About Us

A school of Tucson Youth Development, ACE is an open-entry/exit Charter High School located at 1901 N. Stone Avenue in Tucson, AZ and has the capacity to serve 200 students, grades 9-12, ages 14 to 21 years (up to 22 with and IEP). 

ACE was developed to provide an alternative educational environment that allows for self-paced, independent learning that meets Arizona state standards in the core content areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The learning objective for each student is to help them master curricular content and be prepared for success in post-secondary education and/or work following graduation.

ACE provides educational services to a targeted population including, but not limited, to:
  • 5th-year seniors no longer enrolled in school
  • 4th-year seniors no longer enrolled in school
  • Current seniors with insufficient credits to graduate
  • Students identified as at-risk due to poor attendance
  • Students identified as at-risk due to poor school performance
  • Students meeting other pre-determined profiles for an alternative education program
  • Students involved or previously involved in the Juvenile Justice System
  • Students who have dropped out of school and want to return
  • Parenting youth

Accredited by AdvancEd, ACE implements a "blended learning" model that integrates technology and computerized curriculum with direct instruction and project-based learning. ACE has year-round, open enrollment. Students enjoy a 1/15 teacher/student ratio. ACE provides that which is essential for the success of each student. This may include more personalized attention from the faculty; extra tutorials in math; a part-time job to earn funds needed to sustain one's household; an opportunity to express innate leadership skills and/or accelerated rate of learning. ACE enables its students to stay in school and insures that students are academically ready for post-secondary training or advanced degrees. 

In addition, to the flexible, computer-based, learning communities, ACE staff members are enthusiastic educators and environmentalists -- hosting science, project-based, learning experiences for their students by the implementation of an Aquaponics Garden and through the cultivation of water-harvesting basins on campus.   

History

In 1996 Tucson Youth Development (TYD) sought, and was granted, a charter from the Arizona Board of Education to open the Alternative Computerized Education (ACE) Charter High School. The School was originally chartered to provide school-to-work education for a high-poverty, high-minority population that was at-risk for dropping out of high school and that was significantly behind in credits necessary for eventual graduation. This mission has been continuous. During the last five years, a strong secondary to post-secondary component has been incorporated into the instructional foundation as more graduates attend post-secondary institutions. In 2014 ACE was recognized by the Arizona Charter School Association because its students realized three consecutive years of significant academic improvement.
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