Chicago Public Schools Hit Record High Graduation Rate Last Year

CHICAGO — Chicago Public School graduation rates hit a record high and the percentage of drop outs declined last school year, officials said Friday.

CPS posted an 82.5 percent 5-year graduation rate in 2020, up from 80.9 percent the previous school year, and 55.8 percent in 2010 – a 27 percentage point increase.

"Despite the many challenges they faced, our students still managed to take another huge leap forward in their journey toward achievement and success thanks to the shared efforts of our CPS families, teachers, principals, and staff,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

“This record graduation rate isn’t just a statistic, it represents a revolution in how we value education in our city, and how we support our students’ futures. Our charge now is to keep this success going as we embark on this unprecedented school year."

CPS chief executive Dr. Janice Jackson said the spike in graduation rates were lead by Latino students. And since 2017, graduation rates among African American students increased 4.4 percent.

The top ten schools with the highest 5-year graduation rates are: Whitney Young, Northside College Prep, Walter Payton, Lane Tech, Jones College Prep, Hancock High School, Perspectives - Joslin High School, Back of the Yards, Westinghouse, and Williams High School, officials said.

This year, CPS also posted its lowest one-year dropout rate on record with a rate of 5.6 percent, which is a decrease from 6.0 percent the year before.