Quito, Ecuador: Academia Cotopaxi American International School: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

Academia Cotopaxi American International School is a private, independent, coeducational American international day school serving students from preschool (beginning at 12 months) through grade 12 for all nationalities. The school was founded in 1959 and is located in the northern part of Quito. The academic year begins in late August and ends in June. The school is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as well as by the International Baccalaureate Office and recognized by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education. The school is a member of the American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA).

Organization: The school is governed by a nine-member Board of trustees representing parents and teachers, all of whom are automatically members of the Cotopaxi Academy Cultural Association, the sponsoring body which owns and operates the school. Academia Cotopaxi is an English-based program with a director, a principal for Elementary School (PK–G. 5) and a principal for Middle (G. 6–8) and High School (G. 9–12), as well as a director of technology, director of finance operations, director of human resources and director of admissions and of external relations. In addition, Academia Cotopaxi also has a Spanish-based preschool program, called IMAGINE, for children ages 12 months up to five years old.

Curriculum: The curriculum of Academia Cotopaxi is that of a U.S. college-preparatory school, providing a holistic program that promotes cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is offered in the high school and the IB Primary Years Program (PYP) is offered in the elementary grades, while the middle school offers a U.S.-based curriculum. Instruction is in English, and Spanish is taught both as a secondary and a primary language. The school has teachers in math, science, English language arts, and social studies, as well as physical education, music, art, and drama. The faculty also includes guidance counselors, college counselors, librarians, school psychologists, instructional coaches, as well as specialists in English for speakers of other languages, special education, reading, and technology integration. The IMAGINE program provides a bilingual preschool education focused on play, exploration, and creativity.

Faculty: In the 2023-2024 school year, Academia Cotopaxi has 235 total staff including 112 teachers, 30 of whom are U.S. citizens, 53 host-country nationals, and 13 third-country nationals. Currently, we have 12 nationalities among faculty & staff. As highest level of education 25% of AC faculty has a bachelor’s degree and 75% a master’s degree.

Enrollment: As of September 2023, enrollment in Academia Cotopaxi is 555 (PK-G. 5: 280 students; G. 6-8: 114 students and G. 9-12: 161 students). Of the total, 155 are U.S. citizens, 221 are host-country nationals, and 179 are third-country nationals.

Facilities: The school has been on the current 15-acre campus since 1991. Facilities include 70 classrooms; art rooms; a gymnasium; an enclosed heated pool; playing fields; an auditorium; two cafeterias; four science laboratories for biology, chemistry, and physics; and a music complex with band, orchestra, and practice rooms. The school has a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program for grades 3-12 as well as laptops and ipads, projectors, SMART boards and document cameras in use throughout the school. The Maker Space has dedicated resources for design, prototyping and building projects. The library has over 30,000 volumes and a wide variety of online resources. The IMAGINE campus has 18 classrooms with diaper-changing areas, playgrounds, library, medical office, and a multipurpose room.

Finances: Tuition rates are as follows: nursery (IMAGINE): $5,322; Pre-K: $10,945; Kinder: $18,222; grades 1-6: $19,980; grades 7-9: $21,469; grades 10-12: $21,515. The application fee is $200, and the registration fee is $1,089. Both fees are non-refundable. (All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars.)

Special Needs: Review the Special Needs Profile for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2023 and provided by the school.