Chicago Public Schools Continues to Demonstrate Strong Academic Recovery and Momentum

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CHICAGO - Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez, along with other District and school officials, Thursday celebrated the third consecutive year of record-breaking graduation rates and other metrics that reflect the District's standing as a national leader in academic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. The event at Charles Allen Prosser Career Academy highlighted K-12 achievements, including improved state assessment scores for third through eighth graders, increasing participation in Early College and Career Education programming, as well as the Class of 2024's record-breaking $2.11 billion in college scholarships.

"The academic progress we are witnessing reflects the impact of the District's strategic student-centered investments," said CEO Martinez. "We remain committed to work with our city, state and federal partners to ensure that we secure the necessary resources to support our students' continued academic progress and achievements."

Core Instruction

The 2023-24 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) results show CPS surpassing pre-pandemic proficiency rates, increasing by 4.6 percentage points over last year, and up 10.5 points since 2021-22 to 30.5 percent of students meeting or exceeding expectations on the English Language Arts (ELA) IAR exam, with Black students growth outpacing the District. From SY22 to SY24, the percentage of students achieving proficiency in ELA increased for all racial groups. The percentage of students achieving proficiency in ELA also increased across all grade levels taking IAR (grades 3-8) from SY22 to SY24. Similarly, the percentage of students achieving proficiency in ELA increased for all major racial/gender groups. The percentage of Black males achieving proficiency increased by 10.7 percentage points since SY22 to 18.7 percent, and the percentage of Latino males achieving proficiency increased by 8.5 percentage points to 22.0 percent in the same two-year timespan.

The 2024 IAR gains follow similar gains in 2023 that were heralded as some of the best in the country based on research by Harvard and Stanford Universities. The Education Recovery Scorecard and subsequent analysis demonstrated that CPS students not only led large urban districts in pandemic recovery reading gains in 2023, but also outpaced the state of Illinois as a whole, and far outpaced similar Districts in the state. With a 5.9 percentage point gain in 2023, CPS students ranked #1 in post-pandemic reading gains in 3rd to 8th grade in 2023 among 40 or the largest urban districts and ranked third in combined reading and math.

The practices and investments that have led to this student success are codified in the District's new five-year strategic plan, Success 2029: Together We Rise, which emphasizes a daily student learning experience that is rigorous, joyful and equitable. Together We Rise commits to doubling down on proven practices like learning acceleration through high-quality curriculum and instruction, support for student well-being, and the new needs-based school funding model, as well as identifying critical priority areas to serve students furthest from opportunity.

Early College Attainment
The District's access to advanced coursework and exposure to various college and career opportunities has increased over time, with improved metrics among high school students. Currently, 69.8 percent of CPS graduates attend college and 73 percent of students persist in college.

The Office of College and Career Success (OCCS) creates myriad opportunities for CPS students to explore career paths, from cyber security to fields in law, healthcare, manufacturing and more. Among the District's central initiatives is the Early College and Career Education (ECCE) program, which provides students with access and additional support to take college-level courses while earning their high school diplomas.

"I am proud that Prosser offers so many opportunities for students to be successful, from the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program to the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs," said Prosser Principal Sandra L. Shimon. "In addition to the work we do in our classrooms, the staff at Prosser constantly connect with students and foster a sense of belonging to ensure their needs are met. This makes all the difference in their growth and development as young adults who are on the precipice of their future."

Increasingly, CPS are graduating with more than a high school diploma. More than 52 percent of the Class of 2024 graduates earned early college and career credits through pathways including the Early College Programs, marking a three percent increase from the previous school year. This includes a three percent increase among Black students and a four percent increase for LatinX students earning college credits simultaneously with their high school diploma. These students, who were eighth graders during the onset of the pandemic, earned approximately 117,852 credit hours and saved an estimated $17.2 million in tuition expenses. More than 1,400 mostly Black and Latino students participated in summer internships and more than 9,000 participated in work-based learning experiences.

Antonio Ricano, a senior at Prosser, said he's grateful for his participation in the school's Solar Renewable Energy Pathway which has increased his confidence and job skills, confirming his interest in becoming an electrician. Ricano has a pending apprenticeship with IBEW 134 following graduation.

"I have engaged in hands-on learning, developing many skills such as how to connect wires, soldering, and making circuit boards," Ricano said. "Overall, being a Prosser student has been nothing but a blessing, I've had supportive teachers, great friends and picked up valuable career skills along the way."

Additionally, more than 26 percent of the Class of 2024 students participated in Advanced Placement (AP) program, earning college credits through college freshman-level courses in subjects including English, history, social sciences, math, and computer science, among others that can be applied to their General Education requirements at most colleges or universities.

Furthermore, approximately 20 percent of these graduates took college-level courses at their high schools through the District's Dual Credit partnership with City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) and The Chicago Roadmap initiative. Dual credit courses count toward CPS high school graduation and meet the same standards as those taken at a CCC campus taught by CCC-qualified CPS teachers.

More than eight percent of the Class of 2024 graduates participated in the CPS Dual Enrollment Program where CPS juniors and seniors enrolled in college courses at one of the seven City Colleges of Chicago (CCC). These high school students persevered and simultaneously met the expectations of their college professors and high school teachers.

Additionally, more than 13 percent, up from 11 percent last year, of graduates earned the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy which is awarded to students who have attained proficiency in two or more languages before their high school graduation. CPS has made intentional investments in multicultural and multilingual services and programming, including dual language programming which provides instruction in both English and Spanish, ensuring students are bi-literate and bilingual in both languages.

District students learn of the various early college and career programs through initiatives like Learn.Plan.Succeed and expanded partnerships built through the Chicago Roadmap which provide students with the opportunity to explore a variety of careers and develop a plan for their future.

The Class of 2024 achieved an 84.1 percent four-year graduation rate, reflecting a steady upward trajectory over the past two decades. The District's four-year graduation rates have doubled from 41 percent in 2001. Additionally, the 2023-24 school year had the second lowest dropout rate in more than 20 years at 4.9 percent, showing improvements in student engagement.

CPS graduates are attending higher education powerhouses like Harvard, Howard, Michigan, Morehouse, Princeton, Spelman, Stanford, and institutions across Illinois and around the world - and more are earning support for their achievements. The Class of 2024's record $2.11 billion in scholarships represents the highest amount ever awarded to a CPS class since 2014.

The District will share more School Year 2023-24 data at an upcoming Board of Education meeting. Thursday's gathering at the Belmont Cragin neighborhood high school highlighted the clear instructional vision and aligned resourcing of the current CPS administration and the new five-year strategic plan, said CPS Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova.

"Over the past three years, we have made intentional investments to ensure that students have the resources and support to learn, grow, and succeed academically, socially, and emotionally," said CEdO Chkoumbova. "We will continue to work together with all leaders, teachers, and families to drive continued academic progress."

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