Chicago Public Schools Awarded With 23 AP Computer Science Female Diversity Awards

CHICAGO – Nearly two dozen Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high schools earned the 2023 College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in Advanced Placement computer science courses. The 2022-23 School Year also marked the fourth consecutive year that female and non-binary students comprised the majority of AP Computer Science Principles exam takers throughout the District. Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award maximized their commitment to computer science education by expanding girls’ access to AP computer science courses, specifically in AP Computer Science A (CSA) and AP Computer Science Principles (CSP). 

“This national award recognizes the relentless pursuit and accomplishments of our educators who are committed to providing our students with a high-quality equitable education,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “As a result of their commitment and hard work, 23 CPS schools are recognized for building a foundation for student success, ultimately increasing gender diversity and equity in computer science education.”

The following schools achieved either 50 percent or higher female representation in at least one of the two AP computer science courses, or the percentage of the female computer science exam takers met or exceeded that of the school’s female population during the 2022-23 school year: 

• Alcott College Prep*
• Austin College & Career Academy High School*
• Chicago Academy High School*
• Chicago Mathematics and Science Academy
• Curie Metropolitan High School*
• DeVry Advantage Academy*
• Eric Solorio Academy High School*
• Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy*
• Hubbard High School*
• Hyde Park Academy High School*
• Intrinsic Schools – Downtown Campus
• Jones College Prep High School*
• Lane Technical College Prep High School*
• Noble Street Charter School: Pritzker College Prep
• Northside College Preparatory High School*
• Perspectives Charter Schools: Calumet High School of Technology
• Perspectives Leadership Academy
• Phoenix STEM Military Academy*
• Thomas Kelly College Prep*
• Tilden Career Community Academy*
• Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center*
• Walter Payton College Prep High School*
• World Language High School at Little Village Lawndale*

CPS was an early adopter of the AP computer science program, serving as a pilot district in 2014. Since the AP CPS exam became available in 2017, 10,158 CPS students have taken the AP CSP exam, with 50 percent of 2023 test-takers identifying as female or non-binary, well above the national average of 34 percent. Overall, participation of female and non-binary students increased by 71 percent in the AP CSP exam since 2017 and by 17 percent in the AP CSA exam over the same period. 

Chicago Academy High School is the only school in Illinois also awarded for its track of AP Computer Science Courses, including college-level computing courses meant to provide students with a more expansive view of the computer science field. 

“This award symbolizes our ongoing commitment to dismantling systems of oppression by acknowledging the work we have accomplished and emphasizing the need to persist in our efforts,” said Chicago Academy High School Principal Ryan Leonard. “It serves as a powerful call to action, urging us to foster more exposure and opportunities for women in STEM fields.”

College Board research finds that female students who take AP CSP in high school are more than five times as likely to major in computer science in college. This study and Microsoft research, among many others, find that for most students, AP CSP serves as a stepping stone to other advanced AP STEM coursework.

These findings highlight the importance of schools nationwide achieving gender parity in AP computer science classrooms. Across the nation, female students remain underrepresented in high school computer science classes, accounting for just 34 percent of AP Computer Science Principles participants and 25 percent of AP Computer Science A participants. Currently, 57 percent of high schools teach foundational computer science. Within CPS, all students receive foundational computer science education before graduation. CPS remains the only large urban district in the country with a high school computer science graduation requirement for every student.

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