Chicago’s ACE Plan

Published December 1, 2004

Four years ago, concerned that many graduates of the city’s public schools could not read well, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley suggested extending high school instruction over five years for certain students. In response, the school board proposed a plan that also included an early graduation option. The ACE Plan–for Accelerated, Classical, and Extended graduation–provided a five-year Extended option for students with academic deficiencies but also offered higher-achieving students an Accelerated option for moving through graduation requirements in three years.

Although the ACE Plan was not formally adopted, Chicago Public Schools officials said the option of graduating in three years has always been available to students who completed their course requirements early.

G.C.