Education

CPS Says New Data Shows Elementary, High School Students Continuing Academic Gains

Chicago Public Schools leaders say new data shows elementary school students showed improvements in reading and math proficiency, while high schoolers increased their graduation rates while earning a record-high of more than $3 billion in scholarships this past year.

That data comes as the district on Thursday published its 2024–25 Annual Academic Data, which it says provides a comprehensive look at student progress across the city.

“(We’re) very proud of this work, but we know we’ve still got a long way to go to achieve our mission as a district,” interim CPS CEO Macquline King told reporters this week. “Going forward we will continue to stay true to our five-year plan and deliver on our vision of a rigorous, joyful and equitable experience for all.”

According to data from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, fewer than half of CPS elementary school students are meeting proficiency benchmarks in English Language Arts (40.6%) and just over a quarter of elementary school students are proficient in math (26.2%).

But both those figures have increased steadily in recent years — with reading proficiency jumping almost 12% and math proficiency increasing nearly 5% since 2022. Beyond that, CPS officials said the number of students scoring below proficient in ELA has dropped by 10.6% since 2022.

“We’re excited about the steady progress we’re seeing,” said acting CPS Chief Education Officer Alfonso Carmona. “The numbers have been moving in the right direction over the past several years.”

According to the district, its four-year graduation rate increased slightly, from 82.3% in 2024 up to 82.6% this past year.

CPS this year updated its methodology for calculating that rate. In past years, that rate tracked only students who entered CPS in ninth grade and remained in the district through graduation. Under the new model, the rate will track all students who entered a CPS high school at any point in their academic career.

King this week lauded the students’ academic progress, particularly as many families confront the stress of federal agents conducting widespread immigration enforcement operations throughout Chicago.

Families at some schools have taken to lining the streets around their school campuses in an effort to spot and ward off any federal authorities nearby.

Parents, officials and some members of the city’s Board of Education have called upon CPS to enact a remote learning option for students who fear their family members could be detained by immigration agents at or around their schools.

The district has thus far resisted those calls, with King repeatedly stating her belief that school buildings — which Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents cannot enter without a criminal warrant — are the safest place for students.

CPS has, however, created a command center for school officials to report incidents and seek guidance and support and King again recognized school communities have been “reeling” from the ongoing operations.

“It’s important to set that context for our discussion because we spend so much time talking about operations and federal activity, we have to remember that the core function of a school district is educating young people,” she said this week. “Our mission has remained the same — to provide a high-quality public education for every child in every neighborhood that prepares each for success in college, career and civic life.”

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