The 2018-2019 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) School Ratings were recently released. Our success against these measures show that we are keeping our promise to our families to provide the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree.  Our LEARN scholars continue to show growth and progress year over year, which pushes us as a network to continue to raise the bar for high academic achievement.

“Our scholars are with us until 8th grade, and the LEARN staff does an extraordinary job of instilling the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree in each scholar,” says President & CEO Greg White. “We ensure that our students are ready by blending a rigorous academic curriculum with social-emotional learning, which leads to success in and out of the classroom. And our scholars rise to these high expectations, regardless of their zip codes. They go on to graduate from excellent high schools and then graduate college at rates higher than their peers and the nation.”

Key Highlights

• Record College Graduation Rate: LEARN alumni graduate 4-year colleges at 2x the rate of their peers* in Chicago Public Schools, when tracked from 8th grade. Alumni college completion rates exceed city, state and national averages, with a rate of 10 points above the national average for all students.
• Record High Elementary Math and Reading Scores: LEARN scholars are meeting or exceeding national standards in math and reading at higher rates than their peers. They significantly outperform zoned and neighborhood schools on the rigorous 2019 Illinois Assessment of Readiness Exam.
• High Ratings from the Illinois State Board of Education: 100% of LEARN schools were rated “Commendable by the Illinois State Board of Education’s annual evaluation of school performance.
• The Best Charter Network in Chicago: LEARN outperforms all K-8 charter school networks throughout the city of Chicago on the 2019 Illinois Assessment of Readiness exam.
• The Best Schools for Scholars in North Chicago: Of the six schools in North Chicago, LEARN 6 and LEARN 10 earned the highest ratings from the Illinois State Board of Education. They also significantly outperformed their neighborhood schools in meeting and exceeding standards in math and reading.

While our schools have accomplished so much in the past year, LEARN is committed to continuing to raise the bar for excellence. We strive to ensure that every scholar reaches their full potential, and we look forward to continued success in the years to come.

*Peers are defined as low-income African American scholars.