The Lincoln Academy is an independent, public charter school. TLA is not part of the Beloit School District. It has its own Board of Directors and makes independent decisions about how to serve scholars and families.

As a public charter school, The Lincoln Academy is a public school in every sense of the word. Any scholar with Wisconsin residency is welcome to apply and eligible to attend. There are no admission requirements and charter schools are tuition-free. Parents cannot be charged for their scholars to attend.

Yes, as a tuition-free public charter school, The Lincoln Academy is committed to diversity and serving all scholars, including scholars with special needs and English Learner (EL) scholars.

Any student with Wisconsin residency is welcome to apply and eligible to attend The Lincoln Academy. If the school receives more applications than there are seats available, a public random lottery is used to determine enrollment for those seats as well as waitlist order.

The Lincoln Academy is a full K4-12th grade school. There are two classrooms in each grade with 25 scholars per classroom, for a total enrollment of approximately 700 scholars.

There is a separation of grade levels with classrooms for K4-4th grade located on the first floor, 5th-8th grade classrooms located on the second floor and classrooms for 9th-12th grades on the third floor. There are some opportunities for common space usage, but with expectations of supervision and scheduling to ensure scholars are supporting each other in their community and representing themselves with high expectations. There are opportunities for middle and high school scholars to support our younger scholars and act as role models and mentors.

The school day is 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The Lincoln Academy school year will typically align with the traditional Beloit Public School calendar, with extra days added at the beginning of the school year.

Yes, transportation is provided for scholars residing more than one mile from the school and within the City of Beloit.

Outstanding educators, focused curriculum and strong professional development is the starting point of ensuring scholars master skills. There is regular review of individual scholar data, and re-teaching takes place when scholars need extra support or time to learn a skill. Response to Intervention (RTI) is used when necessary to provide more intense support to scholars in need.

No. There is no social promotion at The Lincoln Academy. Scholars are expected to be fully ready for the upcoming grade.

A culture of high expectations related to both school culture and academics is a clear focus at The Lincoln Academy. There is a family handbook that ensures all parents and scholars are clear on the expectations prior to enrolling. Expectations are reviewed periodically with support from the Parent Leadership Council and the school leadership team.

Yes, financial literacy, technical education and college prep courses are offered. The Lincoln Academy has a rigorous curriculum with many career options, such as: Bioscience, Technology, Business, Engineering, Trades, Fine Arts, Medicine, Healthcare and Human Services. There are Advanced Placement courses as well.

Yes, dual enrollment options are available for scholars.

Yes, there are opportunities for job shadowing, internships and apprenticeships to ensure scholars have access to hands-on learning.

Character education is infused in the curriculum starting in K4. Every day there are explicit character education skills and values taught during the proactivity time. The classroom is the most important place in the school. There are clear classroom management strategies that provide proactive measures to limit classroom disruptions. However, in the event a classroom disruption occurs, it will be handled with expediency to ensure learning and teaching are not interrupted. Bullying will not be tolerated and will be addressed immediately by teachers and administration. The safety of our scholars and staff comes first, and we will have clear expectations in place regarding safety. There will be a strict visitor policy and technology support that will serve in ensuring our scholars and staff are safe. The Lincoln Academy has a clear discipline policy in place. While the goal is to create a positive, supportive, and academically rigorous environment to limit disruptions, there will be times when disciplinary measures will be necessary.

The Lincoln Academy is required to administer all the same tests and assessments as all other public schools. TLA will receive a rating through the Department of Public Instruction Accountability system and if it does not perform at a high level, it can be closed by the Office of Educational Opportunity (OEO).

Joy factor is an important part of The Lincoln Academy. Scholars and their families will feel they are part of the community by regular communication and celebration. Each day there is a morning assembly. We gather as a community at The Lincoln Academy regularly to ensure all scholars, staff and families are part of the activities. Communication is clear and consistent to help build connectedness.

Absolutely! Parents and family members are an integral part of every scholar’s success. The Lincoln Academy welcomes support from families through activities such as: volunteering, participating in fieldtrips, cheering at sporting/after school events, attending parent/teacher conferences and participating on the Parent Leadership Council. Parents or guardians, scholars and staff are expected to sign a compact which commits them to specific expectations as a member of The Lincoln Academy.

Every evening parents receive a folder or agenda that comes to them to see what is happening during the school day. Parents are responsible for signing off to show they read the information. Parents also receive weekly school newsletters and communication through emails, texts and phone calls when needed. Teachers have open lines of communication with families to ensure every scholar is supported.

Yes, administrators are expected to be responsive to teachers and parents. They provide support and prompt communication. They also hold scholars, teachers and parents accountable for following the mission of The Lincoln Academy.

The Lincoln Academy is managed by its local non-profit Board of Directors, and all decisions about classroom instruction, staff and school culture are made at the school level by the Chief Education Officer. ​ Dr. Kristi Cole is the Chief Education Officer for The Lincoln Academy. Dr. Cole is responsible for overseeing educational programming and operations for the school. ​ For more information on Dr. Cole, CLICK HERE

As an Office of Educational Opportunity (OEO) authorized charter school, The Lincoln Academy is funded directly by the State of Wisconsin. For the 2024-2025 school year, TLA will receive $11,729 per pupil.

The most important aspect of a school is hiring the right staff. At The Lincoln Academy, that means hiring staff who are mission aligned. They will believe that all children can learn, and it is up to them to make that happen. There is a rigorous hiring process to ensure talented staff who are aligned to the mission are hired.

Consistent and frequent professional development is part of the educational model at The Lincoln Academy. It is expected that all staff participate in weekly professional development and have a desire to grow professionally. One of our mottos is, “We will never rest until our good is better and our better is best.”

Teachers are evaluated several times throughout the year through a process that aligns with the instructional coaching model we use. It is aligned to classroom environment, mastery of content and rigorous instruction. Scholar outcomes are looked at as part of the evaluation process.

Absolutely! The goal of The Lincoln Academy is to ensure that 100% of scholars graduate with the skills to either enroll in college, enlist in the armed forces or be employed in a living-wage job. We fully expect that all of our scholars will have the character and skills to live a quality, choice-filled life.

At The Lincoln Academy, teachers have some of the most advanced technological, artistic and scientific tools available to engage scholars.

Yes, teachers are compensated competitively. We also build in a bonus structure for teachers who continually meet their goals and go above and beyond. We celebrate teachers for the hard work they do.

No, as a charter school, teachers at The Lincoln Academy are not eligible to participate in the State retirement system. The Lincoln Academy has retirement plan options available to all staff.

Yes, there is support staff based on the needs of the scholars who enroll at The Lincoln Academy. TLA has a school social worker, a school psychologist, a speech and language pathologist, a nurse, a family & youth mentor, a college & career counselor, an ESL teacher, educational assistants and special education teachers.