When a parent and/or school personnel are interested in their student attending Acacia Academy, the administration team will request to review the current Individualized Educational Program (IEP), 504 plan, medical records and all relevant information to determine if Acacia Academy has a program to meet the needs of the student. A tour of Acacia Academy will be scheduled as well as a casual interview with the student. The student may accompany parents and/or school personnel on the tour or schedule a visit at another time. This process enables staff to become familiar with the student and their expectations as well as the family. During the tour, the student may visit with the Acacia staff, is able to meet other Acacia students, and receives a tour of the school, classrooms, and Acacia Nature Center. If a student comes to Acacia Academy with a current IEP and a complete, updated case study, the student’s educational program is then put into place. If a student does not have a recent IEP and/or complete evaluations, evaluations are completed and a personalized program of instruction is written for the student.

The curriculum is individualized instruction based on each students learning needs. Here at Acacia Academy, we use what is termed differentiated instruction. Acacia teachers are flexible in their approach to teaching and will individualize the curriculum to adhere to the student learning needs, as opposed to the student modifying themselves for the curriculum.

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is a systematic approach to planning curriculum and instruction for an academically diverse learner through responsive teaching.  Responsive teaching is focusing on who we teach, what we teach, where we teach, and how we are teaching.  Teachers consider student characteristics of readiness, interests and learning styles while planning curriculum. Acacia teachers also follow the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Acacia Academy is approved for out-of-district placement by the Illinois State Board of Education.  In many cases, the school district provides both the tuition and transportation for your student to attend Acacia Academy per FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education for Students with Disabilities) . Please contact the home school’s Out-of-District Placement Counselor to inquire about placement. Please contact Noel Fouks at 708.639.4194 for additional information regarding private tuition and financial aid assistance or email [email protected]. 

Acacia Academy’s Transition Program (ages 18-22) is designed for students who have completed their high school requirements and wish to further develop skills in job training, academics, independent living, and life skills while obtaining therapeutic services such as social work counseling, speech therapy and occupational therapy if needed. The instruction is individualized based on each students needs, goals, employment and postsecondary aspirations. After completion of the Transition Program, students obtain full time employment, enroll in an additional postsecondary programs such as community colleges, universities, career and technical schools, vocational programs, or day programs for further enrichment. In many cases, the school district provides both the tuition and transportation for your student to attend Acacia’s Transition Program. Please contact the home school’s Out-of-District Placement Counselor to inquire about placement. 

If placement is approved by the school district, then the district will provide transportation.  If your student is privately enrolled, the family is responsible for the transportation.

We offer individualized programs for students of all performance levels (ages 6 – 22) including students with specific learning disabilities, giftedness, regular education, autism spectrum, emotional concerns, speech and language, social pragmatics, and challenged learners.

We are not a behavioral school.

Students from all over northern Illinois attend Acacia Academy. It is not uncommon for a student to travel 30-60 minutes to attend our school.