For parents of gifted children, the right school often comes after years of wondering why a bright, curious, capable child doesn't feel challenged or understood. AcademyACL was created for those students, Colorado Springs' public charter school designed exclusively for gifted and advanced learners.
Giftedness isn't simply earning good grades or finishing work quickly. Gifted children often experience the world differently. They ask unexpected questions, notice patterns others miss, and crave chances to explore topics in greater depth. Some excel early. Others become bored or disengaged because school doesn't match how they learn.
Giftedness is not defined by a single test score. We believe it's a way of thinking, learning, and making sense of the world.
Gifted learners don't simply need more difficult work. They need learning that reflects the way they think.
Students engage with sophisticated ideas that challenge them intellectually, not just more worksheets.
Students analyze, evaluate, create, question, and solve complex problems. Depth over memorization.
Every unit is organized around enduring concepts that connect learning across subjects.
Learning at AcademyACL feels different because it is different. Instead of practicing skills they've already mastered, students think more deeply, ask better questions, and make meaningful connections.
AcademyACL is intentionally designed for students whose educational needs are driven primarily by giftedness. Because our model emphasizes advanced content and higher-level thinking from the outset, students engage with complex ideas and work with growing independence.
Many gifted learners are also twice-exceptional, and we recognize that giftedness and disabilities can coexist. Our expertise, however, is gifted education. Our goal isn't simply a more challenging curriculum. It's the right curriculum for the way gifted learners think.
AcademyACL is a tuition-free public charter school and participates in Colorado's School Choice process. Families request enrollment during the annual open enrollment period, and a lottery is held every year, whether or not seats are open, to establish an enrollment waitlist in accordance with board policy. A formal gifted identification is not required to request enrollment or attend.
Submit the online form.
Requests accepted during the annual period.
Held annually, when requests exceed seats.
Records reviewed, enrollment confirmed.
If your child has assessment data suggesting gifted potential (such as cognitive assessments, e.g., CogAT, NNAT, or nationally-normed achievement testing, e.g., NWEA or STAR at or above the 95th percentile), you're encouraged to submit it with your request. Per board policy, qualifying data may provide an additional opportunity during the lottery process.
Visit our classrooms. Listen to the conversations. Watch students wrestle with big ideas and experience the joy of learning alongside peers who share their curiosity.
AcademyACL exists because gifted learners deserve an educational home where they can investigate ideas, master advanced content, and grow into thoughtful leaders and lifelong learners.