The Chicago educational landscape is bracing for a significant reshuffle as the Acero charter school network has laid out plans to close seven of its campuses next year. In the face of declining enrollment and rising costs, Acero's board of directors took what they've termed a "strategic reorganization of school operations," which will see the winding down of operations and eventual closure by June 2025 for Cruz K-12 and several elementary schools: Casas, Cisneros, Fuentes, Paz, Santiago, and Tamayo. The Sun-Times reports that this move is set to affect roughly 2,000 students and a third of Acero's student population, particularly in Latino neighborhoods.
In reaction to these impending closures, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates has made a bold demand. Calling for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to absorb the closing schools, Gates suggested that making them district-run, would save seats for current students and jobs for staff. This positioning oddly juxtaposed against the backdrop of a resolution barring CPS school closures through the 2026-27 school year, which Gates argues should extend to charter schools. Citing "catastrophic consequences" of school closures under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel's tenure, The Sun-Times includes Gates' pointed criticism towards charter school leadership, and her calls for accountability and management replacement rather than leaving students and staff to grapple with their schools' absence.
Despite the Chicago Board of Education's previous move to protect district-run schools from closure, this safeguard does not extend to charter schools such as Acero. In the midst of this transition, Acero leaders have vowed to manage this difficult process with honesty and dedication to those it serves. According to a statement obtained by WTTW, the network expressed its intention to "welcome as many transitioning scholars as possible to our other network schools." The same statement detailed years of research and analysis leading to this juncture.
While no official comment has been made by CPS on whether they are considering taking these schools under their wing, they have pledged through a spokesperson to work with families and Acero to ensure the closures conform with district policies and help students find new schools. Following the announced closures, audience members reportedly called board members "cowards" during the meeting as per WTTW's report.
