Acera students place in top 10% in national math competition

Students at the Acera School in Winchester earned an Honor Roll award in the Spring 2024 Noetic Learning Math Contest. The award designates a top 10% placement nationally. The event drew more than 40,000 students from all 50 states.

In total, 15 Acera students placed in the top 10%, and an additional 44 students placed in the top 50%.

The Noetic Learning Math Contest is a biannual math contest for elementary and middle school students. The contest encourages students' interest in math, develops their problem solving skills, and inspires them to excel.

Acera, a nonprofit K-9th grade STEAM school (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), places its students in math classes based upon start of year assessments that clarify where each student is in their education journey. All math classes occur at the same time, allowing students to be placed in classes based on what they are ready to learn, rather than by age or grade. In the 2023-24 school year, Acera’s students were placed in one of 16 different math classes, which extend into calculus and advanced math analysis. Watch a video to see a glimpse of math at Acera.

“Ability-based math classes free students to learn without constraints due to age or curricula,” said Acera founder and director Courtney Dickinson. “We have found that in this type of framework, new possibilities open up for math experiences for all kids. Math class becomes a place where kids get to learn in a way that fits their thinking style and readiness in applied and game-based ways. The satisfaction of figuring out hard problems – and applying a wide array of strategies to get there – enables students to manifest a growth mindset every day.”

Through its Education Innovation Initiative (AceraEI), Acera is working to help more public schools implement this ability-based approach.

Founded in 2010, Acera is an independent nonprofit STEAM school that engages gifted students in individualized, project-based learning that is designed around their passions and aligned with their own abilities. Acera’s Education Innovation Initiative (AceraEI) is partnering with other educators and STEM industry leaders to export its pilot-tested curricula to public schools. In addition to K-9th grade education, Acera offers daily after-school enrichment programs as well as February, April, and summer vacation camps open to all kids ages 5+. For more information, visit aceraschool.org.