schools where class sizes are smaller as her youngest daughter, who is diabetic, needs help monitoring her glucose levels, she said.
Gomez chose magnet school LaSalle II as her first option, Pritzker Elementary as her second choice and Jonathan Burr Elementary as her third. But when Gomez called the schools, she was told they don’t give preference to siblings, so there are no guarantees both kids will get admitted to the same school, she said.
“I have no idea what I would do if they were not to get into the same school together,” Gomez said. “If I have to go to two different schools every morning, do I have to quit my job in order to get my kids to school?”
Transferring Schools — Or Leaving The City
As parents grapple with the potential implications of their schools closing, they are also working to keep their students enrolled at Acero, they said.
Concerned Acero parents have urged other parents not to transfer their children now, fearing lower enrollment could help justify Acero’s closing plans.
About 102 Acero students have transferred to another school as of Monday – 60 to a CPS school and 30 to another Acero school, Stangle said. The rest are going to other charter or parochial schools, they chose homeschooling or they’ve left the state or country, she said.
‘Mom, Please Help Me’
While parents wait to find out the fate of Acero schools, students are already experiencing the impact of the potential school closures.
Edith Rosales, mother of a Cisneros Elementary fifth-grader, said her son has struggled with the news of his school potentially closing.
“He tells me, ‘Mom, please help me. I don’t want to go to a new school, please help me keep the school open,’” she said.
While Rosales had the option to transfer him to another Acero school, she is skeptical Acero leaders won’t decide to close more schools in the future, she said. She might enroll him in a CPS neighborhood school or a magnet school on the Southwest Side, but he would have to secure a spot first.
“We will keep fighting so our schools don’t close,” Rosales said.
Conclusion
As the Board of Education is expected to direct Chicago Public Schools to create a plan to turn five of the seven Acero charter schools into CPS-run schools starting in the 2026-27 school year, parents are bracing for change. While some may opt to transfer their children to other schools, many are fighting to keep their schools open.
Frequently Asked Questions
* What will happen to Acero students if their school closes?
+ The students will be transferred to another Acero school or a CPS-run school.
* Will Acero staff help families find new schools?
+ Yes, Acero staff have provided individualized support sessions to help families navigate the GoCPS process and find new schools.
* Can families transfer their children to other schools?
+ Yes, families can transfer their children to other schools, but this may depend on the availability of spots at the desired school.
* What are the concerns about transferring to a new school?
+ Some parents are concerned about separating siblings, finding a new school with open spots, and the potential impact on their children’s education and well-being.
