Apply to an Acero Elementary School
If you are interested in applying to an Acero high school please, click here.
Applications for the 2022-23 school year are now open! See below for details on applying.
Make sure to sign up for our email list for the most up-to-date enrollment information.
We are still accepting applications for the current school year based on seat availability. For more information, see below.
Click here to review our full Lottery Policy
Find answers below to "Elementary School Application– FAQs"
How do I apply?
Applications can be completed online, on paper on in-school. For all applications, rank your school selection with #1 being your highest preference; at least one school must be selected. Only one application should be submitted per family.
Click the link below to begin your online application for the 2022-23 school year.
Acero Schools 2022-23 Application
* Please make sure you are selecting the correct school year: 2022-23
Note: Please click on the link at the top of the page to change the application language to Spanish.
If you prefer to submit a paper application, please download it below, print and submit to your nearest Acero school. Fill out the application in blue or black ink.
Use the links below to download a printable, plain-text version of the elementary school application for visually impaired users.
Plain Text ENGLISH 2022-23 Elementary Application
Plain Text ESPANOL 2022-23 Elementary Application
Acero Campus | Enrollment Staff Member | Cell Phone Number |
Brighton Park, Marquez, Tamayo | Araceli Lara | 312.515.4192 |
Casas, Torres, Zizumbo | Maria "Lupe" Orozco | 312.350.9765 |
Cruz K-8, Santiago | Elizabeth Pulido | 312.342.4657 |
Cisneros | Ivette Esparza | 312.282.5231 |
Fuentes, Idar, Paz | Cintia Cruz | 312.307.7698 |
Cruz 9-12, Garcia, Soto | Ivette Esparza | 312.282.5231 |
Clemente | Omar Barraza | 312.315.2859 |
What are the requirements to attend an Acero elementary school?
Applicants must reside in the City of Chicago. Applicants applying for Kindergarten for the 2022-23 school year must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2022.
How does the lottery work?
Acero Schools hosts an annual lottery to determine enrollment for grades K-8 for the upcoming school year. During the K-8 lottery, applicants are chosen at random for all available K- 8 seats. The lottery for the 2022-23 school year will be held on March 9, 2022.
Online applications must be completed by 11:59 p.m. and paper applications marked received by 3:00 p.m. on February 25, 2022 to be included in the lottery.
All applications received after the February 25 deadline will be placed into open seats or waitlist positions on a first-come, first-served basis through the start of the 2022-23 school year.
Families who applied before the Feb. 25 deadline will receive detailed communications via email, text and US mail concerning the status of their application and next steps regarding registration and/or their waitlist status beginning March 28, 2022.
Applicants are given priority, if applicable, in the following order: if they have siblings enrolled at the school, were previously enrolled at an Acero school, or meet neighborhood boundary requirements if applicable (specific to applicants for Clemente, Fuentes and Tamayo).
How will I know if my student has been seated or waitlisted after I apply?
Applicants who apply before Feb. 25, 2022 will receive detailed communications via email, text and US mail concerning the status of their application and next steps regarding registration and/or their waitlist status beginning March 28, 2021.
If a seat becomes available and your child is next on the waitlist, you will receive a phone call, text or email requesting that you accept or decline the seat within 48 hours. Applicants who fail to accept or decline within 48 hours will be moved to the end of the waitlist.
My student was seated at an Acero elementary school. What do I do next?
Congratulations! Please be sure to accept your offer. You will shortly thereafter receive information about registration and other required information. You will be required to complete student registration by a date that will be provided to you.
Offers from the 2022-23 school year lottery must be accepted by April 8, 2022.
Can I schedule a tour to visit the elementary school I’m interested in?
Not at this moment. We strongly encourage you to explore the school you are interested in via their website. Click here for a directory of links, videos and social media channels for each of our schools.
Where can I find more information about Acero elementary schools?
We encourage you to explore school websites, Facebook pages, and informational Youtube videos. Click here for a directory of links.
I have more questions about schools, applications or enrollment.
You may reach Acero Schools Central Office at (312) 637-3900 or your contact preferred schools' enrollment staff member:
Acero Campus | Enrollment Staff Member | Cell Phone Number |
Brighton Park, Marquez, Tamayo | Araceli Lara | 312.515.4192 |
Casas, Torres, Zizumbo | Maria "Lupe" Orozco | 312.350.9765 |
Cruz K-8, Santiago | Elizabeth Pulido | 312.342.4657 |
Cisneros | Ivette Esparza | 312.282.5231 |
Fuentes, Idar, Paz | Cintia Cruz | 312.307.7698 |
Cruz 9-12, Garcia, Soto | Ivette Esparza | 312.282.5231 |
Clemente | Omar Barraza | 312.315.2859 |