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Admissions

Kenwood is one of four Academic Centers on the south side of Chicago. In 2015-2016 (the most recent admissions cycle), the average admission fell 17 points from 748 to 731 on the 900 point admissions scale. For the first time CPS used the more rigorous MAP test as its 5th grade standardized test in the admissions formula. Average scores for Tier 1 students were impacted the most by the incorporation of this tougher test — and fell by 67 points while admissions scores for Tier 4 students actually rose modestly (+ 9 points).

In the most recent admissions year (2016-2017), average scores recovered modestly (+12 points) to 743 points on the 900 point admissions scale. This recovery was driven in large part by a rebound in Tier 1 mean scores (+28 points) to 669.

For the past seven years, CPS has been using a socioeconomic Tier system to select students for all of its selective admissions schools, including Academic Centers. Currently, thirty percent of seats are allocated to students with the highest academic performance citywide – regardless of their “socioeconomic status”. The remaining seventy percent are allocated to each of four socioeconomic Tiers, with each Tier receiving 17.5%. Students compete for this portion based their academic performance in comparison with other students in their Tier.

Use of the Tier system has led to significant gaps in the academic achievement required for admissions between students from different parts of the City of Chicago. There is a particularly large gap between admissions scores of Tier 4 (the highest socioeconomic Tier) and Tier 1 (the lowest socioeconomic Tier) students – in the more competitive schools.

In 2016-2017, there was an 50-point gap between the average score of an admitted Kenwood Academic Center Tier 4 and Tier 1 student and a 144-point gap between Kenwood Tier 4 and Tier 1 student cut-off scores. Such huge gaps means that students admitted to Kenwood’s Academic Center on the basis of their socioeconomic status have very different academic qualifications.

Programs

Kenwood Academic Center will be moving to a different building, the vacant Canter Middle school building at 4959 South Blackstone starting in the fall of 2015. This move will open up 250 more places for middle school students.

Like other Academic Center Programs, Kenwood Academic Center students take an accelerated middle school curriculum that allows them to accumulate high school credits and thus pursue a more advanced high school program. Kenwood starts its 7th graders in either Pre-Algebra or Algebra depending on the student’s math level.

Once Academic Center alumni become seniors they are eligible to enroll tuition free in off-campus program for dual credit (e.g., high school and college) at the University of Chicago.

Academics

Standardized tests administered to middle school CPS students are in a state of flux. The ACT organization is phasing out the EXPLORE test which has been administered to 8th and 9th graders and transitioning to the Aspire test. The ISAT was phased out in favor of the PARCC and MAP test. As a result, the most up to date method of tracking school performance is the PARCC test. The PARCC is designed to measure student readiness for the next grade level’s work and subsequent college and career readiness and tracks with subsequent ACT performance.

Students who met or exceeded expectations are on track for the next grade level and ultimately for college and career readiness. In 2016, 63% of Kenwood Academic Center 8th graders met or exceeded standards in ELA (English Language Arts) however only 9% of students exceeded expectations. At the same time, 95% of Kenwood Academic Center 8th graders met or exceeded standards and 25% of students exceeded expectations in Mathematics.

For additional academic information about Kenwood Academic Center, click here for a state report card.