More Good News: CPS Students Continuing Record-Breaking Growth!

17 October 2024

Dear CPS Staff and Families,

Just yesterday, we shared the great news that CPS enrollment, attendance, and staffing rates have all increased since last school year. 

Our run of good news continues today, with new data from the 2023–24 school year showing steady progress across many important metrics.

Our Data at a Glance

Here are some highlights from the academic data we released today:

• Graduation Rate: Our Class of 2024 set a new record for graduation! Our four-year graduation rate now stands at 84.1%, up from 59% just ten years ago, and has more than doubled since 2001.
• Scholarship Dollars Earned: For the second year in a row, CPS graduates set a new record, earning more than $2 billion in scholarship offers to support their dream of a college education.
• Literacy Gains: In the 2022-2023 school year, our 3rd-8th graders were #1 in post-pandemic literacy gains among all urban districts. Last year, we again saw tremendous growth, as our students jumped nearly five points in English Language Arts (ELA) on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) exam. At this point, our students have completely surpassed pre-pandemic levels in reading, and achieved their highest level of proficiency since 2015.  
• Dropout Rate: At the same time that graduation rates and test scores are rising, dropout rates are falling. Our one-year dropout rate moved from 5.3% in the 2022–23 school year to 4.9% last year, which is the second lowest dropout rate achieved by CPS in two decades. 
• Early College and Career Credentials: More than half of CPS graduates are now leaving high school having earned at least one Early College or Career Credential (ECCC). These include certifications obtained through our District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, and college credits earned through AP, IB, dual-credit, and dual-enrollment opportunities.

You can find a more detailed breakdown of these and other encouraging data points here. 

How We Got Here

These results demonstrate what we already know about our students, they are brilliant, committed, and when given opportunities, they thrive. The results also celebrate the hard work of every single one of our educators, school leaders, and support staff. Together, we have remained focused on what matters most, nurturing our students, and helping them thrive. 

This data also proves that the investments CPS has made in the past few years are paying off for our students. These investments include high-quality, culturally responsive curriculum, high-dosage tutoring, and more teachers, counselors, and interventionists in our highest-need schools. The success of these investments is reflected not only in the data outlined above, but in the fact that CPS has emerged as a national leader in academic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, ranking #1 in literacy growth and #3 in combined literacy and math growth among large urban school districts according to a study conducted by Harvard and Stanford Universities.

Building on Our Momentum

The data we released today is definitely cause for celebration. But there is still plenty of work to do, particularly in closing the achievement gap that persists for our priority groups, including our English Learners, our economically-disadvantaged students, and our students with disabilities. Our new five-year strategic plan, Success 2029: Together We Rise, lays out bold, transformational strategies that acknowledge and prioritize this challenge.    

As a District, we must double down on what we know is working for our students and expand opportunity to every neighborhood in our city. Even amid our budget challenges, we are committed to protecting the investments that are allowing our students to thrive. But we cannot do it alone. We are looking to everyone, from our school communities, to our labor partners, to our elected officials, to come together around providing CPS students with the resources they need to build on their momentum and reach their full potential.

We thank all of you for the role you’ve played in helping our students achieve such impressive academic gains. Their success is your success, so we hope you’ll take a moment today to celebrate! We also hope that seeing the progress you’re helping create for our students gives you renewed energy and a feeling of optimism as the school year continues!

Sincerely,

Pedro Martinez

Chief Executive Officer

Chicago Public Schools