Region 12
South Side
Understand key findings about the current state of K-12 public education in regions of the City of Chicago.

2019-20 Report

The Regional Detail report provides the data set and break down of ARA information for this part of the city.

Download Summary

Introduction

The Annual Regional Analysis is a set of facts to inform community dialogue and district planning.

The report includes information on all CPS schools, including traditional neighborhood, selective enrollment, magnet, charter, special education specialty, and Options (alternative) schools.

This document is a common fact base from which to understand the school landscape in communities. The intent of the ARA is not to provide recommendations but rather a set of findings based on the data that serves as input to inform community dialogue and district planning.

STRUCTURE & ORGANIZATION

The ARA is organized in 16 geographic regions, aligned with Chicago Neighborhoods Now planning zones. The regions were created by the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development based on research on housing and jobs. They are defined with natural boundaries, such as rivers and railroads, in mind. These elements, as well as transportation options, are likely considerations for families in choosing schools. With the goal of utilizing a consistent structure year to year, these regions are more stable than city wards and school networks.

read more

  • District Reference Map

Overview

Explore this section to learn important background information about the region.

  • Region Map

The South Side region is generally bounded by West 49th Street to the north, the Dan Ryan Expressway to the east, West 87th Street to the south, and South Western Avenue to the west. The region is served by nine transit stops.

Source: City of Chicago, Neighborhoods Now, http://cn2015.net

School Type

Elementary Schools
Attendance
Citywide
High Schools
Attendance
Citywide
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

* Denotes Options/alternative or special education specialty school

  • Racial/Ethnic Composition

The South Side region has become slightly less African American and more Latinx over the past four years

The racial/ethnic composition of the South Side student population is majority African American, although in the past four years the share of African American students has dropped from 88% to 84% as the percentage of Latinx students has risen from 11% to 15%. The percentage of students qualified for Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) has dropped 89% to 87% in the past four years.

Students in the northwestern part of the South Side region are mainly Latinx, with African American students making up the majority of students in the remainder of the region.

Racial/Ethnic Composition

Race/Ethnicity
 
African American
 
Asian
 
Latinx*
 
White
 
Other

* As a district, CPS has begun using the more inclusive term Latinx to respectfully recognize the diverse heritage and gender identities of our students and families.

NOTE: The dots on this map are pie charts showing the mix of students residing in an area. It does not show information about individual students.

  • Free and Reduced Lunch Rates

The percentage for FRL in the region remains higher than the district average of 76%.

The South Side region is primarily made up of low-income neighborhoods. The southwestern part of the region is the higher-income Ashburn area.

Free and Reduced Lunch Rates

 
Free and Reduced Lunch
 
Without Free and Reduced Lunch
Median 2019 Household Income
 
0 to 39,000
 
39,000 to 50,300
 
50,300 to 64,500
 
64,500 to 86,200
 
86,200 to 501,000

Quality

Explore this section to learn more about how many Level 1+/1 schools and seats are in the region.

How Many Level 1+/1 Seats Are There?

  • Elementary Schools Map

  • High Schools Map

There are 50 elementary schools in the South Side region, including 7 Level 1+ schools, 18 Level 1 schools, 12 Level 2+ schools, 11 Level 2 schools, 1 Level 3 school, and 1 Inability to Rate school.

There are 37 zoned elementary schools in this region. 43% of elementary students residing in this region live in the attendance boundaries of Level 1+/1 schools.

Elementary

2019-20

History

2019-20
2018-19
2017-18
2016-17

School Type

Elementary Schools
Attendance Area**
(School location OUTSIDE region)
Attendance Area***
(School location INSIDE region)
Citywide
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

* Denotes Options/alternative and special education specialty school
** Attendance areas serving middle schools grades are designated by a hollow outline and labeled with the applicable grades, e.g., NORTHWEST (6-8).
*** Attendance areas with a diagonal line fill represent those where the main school location is outside of the region.

High Schools Map

There are 14 high schools in the South Side region: 1 Level 1+ school, 3 Level 2+ schools, 8 level 2 schools, and 2 Inability to Rate school. In addition, there are 4 Options high schools in the region (1 Level 1+ school, 2 Level 1 schools, and 1 Level 2+ school).

There are 4 zoned high schools in this region. There are no high school students residing in this region who live in the attendance boundaries of a Level 1+/1 high school.

High School

2019-20

History

2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19

School Type

High Schools
Attendance Area**
(School location OUTSIDE region)
Attendance Area***
(School location INSIDE region)
Citywide
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

* Denotes Options/alternative and special education specialty school
** Attendance areas serving middle schools grades are designated by a hollow outline and labeled with the applicable grades, e.g., NORTHWEST (6-8).
*** Attendance areas with a diagonal line fill represent those where the main school location is outside of the region.

  • Number of Schools Over Time

  • Elementary Seats Over Time

  • High School Seats Over Time

  • Options High School Seats Over Time

There are currently 68 schools in the region, including 50 elementary schools, 14 high schools, and 4 Options high schools. The number of Level 1+/1 schools has fluctuated over the past four years, but increased back to 29 this year. The number of Level 2+ schools has dropped from 20 to 16, while the number of Level 2 schools has fluctuated and increased to 19 this year. The number of Level 3 schools has dropped from 2 to 1.

Schools

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Elementary Seats Over Time

The decline in number of seats overall from 2017-18 to 2018-19 was driven primarily by the change in how building capacity is determined (see note below). The percentage of Level 1+/1 elementary seats has increased from 36% to 45% since the 2016-17 school year.

Elementary

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

High School Seats Over Time

The percentage of Level 1+/1 high school seats has decreased from 44% to 10% since the 2016-17 school year.

High School

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Options Seats Over Time

The percentage of Level 1+/1 Options high school seats has increased from 43% to 71% since the 2016-17 school year.

Options High School

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

NOTE: In 2018-19, an update to the CPS space utilization standards resulted in a reduction in the number of classrooms used in the calculation of ideal capacity of a school building. Special education cluster program classrooms, Pre-K classrooms, and small-sized classrooms are no longer included in the number of seats. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

The SQRP metrics for Options high schools are different from traditional high schools. For more information on how SQRP measures school quality for Options schools, visit www.cps.edu/sqrp.

How Many Students Are Enrolled in Level 1+/1 Schools?

  • Elementary Enrollment Over Time

  • High School Enrollment Over Time

  • Options High School Enrollment Over Time

Enrollment By School

Students who reside in region, including those who attend school out of region

The percentage of elementary students attending Level 1+/1 schools has increased from 40% to 45% since the 2016-17 school year. The percentage attending Level 2 and Level 3 schools has increased from 23% to 28% in the past four years.

Elementary

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

High School Enrollment Over Time

The percentage of high school students attending Level 1+/1 schools has decreased from 56% to 28% in the past four years. The percentage of students who attend a Level 2+ school has fluctuated over the past four years, but increased from 18% to 26%, while the percentage of students who attend Level 2 and Level 3 schools has increased from 24% to 40% in the past four years.

High School

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Options High School Enrollment Over Time

In the past for years, there has been a decrease in enrollment in Options high schools. However, the percentage of students enrolled in Level 1+/1 schools increased from 40% to 54% in the past four years. The percentage of students attending Level 2 and Level 3 schools has decreased from 23% to 20%.

Options High School

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

  • Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity

  • Enrollment by Household Income

Students who reside in region, including those who attend school out of region

The South Side region’s student population is primarily African American. 40% of African American students attend Level 1+/1 schools, compared to the 43% of Latinx students. 32% of African American students attend Level 2 and Level 3 schools compared to the 19% of Latinx students.

# and % of students
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

* As a district, CPS has begun using the more inclusive term Latinx to respectfully recognize the diverse heritage and gender identities of our students and families.

Enrollment by Household Income

There is a difference in quality of school attended by students of different household income levels based on the median for the census tract where they reside. The majority of students living in this region live in areas that have household incomes between $20,000 and $39,000. As an area’s household income increases, so does the percentage of students attending Level 1+/1 schools. In the areas with the lowest household income, 28% of students attend Level 1+/1 schools, compared to 69% in areas with the highest household income levels. In the areas with the lowest household incomes, 44% of students attend Level 2 and Level 3 schools, compared to 8% of students in the areas with the highest household incomes.

# and % of students
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Do Students Have Access to Level 1+/1 Schools?

  • Elementary Seats, Enrollment and Access

  • High School Seats, Enrollment and Access

  • Options High School Seats, Enrollment and Access

There are 7,309 students enrolled in Level 1+/1 schools in the region. There are 4,747 students enrolled in Level 2+ schools and 3,418 students enrolled in Level 2 schools. There are 6,756 unfilled Level 1+/1 elementary seats in the region.

97% of Level 1+/1 elementary seats in the region, including the 98% of the 6,756 unfilled Level 1+/1 elementary seats, are in schools with no admissions criteria. 2% of unfilled L1+/1 elementary seats in the region are in schools that have schoolwide admissions criteria.

Seats
Students
Unfilled Seats

Elementary Seats, Enrollment and Access

2,292
5,017
4,747
3,418
308
523
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Admission Type of Level 1+/1 Seats

 
No Admissions Criteria
 
Some Programs with Admissions Criteria
 
Schoolwide Admissions Criteria

NOTE: Enrollment in these charts includes all students who attend schools in the region regardless of where they reside. Admissions criteria refer to test scores, grades, attendance, or other requirements for admissions. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

*The bar graph includes overcrowded schools. The unfilled seat numbers remove those schools from the calculation.

High School Seats, Enrollment and Access

There are 1,312 students enrolled in Level 1+ schools and 0 students enrolled in Level 1 schools. There are 1,323 students enrolled in Level 2+ schools and 3,979 students enrolled in Level 2 schools. There are 8 unfilled Level 1+ seats and 0 unfilled Level 1 seats in the region

Of all Level 1+/1 high school seats in the region, 100% are in schools that have schoolwide admissions criteria, including all unfilled Level 1+/1 seats.

Seats
Students
Unfilled Seats

High School Seats, Enrollment and Access

1,312
0
1,323
3,979
0
733
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Admission Type of Level 1+/1 Seats

 
No Admissions Criteria
 
Some Programs with Admissions Criteria
 
Schoolwide Admissions Criteria

NOTE: Enrollment in these charts includes all students who attend schools in the region regardless of where they reside. Admissions criteria refer to test scores, grades, attendance, or other requirements for admissions. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

*The bar graph includes overcrowded schools. The unfilled seat numbers remove those schools from the calculation.

Options High School Seats, Enrollment and Access

This year, there is some available capacity in Level 1 Options high schools. Options schools do not have admissions criteria, although many only serve students 16 years old and older.

Seats
Students

Options High School Seats, Enrollment and Access

103
394
301
0
0
0
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Quantity

Explore this section for information on the number of seats and enrollment patterns in the region.

How Many Seats Are There for the Student Population?

  • Student Population

  • Student Enrollment

Students who reside in region, including those who attend school out of region

The number of students who live in the South Side region has dropped by 2,795 students (8.9%) since 2016-17, which is greater than the 6.9% citywide decline. The K-8th grade population has decreased by 7.9% (slightly greater than the 7.4% decrease in total CPS K-8th grade student enrollment) and the 9th-12th grade population has decreased by 11.0% (greater than the 4.0% decrease in total CPS 9th-12th grade student enrollment).

CPS Population

 
9 - 12
 
K - 8
 
PE & PK

Student Enrollment

Students who attend school in region, including those who reside out of region

The number of students enrolled in the region has dropped by more than 2,900 students (10.0%), a steeper decline than the student population decline in the region. For the past four years, there have been consistently fewer students enrolled in the region than live in the region. K-8 enrollment has dropped by 8.2% and 9-12 enrollment has decreased by 14.0%.

CPS Enrollment

 
9 - 12
 
K - 8
 
PE & PK

  • Seats and Enrollment

There are 20,248 more seats than students enrolled in the region, including 14,908 elementary school seats and 5,340 high school seats.

Seats and Enrollment

Seats
Students
 
Elementary
 
High School
16,305
8,145

NOTE: For these charts, the elementary grades students enrolled in combination K-12 schools are grouped into the high school category.

How Many Pre-Kindergarten Seats Are There for the Student Population?

  • Total Pre-K Seats and Enrollment

  • Full-Day Pre-K Seats and Enrollment

  • 4-Year-Old Enrollment Over Time

  • Pre-K Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity

In the South Side region, there are 1,983 Pre-K seats, 75% of which are in full-day programs and 25% in half-day programs.

Total Pre-K Seats

 
Full Day
 
Half Day

In the South Side region, there were 1,456 students enrolled in Pre-K as of the 20th day of school (October 1st), 78% of which were in a full-day program. 78% of Pre-K students were 4-year-olds while 22% were 3-year-olds. Pre-K enrollment continues to occur over the course of the school year.

Total Pre-K Enrollment

 
Full Day Age 4
 
Half Day Age 4
 
Full Day Age 3
 
Half Day Age 3

There were 527 unfilled Pre-K seats in the South Side region as of the 20th day of school (October 1st), 354 of which were full-day seats. The full-day programs were 76% filled while the half-day programs were 65% filled.

Total Pre-K Seats and Enrollment

 
Pre-K Seats
 
Unfilled Seats

Full-Day Pre-K Seats and Enrollment

In the South Side region, there has been an increase of 446 full-day seats over the past four years, a 43% increase.

Full-Day Seats Over Time

4-Year-Old Enrollment Over Time

Over the past four years, there has been a 56% increase in enrollment (374 students) of 4-year-olds in full-day Pre-K programs.

4-Year-Old Enrollment in Full-Day Programs Over Time

Pre-K Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity

Enrollment in Pre-K in the region mostly mirrors enrollment by race and ethnicity in Kindergarten. 82% of Pre-K students are African American compared with 81% of Kindergarten students, and 15% of Pre-K students are Latinx, compared with 16% of Kindergarten students.

Pre-K Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity
 
African American
 
Asian
 
Latinx
 
White
 
Other

Choice

Explore this section for information on school choice patterns and student commute distance and time.

Are Elementary Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

  • School Choice Over Time

  • School Quality and Choice

  • Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

  • School Quality of Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

  • Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School In Region

  • Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School Out of Region

  • Distance and Time Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

School choice is currently defined as attending a school that is not a student’s zoned school. Over the past four years in this region, the percent of elementary students attending a non-zoned school (in or out of region) has fluctuated but, overall, has increased from 55% to 56%. In the same time frame, students attending their zoned school has declined from 45% to 44%.

Elementary Choice Over Time

 
Attending School Out of Region
 
Attending Non-Zoned in Region
 
Attending Zoned School

School Quality and Choice

Of the elementary students residing in the South Side region, 45% attend a Level 1+/1 school. 44% of students who attend their zoned school go to a Level 1+/1 school; for students who attend a non-zoned school in the South Side region that number falls to 42%; and for students who leave the region, that number is 52%.

Elementary School Quality and Choice

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

Of the 4,466 students who attend school out of the region, most are African American and Latinx. African Americans, however, attend a school out of region at a lower rate (21%) than other ethnicities, and Latinx students attend a school out of region at a higher rate (44%) than White students (42%).

Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

 
In Region
 
Out of Region

School Quality of Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

Latinx students who attend school out of the region attend Level 1+/1 schools at a higher rate (56%) than African American students (51%).

School Quality of Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR
1

Only kindergarten through 8th grade students are included in school choice calculations, as pre-kindergarteners are not zoned to a school.

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School in Region

32% of elementary students attend a school in their region that is not their zoned school. The majority of these students attend a Level 1+/1 school or a Level 2+ school. Overall, most students attend Charter/Contract schools or another zoned school in the region.

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School in Region

 
Magnet
 
Military/JROTC
 
Citywide
 
Selective Enrollment
 
Charter/Contract
 
Other Zoned School

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School Out of Region

24% of elementary students attend a school outside of their region that is not their zoned school. The majority of these students attend a Level 1+, 1 or a Level 2+ school. Overall, most students attend Charter/Contract schools or another zoned school outside the region.

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School Out of Region

 
Magnet
 
Military/JROTC
 
Citywide
 
Selective Enrollment
 
Charter/Contract
 
Other Zoned School

Distance and Time Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

56% of elementary students do not attend their zoned school. Of those students, 31% stay within one mile of their home and 34% travel more than three miles. The majority – 65% of students – travel for less than 30 minutes.

Distance Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

 
6+ miles
 
3 - 6 miles
 
1 - 3 miles
 
0 - 1 miles

Region average: 2.9 mi. District average*: 2.8 mi.

Time Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

 
60+ minutes
 
45 - 60 minutes
 
30 - 45 minutes
 
15 - 30 minutes
 
0 - 15 minutes

Region average: 26 min. District average*: 25 min.


*NOTE: Average distances and commute times for students residing in the region and districtwide do not include students attending their zoned school. Averages for all students is in the District section of this report.

Where are Elementary Students Choosing to Attend Outside Their Region?

  • Choice Footprint Map

This map illustrates the current “Choice Footprint” of K-8th graders residing in the South Side region but attending a school outside of this region (“Residing-Not-Attending”)

Number of K-8th Grade Students Enrolled at a School Outside of the South Side Region

Schools are colored according to SQRP rating

1 - 25
26 - 100
101 - 250
> 250
 
South Side Region
 
Other Region
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Are High School Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

  • Percentage of 8th Grade Students Who Applied to High School

  • Percentage of Students Who Received an Offer from one of Their Top 3 Choices

  • School Choice Over Time

  • School Quality and Choice

  • Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

  • School Quality of Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

  • Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School In Region

  • Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School Out of Region

  • Distance and Time Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

In the 2017-18 school year, CPS launched a new high school application process, GoCPS, which created a single application and timeline for all high schools. Only high school programs that require an application for admissions are included. Applicants were asked to rank the schools and programs on their application in order of preference. Students are guaranteed a seat in the general education program at their zoned/neighborhood high school and did not have to submit an application for that program. For more information about the GoCPS application process, visit http://go.cps.edu.

In the South Side region, 1,843 8th grade students applied to a variety of high school programs in Rounds 1 and 2 of the GoCPS application process.

% of 8th Grade Students Who Applied to High School

 
Applied
 
Did Not Apply

Percentage of Students Who Received an Offer From One of Their Top 3 Choices

Of the 8th grade students who applied in Round 1, 89% received an offer to one of their top 3 choices of high school programs. This figure does not include selective enrollment high schools.

% of Students Who Received an Offer From One of Their Top 3 Choices

 
1st Choice
 
2nd Choice
 
3rd Choice
 
4th or lower Choice

NOTE: This analysis only includes 8th grade applicants who were enrolled on the 20th day of school in 2018-19. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

School Choice Over Time

School choice is currently defined as attending a school that is not a student’s zoned school. Over the past four years in this region, high school students attending a non-zoned school (in or out of region) has fallen from 92% to 88%.

High School Choice Over Time

 
Attending School Out of Region
 
Attending Non-Zoned in Region
 
Attending Zoned School

School Quality and Choice

Of the 7,478 high school students residing in the region, 28% attend a Level 1+/1 school. For students attending school out of the region, 42% attend a Level 1+/1 school; for students attending a non-zoned school in the region, that number is 13%. 0% of students attending their zoned school attend a Level 1+/1 school.

High School Quality and Choice

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

Of the 4,211 students who attend school out of the region, most are African American or Latinx. 51% of African American students attend schools outside of the region, compared to 84% of Latinx students.

Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

 
In Region
 
Out of Region

School Quality of Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

African American students attend Level 1+/1 schools at a lower rate than Latinx students – 39% compared to 53%.

School Quality of Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School in Region

32% of high school students attend a school in their region that is not their zoned school. The majority of these students attend Level 2+/2 schools. Overall, most students attend Charter/Contract schools in the region.

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School in Region

 
Magnet
 
Military/JROTC
 
Citywide
 
Selective Enrollment
 
Charter/Contract
 
Other Zoned School

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School Out of Region

56% of high school students attend a school outside of their region that is not their zoned school. Students attend every level of school (except Level 3), but there is the most amount of students attending Level 2+ schools. Overall, most students attend another zoned school outside the region.

Students Who Attend Non-Zoned School Out of Region

 
Magnet
 
Military/JROTC
 
Citywide
 
Selective Enrollment
 
Charter/Contract
 
Other Zoned School

Distance and Time Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

88% of high school students do not attend their zoned school. Of those students, 59% travel more than three miles for school and 23% travel more than six miles. 42% of students who do not attend their zoned school travel for less than 30 minutes while 25% travel for more than 45 minutes.

Distance Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

 
6+ miles
 
3 - 6 miles
 
1 - 3 miles
 
0 - 1 miles

Region average: 4.3 mi. District average*: 3.9 mi.

Time Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

 
60+ minutes
 
45 - 60 minutes
 
30 - 45 minutes
 
15 - 30 minutes
 
0 - 15 minutes

Region average: 35 min. District average*: 32 min.

*NOTE: Average distances and commute times for students residing in the region and districtwide do not include students attending their zoned school. Averages for all students is in the District section of this report. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Where are High School Students Choosing to Attend Outside Their Region?

  • Choice Footprint Map

This map illustrates the current “Choice Footprint” of 9th-12th graders residing in the South Side region but attending a school outside of this region (“Residing-Not-Attending”).

Number of 9th-12th Grade Students Enrolled at a School Outside of the South Side Region

Schools are colored according to SQRP rating

1 - 25
26 - 100
101 - 250
> 250
 
South Side Region
 
Other Region
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Are Options Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

  • Options High School Choice Over Time

  • Options Students' Distance Traveled to School

  • Options Students' Time Traveled to School

Over the past four years, the share of South Side region Options high school students attending a school in the region has declined from 34% to 32%. Options high school students attend school out of region at a higher rate than elementary students and high school students.

 
Attending School Out of Region
 
Attending Non-Zoned in Region

Options Students' Distance Traveled to School

The average Options high school student in the South Side region travels 4 miles to school, which is the same as the district average. 12% travel less than a mile and 56% travel more than 3 miles.

Distance Traveled of Options Students in Region vs District

 
6+ miles
 
3 - 6 miles
 
1 - 3 miles
 
0 - 1 miles

Region average: 4.0 mi. District average: 4.0 mi.

Options Students' Time Traveled to School

The average Options high school student in the South Side region travels for 33 minutes to school, which is 1 minute more than the district average. 15% travel for less than 15 minutes and 24% travel for more than 45 minutes.

Time Traveled to School if Not Attending Zoned School

 
60+ minutes
 
45 - 60 minutes
 
30 - 45 minutes
 
15 - 30 minutes
 
0 - 15 minutes

Region average: 33 min. District average: 32 min.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Where are Options Students Choosing to Attend Outside Their Region?

  • Choice Footprint Map and Table

This map illustrates the current “Choice Footprint” of 9th-12th Options students residing in the South Side region.

Number of 9th-12th Grade Options Students residing in the South Side Region

Schools are colored according to SQRP rating

1 - 25
26 - 100
101 - 250
> 250
 
South Side Region
 
Other Region
SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Options High School Students

  # of Options Students% of HS Students in Options Schools
South Side 98612%
West Side 1,22011%
Greater Stony Island 75811%
Bronzeville / South Lakefront 53211%
Greater Calumet 62310%
Near West Side 848%
Greater Stockyards 3756%
Greater Midway 8746%
Far Southwest Side 715%
Pilsen / Little Village 3005%
Greater Milwaukee Avenue 3065%
North Lakefront 1324%
Northwest Side 3804%
Far Northwest Side 5063%
Greater Lincoln Park 703%
Central Area 323%
District 7,2497%

Variety

Explore this section to learn more about the variety of schools and program types available in the region.

Do Students Have Access to the Variety of Schools and Programs Offered?

  • Elementary Program Density Table

  • High School Program Density Table

Program Density

The Program Density Index measures the “density” of certain academic programs in each region. The index is calculated as the number of program seats per 100 age-eligible CPS students who reside in the region; this index can be used to compare program availability across regions. For high school programs, this index is calculated using the number of seats available for 9th grade via the GoCPS application process and the number of 9th graders who reside in the region.

For more information about types of programs, visit https://cps.edu/Pages/AcademicProgramRFP.aspx.

Program Density Index (Number of Program Seats Per 100 Students)

  Total
Academic Center 6
Dual Language 0
Fine & Performing Arts 18
International Baccalaureate 2
Other 8
Personalized Learning 34
RGC/Classical 1
Selective Enrollment 0
STEM 16
World Language 6
1

Programs listed do not have admissions criteria for enrollment.

2

STEM elementary programs include STEM, STEAM, Math, Science, Engineering and Technology magnet and magnet cluster programs. Schools may offer STEM programming outside of magnet schools/magnet cluster programs.

3

Personalized Learning is a learner-driven instructional model that fosters 21st century skills by empowering every student to actively co-design their learning path, pace, and environment according to their individual needs, strengths, and interests. This data includes schools that are on the path to schoolwide adoption of this approach.

4

Many schools offer arts programming outside of magnet schools/magnet cluster programs. Schools receive a Creative Schools Certification indicating the strength of their arts programming. More information can be found on each school’s profile page.

NOTE: Several elementary schools are currently incubating programs that are not included in the figures above. The following elementary schools will begin Dual Language programming next school year: Clark (West Side), Eberhart (Greater Midway), Funston (Greater Milwaukee Avenue), Goethe (Greater Milwaukee Avenue), and Salazar (Central Area). The following schools will begin Fine & Performing Arts programming next school year: Cameron (West Side), Belmont-Cragin (Far Northwest Side), Till (Bronzeville / South Lakefront), and Portage Park (Far Northwest Side). The following elementary schools are incubating or are candidates for authorization for the IB Primary Years program: Faraday (West Side), Fiske (Bronzeville / South Lakefront), Josephine Locke (Far Northwest Side), McPherson (Northwest Side), and Moos (Greater Milwaukee Avenue). The following elementary schools are incubating or are candidates for authorization for the IB Middle Years program: Belding (Northwest Side), Fairfield (Greater Midway), Little Village (Pilsen / Little Village), and Pickard (Pilsen / Little Village). The following elementary schools will begin Personalized Learning programming next school year: Addams (Greater Calumet) and Hawthorne (Greater Lincoln Park). The following elementary school will begin to phase in a Regional Gifted Center next school year: McPherson (Northwest Side). The following elementary schools will begin STEAM programming next school year: Chase (Greater Milwaukee Avenue), Earhart (Greater Stony Island), Evergreen (Greater Stockyards), and Peterson (Northwest Side). The following elementary schools will begin STEM programming next school year: Columbia Explorers (Greater Stockyards), Cuffe (South Side), Everett (Greater Stockyards), Peck (Greater Midway), and Shoop (Greater Calumet).

High School Program Density Table

Program Density Index (Number of Program Seats Per 100 Students)

  Total
Dual Language 0
Fine & Performing Arts 0
International Baccalaureate 13
Military 3
Other 0
Personalized Learning 19
Selective Enrollment 7
STEM 14
World Language 0
Career & Technical Education 38
1

Selective Enrollment, Military, and IB programs have admissions criteria for enrollment.

2

Many schools may offer STEM programming outside of early college STEM schools.

3

Personalized Learning is a learner-driven instructional model that fosters 21st century skills by empowering every student to actively co-design their learning path, pace, and environment according to their individual needs, strengths, and interests. This data includes schools that are on the path to schoolwide adoption of this approach.

4

Many schools offer arts programming outside of these specific Fine and Performing Arts programs. Schools receive a Creative Schools Certification indicating the strength of their arts programming. More information can be found on each school’s profile page.

NOTE: Several high schools are currently incubating programs that are not included in the figures above. The following high school will begin Dual Language programming next school year: Roosevelt HS (Northwest Side). The following high school will begin Early College STEM programming next school year: Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville (Bronzeville / South Lakefront). The following high schools will begin Fine & Performing Arts programming next school year: Collins HS (West Side) and Wells HS (Greater Milwaukee Avenue). The following high school is in the pre-candidacy phase for the IB Middle Years program: Clark HS (West Side). The following high school will begin STEAM programming next school year: Steinmetz HS (Far Northwest Side).

  • Elementary Program Seats Table

  • High School Program Seats Table

  • Top 3 High School Program Choices Applied to by 8th Grade Students

Number of Seats

  Total
Academic Center 250
Fine & Performing Arts 3240
International Baccalaureate 340
Other 1560
Personalized Learning 6347
RGC/Classical 270
STEM 2910
World Language 1020
Dual Language 0

High School Program Seats Table

Number of Seats

  Total
CTE: Building/Transportation 672
CTE: Business/Law 252
CTE: Culinary 420
CTE: Family and Consumer Services 84
CTE: IT 420
CTE: Media/Communication 84
CTE: Other 420
International Baccalaureate 550
Military 252
Personalized Learning 1580
Selective Enrollment 580
STEM 1224
CTE: Health 0
Fine & Performing Arts 0
Other 0

Top 3 High School Program Choices Applied to by 8th Grade Students

In the 2017-18 school year, CPS launched a new high school application process, GoCPS, which created a single application and timeline for all high schools. Only high school programs that require an application for admissions are included. Applicants were asked to rank order the schools and programs on their application in order of preference. Students are guaranteed a seat in the general education program at their zoned/neighborhood high school and did not have to submit an application for that program. For more information about the GoCPS application process, visit http://go.cps.edu.

These graphs show high school program choices that were ranked No. 1, 2, or 3 by applicants in Round 1 of the GoCPS application process. This data does not include applications to selective enrollment high schools. These graphs compare the number of applications to different programs and the total number of programs in their region and outside of their region. The applications to programs within the region are contingent on the availability of programs.

Of the Top 3 Choice applications from 8th graders in the South Side region, 25% were to programs within region.

Of the applications to programs out of region, general education and CTE programs had the highest number of applications. About half of applications to programs outside of the region were to programs in Level 1+/1 schools for all types of programs.

TOP 3 HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM CHOICES APPLIED TO BY 8TH GRADE STUDENTS

In Region

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

Out of Region

SQRP Rating (Levels)
1+
1
2+
2
3
Inability to Rate
IR

NOTE: This chart shows schools’ SQRP Level for the 2017-18 school year, the year in which these 8th grade students applied to high school.

Reference

  • Elementary Schools

  • High Schools

  • Elementary Programs

  • High School Programs

SQRP, Enrollment, Seats and Choice Data by School

  2016-172017-182018-192019-20
CICS - BASIL Level 2Level 2+Level 2+Level 2+
CICS - LOOMIS Inability to RateInability to RateInability to RateInability to Rate
CICS - WRIGHTWOOD Level 2+Level 2Level 2+Level 2+
PROVIDENCE ENGLEWOOD Level 2+Level 2+Level 2Level 2+
LEARN - PERKINS Level 2+Level 1Level 1Level 1+
MONTESSORI ENGLEWOOD Level 1Level 1Level 3Level 2+
KIPP - BLOOM Level 1+Level 2+Level 1+Level 1+
BARTON Level 2+Level 2+Level 2Level 2
BASS Level 2Level 1Level 1Level 2+
NICHOLSON Level 2+Level 2Level 3Level 1
JOPLIN Level 1Level 1+Level 1Level 1
CARROLL Level 2+Level 2+Level 1Level 1
COOK Level 2+Level 2Level 1Level 2
LANGFORD Level 2Level 2Level 2Level 2
DEWEY Level 1+Level 1Level 1Level 2+
TURNER-DREW Level 2+Level 1+Level 2+Level 1+
EARLE Level 2Level 1+Level 2Level 1+
FORT DEARBORN Level 2+Level 2Level 1+Level 1
FOSTER PARK Level 1Level 2+Level 2+Level 1
FULTON Level 2+Level 1Level 2+Level 2+
RANDOLPH Level 2+Level 2+Level 2Level 2
GRESHAM Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+Level 2+
HARVARD Level 2Level 2+Level 1Level 2
HENDERSON Level 2Level 2Level 2Level 2
HOLMES Level 2Level 2Level 2+Level 1
CUFFE Level 1Level 1+Level 1Level 1
KERSHAW Level 2+Level 1+Level 1Level 2+
KIPLING Level 2+Level 2+Level 2+Level 1
GREEN Level 1+Level 1Level 1Level 1
LIBBY Level 1Level 2+Level 2+Level 2+
OGLESBY Level 2+Level 2Level 2Level 2
OTOOLE Level 1Level 2+Level 2+Level 2+
OWEN Level 1Level 1Level 1Level 1
PARKER Level 2Level 1Level 2Level 2
RYDER Level 1Level 1Level 1+Level 1
SHERMAN Level 1+Level 2+Level 2+Level 1
SHERWOOD Level 1Level 1+Level 2+Level 1+
WENTWORTH Level 2+Level 2Level 2Level 2
BOND Level 2+Level 1Level 2Level 1
DALEY Level 2+Level 2+Level 2Level 2+
ASHBURN Level 1+Level 2+Level 1Level 1
MAYS Level 2Level 2Level 2Level 3
LENART Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+
KING ES Level 2Level 2Level 2+Level 1
WESTCOTT Level 1Level 2Level 1Level 2
STAGG Level 2Level 2+Level 1Level 1
EVERS Level 1+Level 1+Level 2+Level 1
WACKER Level 1+Level 1+Level 2+Level 1+
JACKSON M Level 3Level 1Level 2Level 2
DAVIS M Level 1+Level 1Level 1Level 1

NOTE: RA/TR* - RA/TR is a measure of whether students who reside in the attendance boundary of a zoned school attend that school. RA refers to Kindergarten students who reside in the school’s attendance boundary and attend the school. TR refers to the total number of Kindergarten students who reside in the attendance boundary and attend any CPS school. Citywide schools do not have an attendance boundary and are listed as N/A.

KIPP – Bloom is co-located with Hope HS.

KIPP – Bloom is in the process of adding grades to reach its intended full grade structure.

Montessori Englewood is in the process of adding grades to reach its intended full grade structure.

High Schools

TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SQRP, ENROLLLMENT, AND CHOICE DATA BY SCHOOL

  2016-172017-182018-192019-20
CICS - ELLISON HS Level 2+Level 2Level 2Level 2
CICS - LONGWOOD Level 2Level 2+Level 2Level 2
PERSPECTIVES - LEADERSHIP HS Level 1Level 2+Level 2+Level 2+
PERSPECTIVES - TECH HS Level 1+Level 1Level 2+Level 2+
URBAN PREP - ENGLEWOOD HS Level 2+Level 2Level 2Level 2
NOBLE - JOHNSON HS Level 1Level 2+Level 2+Level 2
NOBLE - HANSBERRY HS Level 1+Level 1Level 1+Level 2+
RICHARDS HS Level 2Level 2Level 3Level 2
SIMEON HS Level 1Level 1Level 2+Level 2
HARPER HS Level 2Level 2Level 2Level 2
SOUTHSIDE HS Inability to RateInability to RateInability to RateInability to Rate
LINDBLOM HS Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+
ENGLEWOOD STEM HS Not OpenNot OpenNot OpenInability to Rate
HOPE HS Level 2Level 2Level 2Level 2

NOTE: RA/TR* - RA/TR is a measure of whether students who reside in the attendance boundary of a zoned school attend that school. RA refers to Kindergarten students who reside in the school’s attendance boundary and attend the school. TR refers to the total number of Kindergarten students who reside in the attendance boundary and attend any CPS school. Citywide schools do not have an attendance boundary and are listed as N/A.

Hope HS is co-located with KIPP – Bloom.

OPTIONS HIGH SCHOOL SQRP AND ENROLLLMENT DATA BY SCHOOL

  2016-172017-182018-192019-20
YCCS - YOUTH DEVELOPMENT Level 1Level 2+Level 1Level 1
PEACE AND EDUCATION HS Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+
PATHWAYS - ASHBURN HS Level 2Level 2Level 2+Level 2+
CAMELOT - EXCEL ENGLEWOOD HS Level 1+Level 1+Level 1+Level 1

Elementary Programs

Program Type by School

  Dual LanguageFine & Performing ArtsInternational BaccalaureateOtherPersonalized LearningRGC/ClassicalSTEMWorld Language
CICS - BASIL         
CICS - LOOMIS        
CICS - WRIGHTWOOD         
PROVIDENCE ENGLEWOOD         
LEARN - PERKINS         
MONTESSORI ENGLEWOOD        
KIPP - BLOOM         
BARTON         
BASS       
NICHOLSON        
JOPLIN        
CARROLL         
COOK        
LANGFORD         
DEWEY        
TURNER-DREW        
EARLE        
FORT DEARBORN       
FOSTER PARK        
FULTON         
RANDOLPH        
GRESHAM         
HARVARD         
HENDERSON         
HOLMES         
CUFFE         
KERSHAW        
KIPLING       
GREEN         
LIBBY         
OGLESBY         
OTOOLE         
OWEN        
PARKER         
RYDER         
SHERMAN        
SHERWOOD         
WENTWORTH        
BOND         
DALEY        
ASHBURN        
MAYS         
LENART        
KING ES         
WESTCOTT         
STAGG        
EVERS        
WACKER         
JACKSON M         
DAVIS M        

High School Programs

Program Type by School

  Academic CenterCTE: Building/TransportationCTE: Business/LawCTE: CulinaryCTE: Family and Consumer ServicesCTE: HealthCTE: ITCTE: Media/CommunicationCTE: OtherEarly College STEMFine & Performing ArtsInternational BaccalaureateMilitaryOtherPersonalized LearningSelective EnrollmentSTEM
CICS - ELLISON HS                  
CICS - LONGWOOD                  
PERSPECTIVES - LEADERSHIP HS                 
PERSPECTIVES - TECH HS                  
URBAN PREP - ENGLEWOOD HS                  
NOBLE - JOHNSON HS                  
NOBLE - HANSBERRY HS                 
RICHARDS HS                
SIMEON HS            
HARPER HS               
SOUTHSIDE HS               
HOPE HS                  
LINDBLOM HS            
ENGLEWOOD STEM HS