Is Simeon Career Academy High School a good school?

Simeon Career Academy High School ranks in the bottom 16.8% of Illinois high schools.

How many students attend Simeon Career Academy High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,205 students attended Simeon Career Academy High School.

What is the racial makeup of Simeon Career Academy High School?

Students at Simeon Career Academy High School are 98% African American.

Simeon Career Academy High School

Summary:

Simeon Career Academy High School is a public high school in Chicago, Illinois, serving 1,205 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Chicago Public Schools District 299, which is ranked 688 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Simeon Career Academy High School has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Illinois high schools, receiving a 0-star or 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's four-year graduation rate has declined from 97.1% in 2019-2020 to 85.6% in 2023-2024, significantly lower than the state average and the graduation rates of nearby schools like Perspectives Charter - Leadership Ac (88.9%) and Noble St Charter-Hansberry Prep Slvr (88.3%). Simeon Career Academy High School also has a relatively high dropout rate, ranging from 0.3% to 3.1% over the past few years, higher than the dropout rates of nearby charter schools.

Academically, Simeon Career Academy High School students perform significantly below state and district averages on standardized tests, with only 4.2-6.7% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT Math and English Language Arts in 2023-2024. This is substantially lower than the performance of nearby charter schools. Additionally, Simeon Career Academy High School has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, from 35% in 2019-2020 to 71.4% in 2023-2024, which is significantly higher than the chronic absenteeism rates of nearby charter schools. These findings suggest the need for significant interventions and improvements to address the underlying issues at the school and provide a high-quality education for its predominantly low-income student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

8147 S Vincennes Ave
Chicago, IL 60620-1761

(773) 535-3200

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

SchoolDigger Rank:
580^th of 697 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,618

Student/teacher ratio: 13.7

Number of students: 1,205

Racial breakdown:

African American:

98.4%

Hispanic:

0.8%

Two or more races:

0.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Simeon Career Academy High School ranks worse than 83.2% of high schools in Illinois. It also ranks 58^th among 145 ranked high schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.85. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Simeon Career Academy High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Simeon Career Academy High School has the largest high school student body size in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Simeon Career Academy High School is $20,618. 86 high schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Simeon Career Academy High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Simeon Career Academy High School 580^th of 697 Illinois public high schools. (See Simeon Career Academy High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

Chicago Public Schools District 299:

SchoolDigger ranks Chicago Public Schools District 299 688^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Simeon Career Academy High School

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Rank History for all students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	3.76	548^th	586	6.5%
2004	4.51	543^rd	592	8.3%
2005	2.02	558^th	590	5.4%
2006	6.77	541^st	596	9.2%
2007	7.06	551^st	612	10.0%
2008	6.11	562^nd	624	9.9%
2009	7.27	566^th	632	10.4%
2010	3.35	603^rd	643	6.2%
2011	4.80	604^th	655	7.8%
2012	8.30	593^rd	665	10.8%
2013	7.09	604^th	670	9.9%
2014	7.67	601^st	670	10.3%
2015	16.76	536^th	614	12.7%
2016	12.93	592^nd	643	7.9%
2017	8.50	591^st	642	7.9%
2018	7.02	616^th	647	4.8%
2019	7.98	649^th	701	7.4%
2021	10.03	644^th	688	6.4%
2022	7.90	673^rd	699	3.7%
2023	9.25	655^th	699	6.3%
2024	16.85	580^th	697	16.8%

See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	27.23	248^th	374	33.7%
2019	29.55	306^th	473	35.3%
2021	37.12	231^st	453	49.0%
2022	31.21	286^th	493	42.0%
2023	21.07	375^th	476	21.2%
2024	20.75	377^th	482	21.8%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	11.74	549^th	585	6.2%
2019	12.61	588^th	639	8.0%
2021	15.33	553^rd	611	9.5%
2022	12.08	600^th	626	4.2%
2023	12.99	598^th	644	7.1%
2024	23.59	496^th	639	22.4%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2022	40.94	41^st	98	58.2%
2023	41.98	49^th	104	52.9%
2024	64.27	27^th	125	78.4%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	7.48	588^th	620	5.2%
2019	8.31	617^th	665	7.2%
2021	10.38	595^th	639	6.9%
2022	7.56	636^th	658	3.3%
2023	8.71	628^th	656	4.3%
2024	17.82	539^th	664	18.8%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.65	358^th	428	16.4%
2024	27.00	261^st	429	39.2%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	6.82	594^th	619	4.0%
2019	8.36	634^th	675	6.1%
2021	9.52	622^nd	653	4.7%
2022	8.97	636^th	664	4.2%
2023	10.28	627^th	668	6.1%
2024	16.24	562^nd	668	15.9%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Simeon Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	24.76	208^th	253	17.8%
2019	23.96	239^th	299	20.1%
2021	27.24	210^th	281	25.3%
2022	22.35	265^th	294	9.9%
2023	24.64	241^st	301	19.9%
2024	36.35	162^nd	299	45.8%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

by a parent
Friday, March 16, 2018

it's a zoo with a bunch of wild animals. Do not send your child here unless you want them to graduate with a degree in Armed robbery Close Quote

Enrollment information for Simeon Career Academy High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	1678	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	1678
1990	n/a	1648	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	1648
1991	0	1735	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1736
1992	0	1611	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1612
1993	0	1575	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	1576
1994	1	1504	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1505
1995	0	1647	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1649
1996	0	1647	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1649
1997	0	1596	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1597
1998	0	1498	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1499
1999	0	1355	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1357
2000	0	1379	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1379
2001	0	1398	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1400
2002	0	1557	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1559
2003	0	1557	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1559
2004	0	1539	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1542
2005	1	1568	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1572
2006	0	1632	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	1638
2007	0	1563	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	1570
2008	1	1534	0	9	5	n/a	n/a	17	1566
2009	3	1656	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	1666
2010	1	1571	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	1578
2011	0	1578	0	6	0	0	4	0	1588
2012	0	1508	0	5	0	0	5	0	1518
2013	0	1490	0	6	0	0	9	0	1505
2014	0	1433	0	8	0	0	13	0	1454
2015	1	1373	0	10	1	0	16	0	1401
2016	2	1338	0	9	1	1	14	0	1365
2017	1	1298	0	13	1	0	6	0	1319
2018	1	1319	0	12	1	0	2	0	1335
2019	0	1321	0	13	0	1	4	0	1339
2020	0	1314	0	15	0	0	7	0	1336
2021	0	1337	0	11	1	0	6	0	1355
2022	0	1273	1	13	1	0	8	0	1296
2023	0	1186	0	10	1	0	8	0	1205

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Simeon Career Academy High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1678	100.4	16.7	n/a
1990	1648	95.4	17.2	n/a
1991	1736	99.0	17.5	n/a
1992	1612	96.8	16.6	n/a
1993	1576	89.8	17.6	n/a
1994	1505	77.4	19.4	n/a
1995	1649	88.2	18.7	n/a
1996	1649	88.2	18.7	n/a
1997	1597	88.2	18.1	n/a
1998	1499	76.6	19.6	n/a
1999	1357	84.0	16.2	n/a
2000	1379	84.6	16.3	n/a
2001	1400	89.6	15.6	n/a
2002	1559	78.0	20.0	95.6
2003	1559	78.0	20.0	95.6
2004	1542	81.7	18.9	78.5
2005	1572	103.9	15.1	77.7
2006	1638	110.0	14.9	87.9
2007	1570	72.0	21.8	71
2008	1566	79.0	19.8	81.5
2009	1666	95.0	17.5	76.7
2010	1578	90.0	17.5	82.6
2011	1588	82.0	19.3	80
2012	1518	85.0	17.8	92
2013	1505	88.9	16.9	89.5
2014	1454	84.0	17.3	92.6
2015	1401	76.0	18.4	93.1
2016	1365	74.0	18.4	90.1
2017	1319	66.5	19.8	91.7
2018	1335	66.0	20.1	90.8
2019	1339	74.0	18.0	88.6
2020	1336	75.0	17.8	90.7
2021	1355	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	1296	86.5	14.9	84.3
2023	1205	87.5	13.7	87.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Simeon Career Academy High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1678	100.4	16.7	n/a
1990	1648	95.4	17.2	n/a
1991	1736	99.0	17.5	n/a
1992	1612	96.8	16.6	n/a
1993	1576	89.8	17.6	n/a
1994	1505	77.4	19.4	n/a
1995	1649	88.2	18.7	n/a
1996	1649	88.2	18.7	n/a
1997	1597	88.2	18.1	n/a
1998	1499	76.6	19.6	n/a
1999	1357	84.0	16.2	n/a
2000	1379	84.6	16.3	n/a
2001	1400	89.6	15.6	n/a
2002	1559	78.0	20.0	95.6
2003	1559	78.0	20.0	95.6
2004	1542	81.7	18.9	78.5
2005	1572	103.9	15.1	77.7
2006	1638	110.0	14.9	87.9
2007	1570	72.0	21.8	71
2008	1566	79.0	19.8	81.5
2009	1666	95.0	17.5	76.7
2010	1578	90.0	17.5	82.6
2011	1588	82.0	19.3	80
2012	1518	85.0	17.8	92
2013	1505	88.9	16.9	89.5
2014	1454	84.0	17.3	92.6
2015	1401	76.0	18.4	93.1
2016	1365	74.0	18.4	90.1
2017	1319	66.5	19.8	91.7
2018	1335	66.0	20.1	90.8
2019	1339	74.0	18.0	88.6
2020	1336	75.0	17.8	90.7
2021	1355	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	1296	86.5	14.9	84.3
2023	1205	87.5	13.7	87.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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