Nearly 2,000 elementary and high school students along with 270 staffers are affected by the plans to shutter seven Acero Charter Schools across the city in June next year.
The move came when charter school leaders voted to close the schools Wednesday night during a board of directors meeting.
The schools are:
-Casas Elementary School
-Cisneros Elementary School
-Fuentes Elementary School
-Paz Elementary School
-Santiago Elementary School
-Tamayo Elementary School
-Cruz K-12 School
The affected schools are in the Avondale, Brighton Park, West Town, Little Village, Pilsen and West Ridge neighborhoods.
"This decision is not made lightly," Richard L. Rodriguez, president and CEO of Acero Schools, said. "After years of population decline in the city and weighing federal and state funding inequity against our firm commitment to educational equity, Acero Schools needs to consolidate operations to continue serving scholars, families and our communities justly."
The Chicago Teachers Union also released a statement saying the closures will rattle families and neighborhoods.
"The CTU unequivocally condemns this move," the statement in part said. "If Acero is allowed to move forward with this reckless plan, it will destabilize countless school communities."
Acero Schools launched a website for families affected by the transition to help provide support and any updates to the closure process.
Acero leaders said the eight remaining schools will intake students affected by the closures as space allows
Full CTU statement:
"Teachers, parents, and students reacted with shock and dismay today as the Acero Charter Schools Board of Directors (formerly UNO) voted unanimously to close seven schools, nearly half the entire network, impacting more than 2,000 students and at least 270 educators and school-related staff.
"The CTU unequivocally condemns this move. If Acero is allowed to move forward with this reckless plan, it will destabilize countless school communities. After committing to communicate with the union and partner to avoid school closings during negotiations over the summer, the charter management company has turned its back on its students and the entire educational community.
"The proposed closures come on the heels of Chicago Public Schools CEO, Pedro Martinez, promising no school closures in the district. Additionally, due to past union negotiations, Acero has invested more than nearly any other charter network in supporting our students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and social emotional learning. This move threatens to upend and undermine all of the progress made by educators to improve student supports and educational outcomes.
"This disheartening decision seems to be prioritizing disgraced former CEO Juan Rangel's outstanding investor debts and real estate opportunities over stability and student success, similar to its past scandals.
"Failed charter advocates and out-of-state billionaires took hold in CPS claiming they can do 'better for less.' What they didn't say was the scheme was better for investors and terrible for students and their families," CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said. "We will not allow taxpayer money and CPS funds to continue to be funneled to pay off the debts Juan Rangel incurred when he was defrauding the federal government. Meanwhile, he is freely raising money to buy school board seats via super PACs and independent expenditures. There are questions here that Acero and CPS need to answer. No student should see their education interrupted."