CICS Avalon Named the #1 Charter Middle School in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report


CICS Avalon Named the #1 Charter Middle School in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report

Serving a student body that is 90% low-income, CICS Avalon ranks fi rst among 73 Illinois charter middle schools; CICS Basil ranks 10th

 U.S. News & World Report has named CICS Avalon, a tuition-free public charter school operated by ReGeneration Schools, the top-ranked charter middle school in Illinois. 90% of CICS Avalon’s students come from low-income families, and 98% are students of color. CICS Avalon placed fi rst out of 73 charter middle schools statewide in the 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings.

CICS Basil, also operated by ReGeneration, placed 10th. At CICS Basil, 92% of students come from low-income families and 99% are students of color. Both schools also ranked in the top 15 among Illinois' 68 charter elementary schools, with CICS Avalon at 11th and CICS Basil at 14th.

The recognition comes as Chicago families weigh K–8 and high school options for the 2027-2028 school year, with GoCPS applications due November 13.

The results challenge assumptions about what students from low-income families can achieve. On the 2025-2026 IAR, CICS Avalon’s 7th graders and CICS Basil’s 8th graders both outperformed the ELA profi ciency levels of non-low-income students statewide. In math, CICS Avalon’s 7th and 8th graders and CICS Basil’s 8th graders cleared the same benchmark.

The 2027 rankings use 2023-2024 state assessment results in mathematics and reading, collected directly from state education agencies and the U.S. Department of Education. US News scores each school on both its students' overall achievement and how that achievement compares with expectations given the students it serves.

New this year, the rankings credit performance across every achievement level a state reports, not only the share of students reaching profi ciency. In the years since those assessments, ReGeneration has continued on this positive trajectory as measured by 2025-2026 IAR assessments — with ELA proficiency up another 23 points at CICS Avalon and another 30 points at CICS Basil, and math up another 5 points at CICS Avalon and up another 22 points at CICS Basil, all since 2023-2024.

It also follows a 2023 Stanford University analysis, which examined every charter network in Illinois and ranked ReGeneration first in the state for closing ELA achievement gaps and third for math. In addition, Chicago Magazine’s 2025 rankings of the top elementary schools in Chicago recognized CICS Avalon as well — one of just fi ve ranked schools that serves a student body that is over 90% low-income.

“The commitment we have all made — from scholar to teacher to families — is to get into the best possible high schools in this city and that makes all the work personal and worth it,” Darryl Patteson, Middle School Principal at CICS Avalon, said. “We are intentional about knowing what scholars can do, what they need to do next to improve and making sure that they make those steady improvements across the entire year.”

One Model, Six Schools

ReGeneration Schools serves more than 2,000 students across six tuition-free public schools in Chicago and Cincinnati. Founded in 2016, the network prepares all students to enter and succeed in college through effort, achievement, and the content of their character.

What connects these results is not a set of separate school strategies but one — ReGeneration's seven instructional levers, applied with the same fidelity in every building. Data-Driven Instruction and Student Culture serve as the network's two "super levers," supported by Observation and Feedback, Professional Development, Instructional Planning, Staff Culture, and Managing School Leadership Teams.

That consistency is what these results reflect: two schools, two neighborhoods, four top-15 placements statewide, and the #1 charter middle school in Illinois.

“At Basil, we say we are built different, and being part of a shared network is a big reason why,” Roderick Johnson, Middle School Principal at CICS Basil, said. “We plan with a common curriculum, shared assessments, and clear expectations for great teaching, and we use the same data to see exactly where each scholar needs support. Being part of this network community helps me to learn from what’s working at other ReGeneration campuses and apply those lessons to help Basil succeed.”

Strongest Where It Counts Most

CICS Avalon's top ranking among middle schools reflects what the network considers its central promise: that students leave prepared for what comes next.

In 2025-2026, 88% of CICS Avalon's 7th graders and 81% of CICS Basil's 8th graders were proficient in ELA. Across its three Chicago schools, ReGeneration's 8th graders reached 72% ELA profi ciency.

That preparation carries into high school placement. All three of ReGeneration’s Chicago schools exceeded the district in the share of 8th graders admitted to CPS selective enrollment high schools: 36% at CICS Avalon, 36% at CICS Washington Park, and 33% at CICS Basil, against 17% across Chicago Public Schools.

The Strongest Option for Students

On the spring 2026 IAR assessments, both CICS Avalon and CICS Basil outperformed the city and the state in ELA, with CICS Avalon also outperforming the state in math.

For Roslyn Rodgers, an 8th grade ELA teacher at CICS Basil, high expectations are key to this success. “At ReGeneration, high expectations mean believing that every scholar is capable of achieving success, regardless of their learning level or individual needs. For me, high expectations are not simply about achieving strong academic results – it’s about empowering scholars to recognize their potential and understand that they are capable of accomplishing great things.”

What the Name Means For Alexis Resendiz, an 8th grade ELA teacher at CICS Avalon, the ReGeneration Schools name encapsulates the school’s core values. “To me, ‘ReGeneration’ means we always strive to be better. Every day is an opportunity to improve on the work from the day before. This mindset plays out week by week and year by year, allowing us to foster the growth we see in our scholars. We’re so proud of where our school stands today, but also know that we can continue to achieve even more.”

As families make their choices for next year, ReGeneration is enrolling now for the 2027-2028 school year at all of its campuses. Families can learn more and apply at regenerationschools.org.

About ReGeneration Schools

ReGeneration Schools is a network of tuition-free public charter schools serving more than 2,000 students in Chicago and Cincinnati. Founded in 2016, ReGeneration prepares all students to enter and succeed in college through effort, achievement, and the content of their character. The network operates six schools across two states, with a college-prep curriculum that begins in kindergarten. Learn more at regenerationschools.org.

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