Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Summary:

Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts is a public high school in Chicago, Illinois, serving 553 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.

Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts consistently ranks in the bottom half of Illinois high schools, with a statewide ranking between 608-665 out of 697-701 schools over the past 5 years. Its performance on standardized tests is significantly below the district and state averages, with only 0% of 11th-grade students proficient in SAT Mathematics in the 2023-2024 school year, compared to 18.6% for the district and 26.1% for the state. The school's 4-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 83.2% and 90.4% over the past 5 years, lower than the state average of around 86-87%. Additionally, Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 24.9% in 2019-2020 to 74.7% in 2023-2024, much higher than the district and state averages.

When comparing Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts to nearby schools, it consistently underperforms. For instance, Kenwood Academy High School, located just 1.17 miles away, has significantly higher academic performance, graduation rates, and lower chronic absenteeism rates. Despite increased per-student spending, from $12,078 in 2019-2020 to $18,008 in 2022-2023, the school's performance has not improved, and its student-teacher ratio of 14.4 to 15.8 over the past 3 years is higher than the nearby Kenwood Academy High School (19.1) and the smaller charter schools in the area.

Detail:

Public 9-12

555 E 51st St
Chicago, IL 60615

(773) 535-1825

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

SchoolDigger Rank:
665^th of 697 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,668

Student/teacher ratio: 15.8

Number of students: 553

Racial breakdown:

African American:

97.6%

Hispanic:

1.4%

Two or more races:

0.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 82.8%

See top rated Illinois high schools

Compare Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts ranks worse than 95.4% of high schools in Illinois. It also ranks 115^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 10.63. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts 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 Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts has the largest high school student body size in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details

Compare

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts is $23,668, which is the 62^nd highest among 145 high schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts:

SchoolDigger ranks Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts 665^th of 697 Illinois public high schools. (See Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status 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.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Compare

Rank History for all students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	13.01	608^th	701	13.3%
2021	10.92	629^th	688	8.6%
2022	8.70	661^st	699	5.4%
2023	9.38	653^rd	699	6.6%
2024	10.63	665^th	697	4.6%

See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	36.07	248^th	473	47.6%
2021	29.28	270^th	453	40.4%
2022	38.30	236^th	493	52.1%
2023	23.65	363^rd	476	23.7%
2024	24.11	361^st	482	25.1%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	18.50	549^th	639	14.1%
2021	14.53	566^th	611	7.4%
2022	14.23	576^th	626	8.0%
2023	14.26	582^nd	644	9.6%
2024	13.42	600^th	639	6.1%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	28.47	46^th	98	53.1%
2023	45.22	43^rd	104	58.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	12.00	576^th	665	13.4%
2021	11.83	575^th	639	10.0%
2022	8.11	629^th	658	4.4%
2023	9.57	620^th	656	5.5%
2024	10.08	632^nd	664	4.8%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.38	382^nd	428	10.7%
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 Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	14.79	577^th	675	14.5%
2021	9.58	621^st	653	4.9%
2022	11.10	613^th	664	7.7%
2023	9.52	633^rd	668	5.2%
2024	12.10	620^th	668	7.2%

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

Rank History for African American students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	35.71	164^th	299	45.2%
2021	26.60	218^th	281	22.4%
2022	24.79	234^th	294	20.4%
2023	23.17	259^th	301	14.0%
2024	24.35	253^rd	299	15.4%

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

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2017	1	137	0	1	0	1	140
2018	1	321	0	5	0	1	328
2019	1	462	0	12	1	2	478
2020	4	591	0	15	0	4	614
2021	2	591	0	15	0	8	616
2022	2	556	1	9	0	4	572
2023	2	540	0	8	0	3	553

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 Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	140	n/a	n/a	90
2018	328	n/a	n/a	90.5
2019	478	26.0	18.3	85.1
2020	614	35.0	17.5	87.6
2021	616	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	572	39.5	14.4	73.8
2023	553	35.0	15.8	82.8

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 Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	140	n/a	n/a	90
2018	328	n/a	n/a	90.5
2019	478	26.0	18.3	85.1
2020	614	35.0	17.5	87.6
2021	616	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	572	39.5	14.4	73.8
2023	553	35.0	15.8	82.8

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.

Immunization Rates

Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Compare

Year	Polio	Measles	Mumps	Rubella	Hepatitis B	Varicella	DTP	Meningococcal
2018	98.8%	98.2%	98.5%	98.5%	98.2%	98.8%	98.5%
2019	99.4%	98.6%	98.8%	98.8%	98.8%	99.0%	98.3%	35.8%
2024	94.4%	95.4%	95.4%	95.4%	88.9%	93.6%	94.4%	77.4%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$699 (5.9%)	$11,220 (94.1%)	$11,918
2020	$880 (7.3%)	$11,198 (92.7%)	$12,078
2021	$2,010 (15.2%)	$11,239 (84.8%)	$13,249
2022	$2,010 (15.2%)	$11,239 (84.8%)	$13,249
2023	$3,086 (17.1%)	$14,922 (82.9%)	$18,008
2024	$3,823 (16.2%)	$19,844 (83.8%)	$23,668

Data source: Illinois Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 608^th of 701 High schools	Ranks 653^rd of 699 High schools	6.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Mathematics (Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts)	2.9	0.7	2.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (Chicago Public Schools District 299)	26.7	19.1	7.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)	34.8	26.7	8.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts)	8.8	4.5	4.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Chicago Public Schools District 299)	26.3	22.3	4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)	36.7	31.6	5.1%
End of Course Science (Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts)	11.8	4.5	7.3%
End of Course Science (Chicago Public Schools District 299)	19.9	31.1	11.2%
End of Course Science (Illinois)	36.4	52.2	15.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	478	553	15.7%
African American	462	540	16.9%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	12	8	33.3%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	1	2	100%
Two or More Races	2	3	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	85.1%	82.8%	2.3%

Schools Near Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISA Science (2024)	IAR English Language Arts (2024)				IAR Mathematics (2024)				SAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT English Language Arts (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science All Grades	IAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics 8th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts	Public	9-12	555 E 51st St	Chicago	60615	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1825	553	35	15.8	82.8%	2 (0.4%)	540 (97.6%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	10.6	665^th of 697 public high schools	4.6%		9.4	653^rd of 699 public high schools	6.6%	12	11.7									0.0	2.2	94.4	95.4	95.4	95.4	88.9	93.6	94.4	77.4	$23,668	$3,823	$19,844
Williams Medical Prep High School	Public	9-12	4934 S Wabash Ave	Chicago	60615	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1120	73	12	6.0	93.2%	0 (0.0%)	71 (97.3%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)								(n/a)												97.4	100.0	100.0	100.0	94.8	100.0	100.0	89.6	$54,198	$10,975	$43,222
Bronzeville Scholastic High School	Public	9-12	4934 S Wabash Ave	Chicago	60615	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1150	82	12	6.8	95.1%	1 (1.2%)	73 (89.0%)	7 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16.1	584^th of 697 public high schools	16.2%					(n/a)										0.0	10.5	95.2	100.0	100.0	100.0	96.2	100.0	100.0	91.4	$42,867	$7,121	$35,746
Little Black Pearl Arts Academy High School	Public	9-12	1060 E 47th St	Chicago	60653	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 690-5500	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)												88.5	88.5	88.5	88.5	76.9	84.6	87.2	62.8
King College Prep High School	Public	9-12	4445 S Drexel Blvd	Chicago	60653	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1180	606	45	13.6	78.7%	6 (1.0%)	567 (93.6%)	20 (3.3%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.0%)	22.4	521^st of 697 public high schools	25.3%		24.4	536^th of 699 public high schools	23.3%	15	33.7									4.1	14.2	94.9	98.0	98.0	98.0	90.4	97.9	97.0	85.9	$22,381	$3,088	$19,293
Kenwood Academy High School	Public	7-12	5015 S Blackstone Ave	Chicago	60615	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1350	2,338	122	19.1	59.1%	114 (4.9%)	2,018 (86.3%)	109 (4.7%)	35 (1.5%)	3 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	55 (2.4%)	58.5	233^rd of 697 public high schools	66.6%		64.5	210^th of 699 public high schools	70.0%	23	57.4		72.2	63.0	67.7		60.4	37.8	49.6	20.8	29.8	90.2	94.4	94.4	94.4	87.2	94.0	93.8	78.6	$15,393	$2,431	$12,962
Tilden Career Communty Academy High School	Public	9-12	4747 S Union Ave	Chicago	60609	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1625	257	24	10.7	84.4%	23 (8.9%)	103 (40.1%)	121 (47.1%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.6%)	13.8	612^th of 697 public high schools	12.2%		13	610^th of 699 public high schools	12.7%	2	17.2									1.5	6.1	81.1	84.7	84.7	84.7	78.5	82.9	84.2	79.0	$31,228	$5,528	$25,701
Univ of Chicago Charter-Woodlawn	Public, Charter	6-12	6300 S University Ave	Chicago	60637	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(773) 752-8101	583	38	15.3	74.4%	0 (0.0%)	575 (98.6%)	7 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18.9	558^th of 697 public high schools	19.9%		10.8	631^st of 699 public high schools	9.7%	73	19.1	27.1	18.4	16.9	20.8	5.9	2.6	5.6	4.7	3.6	10.8									$24,708	$1,806	$22,903
Phillips Academy High School	Public	9-12	244 E Pershing Rd	Chicago	60653	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1603	531	38	14.1	90.8%	7 (1.3%)	477 (89.8%)	10 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.8%)	11.7	643^rd of 697 public high schools	7.7%		9.3	654^th of 699 public high schools	6.4%	11										0.8	3.4	84.7	87.8	87.8	87.8	81.2	87.0	86.8	55.0	$25,609	$4,547	$21,062
Urban Prep Charter Academy Englewood High School	Public, Charter	9-12	6201 S Stewart Ave	Chicago	60621	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-9724	161	10	16.1	91.3%	2 (1.2%)	157 (97.5%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11.7	647^th of 697 public high schools	7.2%		13.8	605^th of 699 public high schools	13.4%	42										0.0	4.2									$32,106	$751	$31,355

Frequently Asked Questions about Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts

Is Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts a good school?

Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts ranks in the bottom 4.6% of Illinois high schools.

How many students attend Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts?

In the 2022-23 school year, 553 students attended Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts.

What is the racial makeup of Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts?

Students at Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts are 98% African American, 1% Hispanic.

What district is Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts in?

Chicago Public Schools District 299

Rate Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

ILIllinois High School Rankings

ILIllinois District Rankings

Schools in Chicago, IL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Walter Henri Dyett High School for Arts!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.