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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)

For the past six 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 2015-2016, there was an 86 point gap between the average score of an admitted Kenwood Academic Center Tier 4 and Tier 1 student and a 172 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 across the various Tiers.

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 is being phased out in favor of the PARCC and MAP test. As this transition takes place it leaves the ISAT with the only up-to-date, multi-year and comparable data for CPS schools, so information from this test is used to assess Academic Center performance.

In 2014, Kenwood 8th graders turned in strong performance on the Math portion of the ISAT. About 94% of Kenwood 8th graders either met or exceeded standards. However, only 14% of Kenwood 8th graders exceeded standards. This is a small portion for a school focused on academically advanced students.

Similarly, in 2014 Kenwood 8th graders turned in strong performance on the Reading portion of the ISAT. About 86% of Kenwood 8th graders met or exceeded standards in Reading. However, in 2014 only 19% of Kenwood 8th graders exceeded standards in Reading. This is a small proportion for a program focused on academically advanced students.

One thing to bear in mind — the number of Kenwood Academic Center students has increased dramatically — up about 50% over the past several years from less than 100 students per grade level to about 130 students. This increase may have helped put a downward pressure on scores.

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