In fall 2020, CHOICE will have 2 studios. The montessori inspired spark studio is for children ages 4-7. The Acton Academy elementary studio is for children ages 7-11 (6th grade). A middle school studio will open up fall 2022.

We believe that children learn best when working with younger and older children rather than split into groups based solely on age. As they work together, they become a tribe that mentors one another. Core skills (reading, writing, math, languages) are all individualized, and learners work simultaneously on their goals.

There are no A,B,C,D, and F grades at CHOICE. Learning is measured in a much more meaningful way. Young heroes celebrate the mastery of tools, skills, and character by assembling portfolios, taking part in public exhibitions, earning points for effort, and earning mastery badges. Portfolios: Learners build electronic and hard copy portfolios as they compile rough drafts, photos, videos, and other creative work. Exhibitions: Public exhibitions at the end of most Quests allow young heroes to present work to parents, experts, customers, or the public. Points: Learners earn points based on effort (which is objectively measured with activity tracking.) Badges: Badges measure mastery. Most importantly, badges celebrate the progress of the learner. Badges are earned in core skills such as reading, writing, math and spelling. Character development is measured with “Learn to Be” badges. We offer the Iowa national standardized test yearly for any child who wants to take it.

No. The founders of CHOICE have a strong and active faith in God as our Creator and Heavenly Father, and in His son Jesus Christ. We also believe that family is the center of a child’s life, and the home is the best place to teach religious principles and doctrine. CHOICE teaches moral principles of honesty, integrity, hard work, compassion, and charity. CHOICE leaves religious doctrines and principles for the family to teach.

All people are heroes that have challenges to overcome. Some children may struggle in a traditional learning environment, yet thrive at CHOICE. At this time, we are not trained to adequately serve all children with learning challenges. Our school is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us if you have questions about your specific learner.

Monday 12:00-3:00: Arts, P.E. and maker space Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30-3:00: Core skills, Socratic discussions, civilization, writers workshop, quests Monday morning & Friday: Enjoy working from home on your core skills and spend time with your family! We operate on an eleven-month calendar: August – June. We structure our year around our quests, which are 4-6 week challenges, followed by a 1-2 week break for rest and rejuvenation. We have a 6-week break during the summer. Our flexible program allows families to travel together during the year, without sacrificing any learning. CHOICE is a hybrid private school, and there is no attendance requirement. Heroes are responsible for their own learning. Heroes enjoy learning and desire to be in school when in session. Our school calendar can be found at the bottom of our home page.

Yes, Acton Academies are accredited through the International Association of Learner Driven Schools.

The first Acton Academy was created by Laura and Jeff Sandefer in Austin, Texas in 2009. As of March 2020, there are more than 270 schools that use the Acton Academy model to create independent learners. If you would like to find out more, please contact us and we’ll be happy to give you a book about Acton Academy.

A learner-driven environment is a carefully designed educational environment that allows students to take an active role in their own education, to make choices about what they will study and how they will study under the guidance of a teacher (Guide) who knows each student personally. Teachers (Guides) still have a very important role to play in the learner-driven environment. However, instead of functioning as “sages on stages,” they participate in the learning process as a coach and guide students as they work independently and together.