Of the 27,733 freshmen who entered a Chicago Public Schools high school in 2015, 2,740, or about 10 percent, dropped out before graduating, according to an analysis of district filings by Chicago City Wire.
CPS' high school dropout rate-- 9.9 percent for the 2015-2018 period-- was the highest of 68 Chicago-area school districts analyzed, including 266 high schools and 100,758 students. And it wasn't close.
Of 3,609 high school dropouts tracked by the state from the incoming freshmen class of 2015, 76 percent of them were from CPS.
Orr Academy High School on Chicago's West Side had the highest dropout rate among CPS schools with 40.45 percent of incoming freshmen from the class of 2015 dropping out.
Only six other districts had dropout rates of 3 percent or higher. They include Aurora District 131 (6 percent dropout rate), Zion-Benton District 126 (5 percent), Joliet District 204 (4 percent), Morton District 201 (3 percent), Waukegan District 60 (3 percent) and Aurora District 129 (3 percent).
Of the 68 districts analyzed in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, Will and Kendall counties, nine reported a 2 percent dropout rate, 31 reported 1 percent, and 21 reported no high school dropouts.
CPS' dropout rate was considerably higher than schools serving a similar demographic, as measured by the state.
Thornton Fractional District 215, which has high schools in Lansing and Calumet City, serves a student population poorer than CPS-- 97 percent low-income population to CPS' 83 percent, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Its dropout rate for the would-be class of 2018 was 1 percent-- or 1/10 of CPS.
Rich Township High School District 227 (82 percent low-income population) and Bloom Township High School District 206 (83 percent) both reported 2 percent dropout rates for the same class.
The analysis comes as CPS teachers are on strike, demanding taxpayers raise the median teacher salary to more than $100,000; it currently is $75,000, or fourth-highest in the state, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
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CPS drop out rate is tops among Chicago Area high schools
Nearly 1 in 10 CPS freshmen who entered high school in 2015 dropped out before finishing in 2018.
| School District | High Schools | % Low-Income Students | Starting 2015 Freshmen | High School
Dropouts | Drop out Rate |
| Chicago Public Schools | 140 | 83% | 27,733 | 2,740 | 9.9% |
| Aurora 131 | 1 | 72% | 1,376 | 83 | 6.0% |
| Zion-Benton 126 | 1 | 61% | 693 | 35 | 5.0% |
| Joliet 204 | 2 | 60% | 1,939 | 78 | 4.0% |
| Morton 201 | 2 | 88% | 2,275 | 68 | 3.0% |
| Waukegan 60 | 1 | 70% | 1,241 | 37 | 3.0% |
| Aurora 129 | 1 | 50% | 1,062 | 32 | 3.0% |
| North Chicago 187 | 1 | 92% | 256 | 5 | 2.0% |
| Bloom 206 | 2 | 83% | 1,083 | 22 | 2.0% |
| Rich 227 | 3 | 81% | 1,048 | 21 | 2.0% |
| Round Lake 116 | 1 | 67% | 539 | 11 | 2.0% |
| Argo 217 | 1 | 65% | 471 | 9 | 2.0% |
| Elgin U-46 | 5 | 59% | 3,392 | 68 | 2.0% |
| Grant 124 | 1 | 35% | 490 | 10 | 2.0% |
| Bremen 228 | 4 | 34% | 1,246 | 25 | 2.0% |
| Wauconda 118 | 1 | 32% | 334 | 7 | 2.0% |
| Thornton Fractional 215 | 2 | 97% | 877 | 9 | 1.0% |
| Oak Lawn 218 | 3 | 69% | 1,319 | 13 | 1.0% |
| Crete-Monee 201 | 1 | 69% | 487 | 5 | 1.0% |
| Thornton 205 | 3 | 58% | 1,925 | 19 | 1.0% |
| Leyden 212 | 2 | 56% | 945 | 9 | 1.0% |
| Reavis 220 | 1 | 51% | 450 | 5 | 1.0% |
| Addison 88 | 2 | 50% | 1,178 | 12 | 1.0% |
| Algonquin 300 | 3 | 42% | 1,732 | 17 | 1.0% |
| Woodstock 200 | 2 | 40% | 485 | 5 | 1.0% |
| Evanston 202 | 1 | 39% | 902 | 9 | 1.0% |
| Oak Lawn 229 | 1 | 36% | 445 | 4 | 1.0% |
| Palatine 211 | 5 | 36% | 3,058 | 31 | 1.0% |
| Glenbard 87 | 4 | 32% | 2,003 | 20 | 1.0% |
| Niles 219 | 2 | 31% | 1,111 | 11 | 1.0% |
| Proviso 209 | 2 | 30% | 1,702 | 17 | 1.0% |
| West Chicago 94 | 1 | 30% | 546 | 5 | 1.0% |
| McHenry 156 | 2 | 29% | 590 | 6 | 1.0% |
| Wheaton 200 | 2 | 28% | 1,130 | 11 | 1.0% |
| Maine 207 | 3 | 27% | 1,588 | 16 | 1.0% |
| Evergreen Park 231 | 1 | 26% | 226 | 2 | 1.0% |
| Downers Grove 99 | 2 | 22% | 1,317 | 13 | 1.0% |
| OPRF 200 | 1 | 22% | 835 | 8 | 1.0% |
| Arlington Heights 214 | 6 | 20% | 3,055 | 31 | 1.0% |
| Crystal Lake 155 | 4 | 20% | 1,610 | 16 | 1.0% |
| Lockport 205 | 1 | 18% | 919 | 9 | 1.0% |
| Antioch 34 | 2 | 18% | 677 | 7 | 1.0% |
| Warren 121 | 1 | 17% | 1,217 | 12 | 1.0% |
| St. Charles 303 | 2 | 16% | 1,118 | 11 | 1.0% |
| Elmhurst 205 | 1 | 16% | 724 | 7 | 1.0% |
| Hinsdale 86 | 2 | 14% | 1,087 | 11 | 1.0% |
| Huntley 158 | 1 | 11% | 741 | 7 | 1.00% |
| Westmont 201 | 1 | 35% | 134 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mundelein 120 | 1 | 30% | 498 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Oswego 308 | 2 | 24% | 1,343 | 0 | 0.0% |
| H-F 233 | 1 | 22% | 666 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Orland Park 230 | 3 | 19% | 1,868 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Barrington 220 | 1 | 19% | 755 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Yorkville 115 | 1 | 18% | 416 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Batavia 101 | 1 | 17% | 506 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Indian Prairie 204 | 3 | 17% | 2,412 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Naperville 203 | 2 | 16% | 1,146 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northfield 225 | 2 | 15% | 1,236 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Lemont 210 | 1 | 14% | 350 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Lyons 204 | 1 | 13% | 1,004 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Lake Zurich 95 | 1 | 12% | 502 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Grayslake 127 | 2 | 11% | 772 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Highland Park 113 | 2 | 9% | 878 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Vernon Hills 128 | 2 | 8% | 821 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Lincoln-Way 210 | 3 | 7% | 1,794 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Geneva 304 | 1 | 5% | 488 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Stevenson 125 | 1 | 5% | 1,014 | 0 | 0.0% |
| New Trier 203 | 1 | 4% | 978 | 0 | 0.0% |
CPS Dropout Rate by School
| High School | # of students / class | # of dropouts | # of graduates | Dropout rate | Graduation rate |
| Orr Academy HS | 89 | 36 | 77 | 40.45% | 86.52% |
| Harper HS | 70 | 26 | 26 | 37.14% | 37.14% |
| Team HS | 42 | 15 | 47 | 35.71% | 111.90% |
| Austin CCA HS | 24 | 8 | 254 | 33.33% | 1058.33% |
| Manley HS | 55 | 18 | 292 | 32.73% | 530.91% |
| Richards HS | 80 | 26 | 394 | 32.50% | 492.50% |
| Harlan HS | 130 | 41 | 23 | 31.54% | 17.69% |
| Kelvyn Park HS | 100 | 27 | 158 | 27.00% | 158.00% |
| Fenger HS | 67 | 18 | 52 | 26.87% | 77.61% |
| Collins HS | 68 | 18 | 64 | 26.47% | 94.12% |
| Tilden HS | 80 | 21 | 83 | 26.25% | 103.75% |
| Marshall HS | 103 | 26 | 38 | 25.24% | 36.89% |
| Aspira-Early College HS | 100 | 24 | 22 | 24.00% | 22.00% |
| Dunbar HS | 174 | 40 | 144 | 22.99% | 82.76% |
| Hirsch HS | 28 | 6 | 379 | 21.43% | 1353.57% |
| Corliss HS | 96 | 20 | 152 | 20.83% | 158.33% |
| Urban Prep-West HS | 101 | 21 | 245 | 20.79% | 242.57% |
| Philips HS | 175 | 36 | 92 | 20.57% | 52.57% |
| Kelly HS | 645 | 131 | 292 | 20.31% | 45.27% |
| Farragut HS | 219 | 43 | 151 | 19.63% | 68.95% |
| Noble-Rowe Clark HS | 159 | 30 | 78 | 18.87% | 49.06% |
| Schurz HS | 407 | 76 | 45 | 18.67% | 11.06% |
| Wells HS | 81 | 15 | 58 | 18.52% | 71.60% |
| Sullivan HS | 196 | 36 | 44 | 18.37% | 22.45% |
| Air Force HS | 100 | 18 | 82 | 18.00% | 82.00% |
| Foreman HS | 206 | 37 | 180 | 17.96% | 87.38% |
| Douglass HS | 45 | 8 | 72 | 17.78% | 160.00% |
| Hope HS | 51 | 9 | 211 | 17.65% | 413.73% |
| Bowen HS | 97 | 17 | 105 | 17.53% | 108.25% |
| Legal Prep HS | 79 | 13 | 29 | 16.46% | 36.71% |
| Roosevelt HS | 250 | 41 | 304 | 16.40% | 121.60% |
| Uplift HS | 95 | 15 | 81 | 15.79% | 85.26% |
| Julian HS | 172 | 27 | 310 | 15.70% | 180.23% |
| Juarez HS | 512 | 80 | 86 | 15.63% | 16.80% |
| Spry HS | 45 | 7 | 567 | 15.56% | 1260.00% |
| Chicago Virtual | 46 | 7 | 170 | 15.22% | 369.57% |
| Alcott HS | 99 | 15 | 70 | 15.15% | 70.71% |
| Steinmetz HS | 305 | 45 | 51 | 14.75% | 16.72% |
| Perspectives-Leadership HS | 123 | 18 | 101 | 14.63% | 82.11% |
| Hyde Park HS | 246 | 35 | 148 | 14.23% | 60.16% |
| Chicago Vocational HS | 240 | 34 | 50 | 14.17% | 20.83% |
| Noble-Hansberry HS | 251 | 35 | 232 | 13.94% | 92.43% |
| Perspectives Tech HS | 101 | 14 | 310 | 13.86% | 306.93% |
| Chicago Tech HS | 65 | 9 | 19 | 13.85% | 29.23% |
| Aspira-Business & Finance HS | 162 | 22 | 67 | 13.58% | 41.36% |
| CICS-Ellison HS | 133 | 18 | 89 | 13.53% | 66.92% |
| Mather HS | 423 | 55 | 150 | 13.00% | 35.46% |
| Noble-DRW HS | 225 | 29 | 229 | 12.89% | 101.78% |
| Noble-Baker HS | 191 | 24 | 164 | 12.57% | 85.86% |
| North Lawndale-Collins HS | 128 | 16 | 239 | 12.50% | 186.72% |
| Curie HS | 788 | 93 | 111 | 11.80% | 14.09% |
| North-Grand HS | 275 | 32 | 86 | 11.64% | 31.27% |
| Multicultural HS | 70 | 8 | 302 | 11.43% | 431.43% |
| Urban Prep-Englewood HS | 126 | 14 | 346 | 11.11% | 274.60% |
| Raby HS | 127 | 14 | 214 | 11.02% | 168.50% |
| Instituto-Health | 192 | 21 | 355 | 10.94% | 184.90% |
| Noble-Johnson HS | 311 | 34 | 238 | 10.93% | 76.53% |
| Morgan Park HS | 383 | 41 | 120 | 10.70% | 31.33% |
| Kennedy HS | 447 | 47 | 291 | 10.51% | 65.10% |
| SennHS | 360 | 37 | 275 | 10.28% | 76.39% |
| Chicago Academy HS | 147 | 15 | 154 | 10.20% | 104.76% |
| Chiarts HS | 148 | 15 | 114 | 10.14% | 77.03% |
| Lincoln Park HS | 455 | 46 | 121 | 10.11% | 26.59% |
| CICS - Chicagoquest HS | 40 | 4 | 90 | 10.00% | 225.00% |
| Noble-Golder HS | 181 | 18 | 172 | 9.94% | 95.03% |
| Noble-ITW Spear HS | 435 | 42 | 149 | 9.66% | 34.25% |
| Urban Prep-Bronzeville HS | 116 | 11 | 9.48% | 0.00% | |
| Hubbard HS | 494 | 46 | 150 | 9.31% | 30.36% |
| Bogan HS | 224 | 20 | 32 | 8.93% | 14.29% |
| Clemente HS | 241 | 21 | 78 | 8.71% | 32.37% |
| Noble-Butler HS | 230 | 20 | 150 | 8.70% | 65.22% |
| CICS - Longwood | 115 | 10 | 198 | 8.70% | 172.17% |
| Catalyst-Maria | 150 | 12 | 143 | 8.00% | 95.33% |
| Solorio HS | 290 | 23 | 42 | 7.93% | 14.48% |
| Intrinsic HS | 183 | 14 | 97 | 7.65% | 53.01% |
| Noble-Academy HS | 119 | 9 | 123 | 7.56% | 103.36% |
| Washington HS | 376 | 28 | 74 | 7.45% | 19.68% |
| Noble-Comer | 244 | 17 | 185 | 6.97% | 75.82% |
| Amundsen HS | 332 | 23 | 222 | 6.93% | 66.87% |
| Lake View HS | 336 | 23 | 517 | 6.85% | 153.87% |
| Chicago Military HS | 59 | 4 | 72 | 6.78% | 122.03% |
| Bronzeville HS | 119 | 8 | 174 | 6.72% | 146.22% |
| Acero-Soto HS | 199 | 13 | 137 | 6.53% | 68.84% |
| Acero-De La Cruz | 63 | 4 | 62 | 6.35% | 98.41% |
| Epic HS | 159 | 10 | 36 | 6.29% | 22.64% |
| Marine Leadership at Ames HS | 208 | 13 | 305 | 6.25% | 146.63% |
| Phoenix Military HS | 163 | 10 | 45 | 6.13% | 27.61% |
| Noble-Bulls HS | 349 | 21 | 82 | 6.02% | 23.50% |
| Clark HS | 155 | 9 | 170 | 5.81% | 109.68% |
| CICS - Northtown HS | 243 | 14 | 128 | 5.76% | 52.67% |
| Goode HS | 247 | 14 | 171 | 5.67% | 69.23% |
| Horizon-Southwest | 53 | 3 | 100 | 5.66% | 188.68% |
| Simeon HS | 306 | 17 | 120 | 5.56% | 39.22% |
| Taft HS | 734 | 39 | 91 | 5.31% | 12.40% |
| Noble-Muchin HS | 264 | 14 | 131 | 5.30% | 49.62% |
| Perspectives-Math & Sci HS | 136 | 7 | 137 | 5.15% | 100.74% |
| Crane Medical HS | 202 | 10 | 699 | 4.95% | 346.04% |
| Ogden HS | 101 | 5 | 44 | 4.95% | 43.56% |
| Rickover Military HS | 142 | 7 | 280 | 4.93% | 197.18% |
| Carver Military HS | 122 | 6 | 113 | 4.92% | 92.62% |
| Noble-Rauner HS | 189 | 9 | 77 | 4.76% | 40.74% |
| Disney II HS | 133 | 6 | 122 | 4.51% | 91.73% |
| Noble-UIC HS | 246 | 11 | 168 | 4.47% | 68.29% |
| South Shore Intl HS | 168 | 7 | 259 | 4.17% | 154.17% |
| U of C - Woodlawn HS | 122 | 5 | 92 | 4.10% | 75.41% |
| Noble-Pritzker HS | 274 | 11 | 234 | 4.01% | 85.40% |
| Chicago Agriculture HS | 189 | 7 | 81 | 3.70% | 42.86% |
| Chicago Math & Science HS | 81 | 3 | 106 | 3.70% | 130.86% |
| Von Steuben HS | 466 | 17 | 270 | 3.65% | 57.94% |
| Perspectives-Joslin HS | 57 | 2 | 76 | 3.51% | 133.33% |
| Back of the Yards HS | 260 | 9 | 136 | 3.46% | 52.31% |
| Prosser HS | 360 | 12 | 165 | 3.33% | 45.83% |
| Acero-Garcia HS | 177 | 5 | 144 | 2.82% | 81.36% |
| Noble-Noble HS | 177 | 5 | 126 | 2.82% | 71.19% |
| Kenwood HS | 363 | 10 | 922 | 2.75% | 253.99% |
| Westinghouse HS | 306 | 8 | 429 | 2.61% | 140.20% |
| Infinity HS | 122 | 3 | 444 | 2.46% | 363.93% |
| King HS | 173 | 3 | 51 | 1.73% | 29.48% |
| Lane Tech HS | 1,155 | 16 | 248 | 1.39% | 21.47% |
| Williams HS | 76 | 1 | 68 | 1.32% | 89.47% |
| Payton HS | 231 | 3 | 88 | 1.30% | 38.10% |
| Brooks HS | 233 | 3 | 127 | 1.29% | 54.51% |
| Lindblom HS | 313 | 4 | 81 | 1.28% | 25.88% |
| Hancock HS | 207 | 2 | 42 | 0.97% | 20.29% |
| Northside Prep HS | 290 | 2 | 217 | 0.69% | 74.83% |
| Jones HS | 436 | 2 | 305 | 0.46% | 69.95% |
| Young HS | 438 | 2 | 60 | 0.46% | 13.70% |
Sources: Illinois State Board of Education; Chicago Public Schools.
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