Atlanta Classical Academy

"As a former student that has been here from the beginning of its founding, grade 6 up until my Junior year of high school, I am very grateful for the education that I received. Although this school is very traditional, different, and rigorous, it provided me with the tools I need to do well in my further academic studies and in my role as an American citizen. This school is very challenging; it will make your kids struggle and work! However, not everyone is cut out for this school. Throughout my years I saw a fast turnover rate of students, mostly when going through the transition period of 8th grade to Freshman year, but a handful of them stayed until they graduated from high school. I have nothing but respect for all of my teachers, the staff, and administration, during my time here. It was a pleasure to be a part of ACA."

"We are going on our third year at Atlanta Classical Academy and we couldn't be happier. The teachers are thoughtful, caring individuals who want our children to excel, the staff has been a joy, and the administration works hard to ensure the success of every student at the school. We are so fortunate that a tuition-free, public charter like ACA is available to anyone residing in APS. Challenging curriculum, expectations of courtesy and manners, happy students. It's our k-12 dream come true."

"As a parent of two current students (K and 2nd), I am very pleased with the education ACA is providing. The teachers are engaging and knowledgable, and they clearly enjoy teaching. I did not experience that at other APS public schools. Charter schools are not for everyone (and judging by some of the less educated comments here, are not understood by everyone either). ACA is a CLASSICAL education, focused on reading, writing, history... Classical subjects. The lottery allows anyone in APS to apply and have the same chance of getting in as anyone else. Donations do NOT move you to the front of the line. The cross section of students is quite broad and, in fact, more diverse than the student body at some other APS schools. Yes, the facility is small. ACA received no financial help from APS to set up the campus and only receives a fraction per student than other public schools. Parent involvement is key and there's lots of it. And to clear up some misperceptions: the facilities have just been expanded, there ARE sports teams and clubs, the uniform is meant to level the playing field (and is quite cute), and the administration is very involved and caring. We love the school!"

"We have one child at this school and I have to say we have been extremely impressed. Not only are the administrators smart and caring, they are extremely passionate about having the children read classic literature, learn and develop a real appreciation for music and art and actually enjoy and appreciate the learning process in all subjects including math and science. The teachers are fantastic because they are are actually enthusiastic about teaching. They are smart and nurturing and most importantly, they have emotional intelligence. The school is clean and nice. There are portraits of great leaders from our country in the lobby - Lincoln, Kennedy, MLK, Roosevelt, etc... and the kids actually learn about them and can discuss their importance in history. Not bad for a school that's only been around for a couple of years. Is the school building state of the art? No. But that's not really what I'm looking for in terms of making sure my child has an outstanding education while learning respect for himself and those around him. A lot of pride has gone into creating an outstanding learning environment for these students and Atlanta Classical Academy has knocked the cover off the ball. Signed, An actual parent at Atlanta Classical Academy"

"As a parent with 3 children (currently, 9th, 5th and 3rd grade) at Atlanta Classical Academy, I am absolutely pleased with this school. It is a public school that serves all APS students (not just certain neighborhoods as stated in some of the reviews), admitted by lottery, just like all other APS charter schools. Obviously, some of the other reviewers do not understand the APS charter system. The leadership and curriculum taught here are top notch. Many of the teachers have graduate degrees from schools like Notre Dame, Harvard and other tier 1 institutions. So, yes, ACA is an academically-oriented school, but most nights my children have a maximum of 1 hour of homework. We moved from another public school to be a part of ACA, so it is very reasonable that a student will adjust quickly if they want to and do the work. The teachers teach classes in a way that doesn't equal tons of busy work in the evening. Concerning test scores, our school is just fine in that category, measuring student progress by the nationally renown Iowa Test of Basic Skills standardized tests (which are a proven source of tracking true metrics rather than causing teachers to "test prep" all year) rather than some of the tests given by other local public schools. Also, my children have multiple extra-curricular outlets through the school's formal offerings such as basketball, soccer, cross country, drama, various clubs, and music. No complaints at all. Finally, a word about the facilities. While they aren't comparable to North Atlanta High, we are improving the inherited facilities each year. Our facilities do not hinder excellent teaching/learning in any way. I'm very thankful to be a part of ACA and happy that our school contributes to quality educational experiences to Atlanta residents."