Ann Arbor Learning Community

The Ann Arbor Learning Community (AALC) is a non-profit public charter school authorized by Eastern Michigan University. Read the school's charter. In 1997, a group of community members came together with a vision for a new school. The EMU Regents granted their charter and Ann Arbor Learning Community opened its doors for its first school year in f... all 1998. The school began with seventy students. In 2000 the school moved to a new facility with seven classrooms and grew to 115 students. In 2005 the AALC moved to its present location on Research Park Drive. The students and staff influenced the renovation of the present location for the AALC learning program. Enrollment is open to all Michigan students in grades K-8. Students will be treated without discrimination. As a public school, no tuition is charged. AALC currently houses early primary (K-1) classrooms, primary (2-3) classrooms, intermediate (4-5) classrooms, and middle school (6-8) classrooms. Each student's learning involves a team including the teacher, student and parent with academic, social, behavioral, and/or enrichment goals to be pursued throughout the school year. Students are assessed by the teacher to determine current level of education, and are guided through a course of study designed to achieve growth in every area over the course of the school year. Past test scores indicated AALC students gained an average of 1.8 years of growth over the course of the 10-month school year (based on pre and post testing using the Iowa Test of Basic Skills). The Michigan State Standards and Benchmarks and Grade Level Content Expectation provide the basis for our curriculum. Thematic units, outdoor education, environmental education and the performing and visual arts are used to deliver the curriculum. All of our teachers are state certified and meet the "Highly Qualified" designation.Read More