CHICAGO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE:

CHARTER SCHOOLS MAKE UP 9 of top 10 non-selective High schools

CHICAGO – The Illinois Network of Charter Schools (www.incschools.org) is thrilled to announce that Chicago charter schools continue to lead the way in preparing students for college.   The Chicago Public Schools recently released scores for the 2011 administration of the ACT, the principal college admissions exam in Illinois, and the results for charter schools were outstanding:  9 of the top 10 performing open enrollment high schools in Chicago are now charter schools.  Though public charter schools educate 12% of the public school population in Chicago, they now represent 90% of the highest-performing open enrollment schools on the ACT exam.  Open enrollment schools are those schools that do not require a demonstration of academic proficiency to enroll.

Charter Public Schools Achieve Excellence

School/Campus                                     Composite Score     School Type

Proof that Every Student Can Learn

“The fact that nine public charter schools made the top ten list is a testament to the work of charter school leaders, students, and parents throughout the city who understand that graduating with college and work-ready skills is the first step toward meaningful participation in civic life,” remarked INCS President Andrew Broy. ”Last year, public charter schools represented seven of the top ten scoring high schools on the ACT.  While the ACT is just one measure of performance, we are especially encouraged because each of these schools also demonstrated strong academic growth with the same cohort of students.” 

INCS continues to track this information, in addition to college matriculation and retention rates, as important indicators in evaluating high performing schools.  “We look forward to working with all public schools in Illinois so that these high-quality practices migrate to other schools,” concluded Broy.   

Why Public Charter Schools Are Needed

Public charter schools are among the top performers in the nation and are open to any student who lives in the district where they operate, with no admissions requirements.  The success of public charter schools has resulted in a waiting list in Illinois that now exceeds 15,000 students.  INCS will continue to work diligently until more high-quality charter schools are available to Illinois students. 

The Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) is dedicated to the improvement of education by establishing high-quality charter public schools that transform lives and communities.  As the voice of the Illinois charter schools, INCS advocates for legislation on behalf of the charter sector, provides support to strengthen charter schools, and influences education policy for the benefit of all public school students.

For more information contact Sylvia Ewing 312 629-2063 x 33

cell 773 575-0073

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