Tunis, Tunisia: American Cooperative School of Tunis: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

The American Cooperative School of Tunis (ACST) is a private, coeducational day school, which offers an educational program from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The school was founded in 1959. The school year comprises two terms from late August to mid-June.

Organization: The school is governed by a nine-member Board of Governors elected for two-year terms by the general membership of the ACST Association, made up of parents and teachers. Membership is automatically conferred on the parents or guardians of the children enrolled in the school and on full-time teachers employed in the school. The director of ACST serves as the executive officer (non-voting) of the board.

Curriculum: The curriculum essentially follows the Common Core Standards in mathematics and English/language arts. In grades 11-12, the school offers a program leading to a U.S. high school diploma and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. In addition to core subjects of reading/literature, English language and composition, mathematics, social studies, science, French, Arabic or German, the curriculum includes physical education, music, art, and technology. Taking advantage of its unique location, the school offers a Tunisian studies program, which gives students an in-depth look at the history, culture, and customs of Tunisia. English-as-an-Additional-Language is provided for all students who are not proficient in English language skills. The school is staffed to meet the needs of children with mild special needs but is less able to accommodate those with moderate to severe learning and/or physical disabilities. In May of 2023, ACST graduated 24 students. The entire group of grade 12 students achieved the American diploma, and 16 out of 21 students in the IB program received the full IB diploma. The school is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is authorized by the International Baccalaureate.

Faculty: In the 2023-24 school year, ACST has 180 total staff including 61 teachers. Of the total, 44 were U.S. citizens, 8 were host-country nationals, and 9 were of other nationalities representing France, Canada, New Zealand, India, Portugal, Germany.  All teaching faculty are certified, qualified teachers.

Enrollment: During the 2023-2024 school year, enrollment is 437 (elementary: 210; middle school: 106; high school: 123). Of the total, 117 were U.S. citizens, 55 were host-country nationals, and 265 were of other nationalities.

Facilities: The school is located on a seven-acre campus with new or renovated buildings dedicated to preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school. For the secondary school, there are two science labs, two computer labs, two art rooms, and the main library with more than 12,000 volumes and a computer research area. The school has a full gym, a second smaller elementary gym, a fitness center, an outdoor court, a cafeteria, and a brand-new FIFA-certified artificial turf soccer field with a 300-meter track. An on-campus parking garage for 74 vehicles is available for faculty parking. The school shares use of a 25-meter swimming pool located at the nearby U.S. Embassy. Bus transportation is available to and from the school from most residential areas of Tunis, La Marsa, Gammarth, and Carthage. The construction of a new building was completed in April 2017. The state-of-the-art building hosts all elementary classes PK-5, plus all administrative offices, a learning support hub, two music classrooms, and a 450-seat theater. The school is designed in a way to take advantage of natural light and support learning communities. In 2022 the school board approved a 10-year campus master plan. A photovoltaic plant was installed in 2020 which provides half of the school’s electricity.

Finances: In the 2023-2024 school year, over 99% of the school’s income derives from tuition and fees. Annual tuition rates are as follows: PS (half day): $7,293; PS (full day): $12,149; K-5: $23,246; 6-8: $24,705; and 9-12: $25,980. The school also charges students in K-12 a one-time admission fee of $5,000 (maximum fee per family $10,000); an annual capital levy of $1,150; a one-time $200 application fee; a $1,500 per year optional bus fee; and a $800 per year optional lunch fee. Individual students taking the exams must pay IB testing fees. (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.