Breaking news... For the past two years, Lane Tech Principal LoBosco has led an effort to open an Academic Center at her school. Academic Centers are schools within high schools that serve academically advanced 7th and 8th graders. These students not only learn at an accelerated pace, but they are also guaranteed a spot in that high school once they become 9th graders. Whitney Young and Lindblom are currently the only Selective Enrollment High Schools to feature Academic Centers. According the Chicago Sun-Times, the Whitney Young Academic Center is considered the best middle school in the entire State of Illinois. Spots at Whitney Young’s Academic Center are extremely difficult to acquire; only about 10% of applicants get one.

SelectivePrep’s Opinion

SelectivePrep supports the Lane Tech Academic Center initiative. We believe that increasing the number of accelerated academic options benefits all students – and the City of Chicago. Furthermore, there are compelling reasons to locate an Academic Center at a north side Selective Enrollment High School. There is currently only one Academic Center on the north side, and it is at Taft, which is not a Selective Enrollment High School. Also, Taft is located on the far northwest side, in an inconvenient location for many potential students. Five of the six Academic Centers are either downtown (Whitney Young) or are located on the south side. Last year, several hundred qualified students were turned away from Whitney Young’s Academic Center and were not able to get into other area accelerated programs. CPS’ own research shows that an Academic Center at Lane Tech would draw a high level of interest from qualified students.

What you can do?

Currently Lane Tech is circulating a petition to build support for its proposal. We urge you to sign this petition.

We also encourage you to contact your Alderman, the media, and the Office of Academic Enhancement.

Like to find out more? Click here to read the history of Lane Tech’s Academic Center Proposals.