Chicago Public Schools Celebrates the Class of 2023

 

Chicago Public Schools Celebrates the Class of 2023 

Students earn thousands of accolades, including Seal of Biliteracy and associate degrees, and nearly $1 billion in scholarships 

CHICAGO – Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high school graduates began moving tassels to the left and tossing mortarboards in the air this past weekend amid the bittersweet sound of Pomp and  Circumstance in auditoriums and other local venues across the city. The Class of 2023 - who were all freshmen during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic - have earned nearly $1 billion in college scholarships and garnered thousands of state and national honors and academic distinctions. The ceremonies and celebrations will continue through mid-June for thousands of CPS graduates with a final tally to be available in the fall. Last year, 21,205 students graduated from CPS, with the District graduation rate increasing 2.7 percentage points to 82.9 percent.  

With high school diplomas - and often college credits - already attained, CPS  graduates are moving on to attend higher education powerhouses like Stanford, Harvard, Michigan, North Carolina A&T, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Eastern Kentucky and institutions around the world. Some will stay closer to home with plans to attend a City Colleges of Chicago campus, University of Chicago, Northwestern University or the University of Illinois at Chicago campus among others. Still, others will continue their training and apprenticeship programs in the culinary arts, cosmetology, automotive, construction and other skilled trades.  

“Every day, our students show our city that they are talented, hardworking and engaged and I am excited to watch this year’s graduating class continue to grow into the teachers, engineers, writers and leaders of tomorrow,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “I am incredibly proud of our 2023 graduating class and offer them my sincere congratulations on their outstanding achievements. I also extend my deepest thanks to the incredible teachers, school leaders and family members who supported them in their achievement.” 

This year’s graduating class includes Englewood STEM High School’s first cohort of graduates, with nearly 50 percent of Englewood seniors earning college credit and five earning associate degrees.  

Seal of Biliteracy  

More than 2,400 students earned the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy this year – a 25 percent increase from 2022. The Seal of Biliteracy is given to students who have attained proficiency in two more languages before their high school graduation. Students from 87 District schools earned a Seal of Biliteracy this year in 34 total languages, including American Sign Language (ASL), Hebrew, Mandarin and Turkish, with Spanish being the most common Seal language. 

This increase reflects the District’s intentional investment in bilingual and dual-language programs, with the FY2023 budget providing $3 million in new funding for additional bilingual teachers and dual-language program coordinators, as well as the formation of bilingual advisory councils. Dual language programming provides instruction in both English and Spanish, ensuring students are biliterate and bilingual in both languages. 

Industry Credentials 

CPS graduates earned industry certifications in healthcare and various trades this year which can help them earn a living post high school while they pursue additional education. This year, 20 CPS students will pursue paid trainee positions with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) 399 to complete the IUOE Trainee program as operating engineers with the support of a highly-skilled JLL mentor. After completion of the program, the trainees will have earned an associate degree and have the option to pursue a bachelor’s degree at a reduced cost, and students will be eligible to apply for work at CPS, which can ultimately open the door to job opportunities throughout the U.S. and globally. This year’s students come from Senn, Kelly, Curie, Peace & Education Coalition, Back of the Yards, Richards, CVCA and Bogan high schools.  

Early College Attainment 

CPS students also made great strides in early college attainment. This year, more than 5,000 CPS students earned college credits before graduation, with over 600 of those students earning at least 15 credits – a 32 percent increase from last year. Students of color saw significant gains, with a 100 percent increase for Black male students, from 37 in 2022 to 74 in 2023, and a nearly 56 percent increase for Hispanic male students, up from 76 in 2022 to 119 in 2023. Students who earned college credits did so either through the District’s partnership with City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) or through DeVry Unity Advantage Academy High School’s associate degree program. More than 120 CPS students earned an associate degree through these two programs.  

The number of District students who sat for the May 2023 International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program exams increased to 884, up from 770 in 2022. IB students who earn a score of a 4 or higher on IB exams may receive college credit. All public postsecondary institutions in Illinois, including all City Colleges of Chicago, award college credit for passing scores on IB exams. 

Nationally-Recognized Scholars 

Five of this year’s graduating class have also been awarded the prestigious Gates Scholarship for their exemplary work in leadership, perseverance and academic excellence. Paul Adekola of Air Force Academy High School, Alanah Martin of Kenwood Academy, Kevin Reyes Vega of Chicago Military Academy and Jaylen Brown and Sammi Yee of Whitney Young High School will attend prestigious colleges next year with the support of the Gates Foundation full-tuition scholarship.  

Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu.  

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