YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Summary:

YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership is a public charter high school in Chicago, Illinois, serving 100 students in grades 9-12 and part of the Chicago Public Schools District 299, which is ranked 688 out of 813 districts in the state.

YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Illinois high schools, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger indicating very low academic performance. The school's four-year graduation rate has been declining, from 47.1% in 2019-2020 to 61.8% in 2023-2024, while the dropout rate has been high, ranging from 16.4% to 38.7%. Chronic absenteeism rates have been alarmingly high, reaching as much as 94.9% in 2021-2022, significantly higher than district and state averages. Academic proficiency rates in SAT Mathematics and English Language Arts have been abysmal, with 0% of students meeting or exceeding proficiency standards in most years. The school serves a predominantly low-income student population, with 91-98% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Perspectives Charter - Joslin Campus and King College Prep High School, YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership consistently underperforms, with significantly higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and better academic proficiency scores. Despite the school's low performance, there is no clear evidence of sustained improvement over the years, raising concerns about the district's ability to effectively support and improve low-performing schools and the broader educational outcomes for the community it serves.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

3424 S State St
Chicago, IL 60616

(312) 225-4668

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

SchoolDigger Rank:
680^th of 697 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $32,205

Student/teacher ratio: 26.4

Number of students: 132

Racial breakdown:

African American:

81.1%

Hispanic:

18.2%

Asian:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 88.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership ranks worse than 97.6% of high schools in Illinois. It also ranks 129^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 9.68. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership 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 Racial makeup is: African American (81.1%), Hispanic (18.2%), Asian (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 88.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership is 26.4. 142 high schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership employs 5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership is $32,205, which is the 20^th highest among 145 high schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership:

SchoolDigger ranks YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership 680^th of 697 Illinois public high schools. (See YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership 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.)

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Rank History for YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

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Rank History for all students at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	7.97	650^th	701	7.3%
2022	6.89	691^st	699	1.1%
2023	10.31	638^th	699	8.7%
2024	9.68	680^th	697	2.4%

See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	29.55	306^th	473	35.3%
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 YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	13.46	580^th	639	9.2%
2022	10.59	615^th	626	1.8%
2023	15.59	570^th	644	11.5%
2024	12.16	609^th	639	4.7%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	37.34	50^th	91	45.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	6.49	644^th	665	3.2%
2022	7.54	637^th	658	3.2%
2023	7.50	646^th	656	1.5%
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 YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.99	301^st	428	29.7%
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 YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	11.07	601^st	675	11.0%
2022	7.06	656^th	664	1.2%
2023	13.60	587^th	668	12.1%
2024	10.02	632^nd	668	5.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	24.38	235^th	299	21.4%
2022	19.99	283^rd	294	3.7%
2023	23.59	257^th	301	14.6%
2024	22.06	274^th	299	8.4%

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

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Enrollment information for YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2018	1	212	0	15	0	3	231
2019	1	210	0	7	0	1	219
2020	2	155	0	4	0	1	162
2021	3	97	0	4	1	0	105
2022	2	119	0	6	1	0	128
2023	2	84	0	13	1	0	100
2024	0	107	1	24	0	0	132

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 YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	231	n/a	n/a	97.4
2019	219	10.0	21.9	83.1
2020	162	6.0	27.0	95.7
2021	105	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	128	6.5	19.6	90.6
2023	100	6.0	16.6	91
2024	132	5.0	26.4	88.6

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 YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	231	n/a	n/a	97.4
2019	219	10.0	21.9	83.1
2020	162	6.0	27.0	95.7
2021	105	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	128	6.5	19.6	90.6
2023	100	6.0	16.6	91
2024	132	5.0	26.4	88.6

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,872 (11.8%)	$14,042 (88.2%)	$15,914
2020	$1,549 (6.4%)	$22,645 (93.6%)	$24,193
2021	$2,149 (8.5%)	$23,168 (91.5%)	$25,317
2022	$2,149 (8.5%)	$23,168 (91.5%)	$25,317
2023	$4,280 (10.7%)	$35,591 (89.3%)	$39,870
2024	$3,014 (9.4%)	$29,191 (90.6%)	$32,205

Data source: Illinois Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

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 650^th of 701 High schools	Ranks 638^th of 699 High schools	1.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Mathematics (YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership)	1.4	2.7	1.3%
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 (YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership)	2.8	5.4	2.6%
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%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	219	100	54.3%
African American	210	84	60%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	7	13	85.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1	2	100%
Two or More Races	1	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	83.1%	91%	7.9%

Schools Near YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

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	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
YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership	Public, Charter	9-12	3424 S State St	Chicago	60616	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(312) 225-4668	132	5	26.4	88.6%	0 (0.0%)	107 (81.1%)	24 (18.2%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9.7	680^th of 697 public high schools	2.4%		10.3	638^th of 699 public high schools	8.7%	42									0.0	0.0									$32,205	$3,014	$29,191
Perspectives Charter - IIT Campus	Public, Charter	6-12	3663 S Wabash Ave	Chicago	60653	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(773) 358-6800	405	0		95.8%	3 (0.7%)	392 (96.8%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	12.2	638^th of 697 public high schools	8.5%		9	659^th of 699 public high schools	5.7%	21	20.7			41.4	34.3			3.4	2.3	2.2									$4,439	$2,142	$2,297
Air Force Academy High School	Public	9-12	3630 S Wells St	Chicago	60609	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 535-1590	118	19	6.3	84.7%	3 (2.5%)	68 (57.6%)	44 (37.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	2 (1.7%)	41.4	381^st of 697 public high schools	45.3%		24.6	533^rd of 699 public high schools	23.7%	152									13.6	22.7	94.9	99.2	99.2	99.2	91.5	99.2	99.2	81.4	$47,363	$9,248	$38,115
Chicago Military Academy High School	Public	9-12	3519 S Giles Ave	Chicago	60653	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 534-9750	215	21	10.2	81.4%	3 (1.4%)	137 (63.7%)	72 (33.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10.9	659^th of 697 public high schools	5.5%		13.3	609^th of 699 public high schools	12.9%	50	27.7								1.9	0.0	96.2	98.1	98.1	98.1	89.5	98.1	98.1	78.5	$32,435	$6,563	$25,872
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	494	36	13.7	90.7%	4 (0.8%)	463 (93.7%)	17 (3.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.4%)	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
YCCS-McKinley-Lakeside Leadership	Public, Charter	9-12	2920 S Wabash Ave	Chicago	60616	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(312) 949-5010	96	7	13.7	92.7%	2 (2.1%)	90 (93.8%)	4 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9.7	680^th of 697 public high schools	2.4%		8.2	679^th of 699 public high schools	2.9%	1									0.0	0.0									$33,096	$4,161	$28,935
Urban Prep Charter Bronzeville High School	Public, Charter	9-12	521 E 35th St	Chicago	60616	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 624-3444	167	12	13.9	91.0%	0 (0.0%)	162 (97.0%)	3 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.2%)	13.9	611^th of 697 public high schools	12.3%		18.3	575^th of 699 public high schools	17.7%	36									0.0	7.7									$23,441	$256	$23,185
Dunbar Vocational Career Academy High School	Public	9-12	3000 S King Dr	Chicago	60616	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 534-9000	397	37	10.7	84.4%	2 (0.5%)	375 (94.5%)	18 (4.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	10.6	665^th of 697 public high schools	4.6%		7.6	688^th of 699 public high schools	1.6%	23									0.0	2.2	96.1	99.5	99.5	99.5	91.2	98.4	98.6	76.3	$26,834	$4,619	$22,215
Graham R Training Center	Public	9-12	2347 S Wabash Ave	Chicago	60616	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(773) 534-9257	0	29	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)											98.8	100.0	100.0	100.0	93.6	99.6	99.6	82.5
Perspectives Charter - Joslin Campus	Public, Charter	6-12	1930 S Archer Ave	Chicago	60616	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(312) 225-7400	334	0		93.4%	2 (0.6%)	323 (96.7%)	7 (2.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11.6	649^th of 697 public high schools	6.9%		8.7	667^th of 699 public high schools	4.6%	18		6.7	5.6	27.8		6.7	5.6	0.0	1.8	1.8									$2,681	$247	$2,434

Frequently Asked Questions about YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership

How many students attend YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership?

In the 2023-24 school year, 132 students attended YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership.

Is YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership a good school?

YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership ranks in the bottom 2.4% of Illinois high schools.

What district is YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership in?

Chicago Public Schools District 299

What is the racial makeup of YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership?

Students at YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership are 81% African American, 18% Hispanic.

Rate YCCS-Youth Connection Leadership!

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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.