Investing in our Community's
Most Precious Natural Resource

Welcome to the Alignment Rockford home page! We’re glad you are interested in learning more about us! Alignment Rockford is a public school support organization. We don’t sell goods or services as many businesses do. Instead we employ a process to design and pilot tactical solutions in areas of greatest strategic need for Rockford Public Schools.
Our mission is to coordinate community resources in order to raise student achievement, improve the health and happiness of our children, and advance the economic and social well-being of our community.
Here on the home page you can see what’s new. To learn more about the solution design activities in each working committee visit the working committees page. To view the open Invitations to Participate™ visit the ITP page. If you’d like to discuss being more involved please contact us.
First, an academy is a personalized smaller learning community within a larger high school which students select because of their interest in the academy’s theme. Students attend core and elective classes together. Teachers in an academy share common planning time, work together to integrate the academy theme into core instruction, and teach so that students understand how their classes are preparing them for the world beyond high school. Developing a family-like atmosphere and close student/teacher relationships are important components of academy culture. Academy students participate in school-wide activities like clubs and sports.
Second, students in academies participate in college and career preparatory courses. Students have a mixture of core and elective classes that prepare them to meet the entrance requirements for four-year colleges and universities. Core and elective classes are carefully linked to professional industry standards to encourage high achievement. Students are systematically exposed to a range of careers related to the academy theme. Special projects require students to integrate academic skills from across their subjects and connect them to work settings. Concerted effort is made to provide paid or unpaid internships or service learning opportunities for students. Counseling and post-secondary planning keep students motivated and forward-facing.
Third, academies seek partnerships with business, civic, post-secondary and cultural organizations interested in supporting teaching and learning. Academy partners may offer teacher externships, provide class speakers, participate in field trips or offer job-shadowing, mentoring, tutoring, or summer employment for students. Partners can assist in keeping curriculum and skills relevant and up to professional standards. Post-secondary partners may develop articulation agreements and dual enrollment so that students are preparing as well as possible for college and careers.