The other side of the story on Chicago's Urban Prep (where all seniors got into college)

[Hannah Bell]

Statistics taken from 2008/09 CPS Charter and Contract Schools Performance Report, p. 174-175
for 11th graders: this is the class which had a 100% acceptance rate into college.


http://www.ren2010.cps.k12.il.us/docs/ONS_PerfReport.pdf


Students/teacher:

Urban Prep: 13.5 to 1
District average: 19.5 to 1

*Urban Prep has fewer students for every teacher than the district average.


Percent low-income students:

UP: 79.6%
DA: 83.4%

*Urban Prep has a lower percent of low-income students than the district average.


Limited english:

UP: .2%
DA: 14%

*Urban Prep has a lower percent limited English students than the district average.


Special ed:

UP: 13.2
DA: 12.1%

*Urban Prep has a slightly higher % of SPED students, but: since "all" urban prep students got into college, we can guess that "no" urban prep special ed students were *severely* disabled or mentally handicapped (e.g. retarded, severely autistic, etc.). Or else students who were, left.


Percentage of 11th grade students meeting and/or exceeding state standards:

UP: 15.3%
DA: ~30%

* No precise number is given for the district; % is graphed on chart "PSAE Student Performance Over Time" only.


PSAE (State testing) scores, percent meeting standards:

Reading: 24.6%
Math: 12.7%
Science: 8.5%

* No comparison is given for district-wide scores.


ACT Average composite score: 16*

* National average composite score in 2001 = 21. 36 is the highest possible. No comparison given v. district-wide scores.

http://www.act.org/news/releases/2001/08-15-01.html


UP Combined drop-out & transfer-out rate = 10.1%.*

* No comparison given v. district-wide drop-out & transfer.



The "miracle" sounds a little different depending on which facts are reported, & how they're reported.