Amman, Jordan: American Community School: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

The American Community School (ACS) is an independent, coeducational day school which offers an American educational program from early years program (age four) through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The school was founded in 1955. The school year comprises two semesters extending from end of August through mid-January and from mid January through early June. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Organization: The school is governed by a seven-member board of trustees elected for two-year terms by the Parents’ Organization of the American Community School of Amman, the sponsor of the school. Membership in the organization is automatically conferred on the teachers and the parents or guardians of children enrolled in the school. The school is not incorporated in the United States or Jordan, nor has it been designated as tax-exempt in either country.

Curriculum: ACS provides a rigorous U.S. standards-based curriculum, including Common Core and NGSS, among others. Instruction is in English and ACS also offers Arabic, Spanish, and French as additional languages. The Advanced Placement (AP) program is offered in high school in foreign languages, arts, math, science, social studies, and English and culminates in the AP Capstone.

Faculty: In the 2023-2024 school year, ACS has 192 total staff including 91 teachers, 49 of whom are U.S. citizens, 18 host-country nationals, and 24 third-country nationals. Our faculty and staff represent 16 nationalities including, Lebanese, Norwegian, Russian, Irish, Trinidad, French, Canadian, British, and South African.

Enrollment: In school year 2023-2024, enrollment is approximately 798 (ES (EYP – Grade 5): 384, MS ( Grades 6 – 8): 185 and HS Grades 9 – 12) : 229). Of the total student population, 366 are U.S. citizens; 170 are Jordanians; and 262 are other nationalities.

Facilities: ACS is located in modern, purpose-built facilities in the suburbs of Amman on about six acres of land. There are over 70 large classrooms that are climate controlled with AC and heating. Class sizes vary for appropriate use, but most are about 100 square meters. Rooms include purpose-built and modern science labs, and numerous innovation and creation spaces. A future-focused middle/high school learning commons is designed with collaborative spaces, teaching spaces, quiet spaces, an online learning center, a sound proof production and creation studio, and a small cafe. The elementary school learning commons also provides teaching, collaborative, and quiet spaces. The school also has a large playing field and two smaller areas, a wooden gym floor, yoga and Pilates exercise spaces, a multi-use gym space, a fitness center equipped with both functional space and modern weight equipment, a 150-meter indoor exercise track, and a 25-meter/six-lane swimming pool. There is also a theater with more than 500 seats. The school supports a family provided computer program in grades 5 – 12. Grade 4 classrooms are provided with chromebooks. Grades EYP – 3 classrooms are equipped with IPad carts. There is also a media production facilities and three sectional maker spaces.

Finances: About 96% of the school’s income derives from tuition and registration fees. Annual tuition rates are as follows: early years program: $9,530, kindergarten: $13,440, grades 1 – 5: $16,750, grades 6 – 8: $21,100, grades 9 – 12: $26,380, bus: $1,910 round trip, capital fund assessment fee: $12,000 (non-refundable, non-transferable) effective March 1, 2023, registration fee: $3,600 per child or $5,700 per family (non-refundable, non-transferable.) Application fee 150 (non-refundable, non-transferable.) (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 are provided by the school.