Glossary

Birth Rates

Birth rate data is sourced through the Illinois Department of Public Health. Birth statistics are typically available three years removed.

To access birth rate data or learn more, visit the Illinois Department of Public Health at dph.illinois.gov/data-statistics/vital-statistics/birth-statistics.html.

Census Data

The American Community Survey (ACS) provides data that helps the public understand changes taking place in their communities. The ACS is the premier source for detailed population and housing information data in the U.S. Provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, the ARA uses ACS data to describe student populations and community demographics including birth rates, childhood population totals, and household income data.

To learn more about the ACS, go to www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about.html.

Chicago Open Data Portal

The City of Chicago makes city data available to public users via the Chicago Open Data Portal. Across 16 categories of data, users can access data about specific neighborhoods, create maps and graphs about the city, and freely download data for additional analysis.

To view and download City of Chicago data, visit https://data.cityofchicago.org/.

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Community Data Snapshots

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s (CMAP) Community Data Snapshots summarize demographic, housing, employment, transportation, land use, revenue, and water data in northeastern Illinois. Each year, CMAP updates these snapshots for the region’s seven counties (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will), 284 communities, and 77 Chicago neighborhoods.

To access community data snapshots, visit https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/data/community-snapshots.

CPS Metrics

Chicago Public Schools publishes data on various other district metrics. Additional data on the district metrics page includes student attendance, dropout rates, student mobility, and discipline statistics.

To access other district data resources, visit https://www.cps.edu/about/district-data/metrics/.

Distance Traveled and Commute Time

Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute distances and times were calculated using Google Maps travel estimates and include a combination of walking and public transit data. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize unnecessary travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

To learn more about the Google Distance Matrix API, visit developers.google.com/maps/documentation/distance-matrix/overview.

Early College and Career Credential (ECCC) Programs

Early College and Career Credential (ECCC) programs provide access and support for rigorous, college-level, hands-on, and career-focused courses and experiences. ECCC programs advance student postsecondary success through earned college credits or professional credentials and the exposure to soft skills needed to succeed in college, civic, life, and the 21st-century labor market.

Students can earn an ECCC in more than one program. Each ECCC program sets their own credential achievement criteria. To learn more, go to cps.edu/about/district-data/metrics.

Information about individual ECCC programs is also available on the following sites:

• Advanced Placement - cps.edu/academics/college-credit/ap-credit
• Career & Technical Education, Dual Credit, and Dual Enrollment - cps.edu/about/departments/early-college-and-career-education-ecce
• International Baccalaureate - cps.edu/academics/college-credit/ib-credit
• Junior Reserve Office Training Corps (JROTC) - chicagojrotc.com
• Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy - cps.edu/academics/language-and-culture/seal-of-biliteracy

Options High Schools

Options high schools serve students who need a new pathway toward high school graduation. CPS schools offer additional supports and services for students who have been out of school and seek to return or who may need opportunities to earn credits in an accelerated program. Some of CPS’s campuses offer additional supports such as counseling and alternative schedules for students who may work during the traditional school day.

Options high schools do not have attendance zones or admission criteria although many serve only students 16 years and older. Students can choose to attend any Options high school within or outside of their home region. For this reason, Choice patterns tend to differ for Options students compared to elementary and other high school students.

Options high schools include those managed by CPS, contract operators, and charter schools.

To learn more about Options high schools or other pathways towards re-engagement in school, visit cps.edu/schools/re-engagement-to-high-school/.

Postsecondary Success Indicators

While the School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP) was suspended for school years 2020-21 and 2021-22, some data on student outcomes is available as an indicator of how schools are preparing high school students for postsecondary success. The ARA contains data on how high school students are progressing towards high school graduation, college enrollment, and college persistence goals.

For more information on these metrics, visit cps.edu/about/district-data/metrics.

School Profiles & School Locator

For data on specific CPS schools, the CPS school profile search shares information on school-level programs, admission requirements, after school activities, support resources, and school performance. To use the CPS school profile search, visit https://www.cps.edu/schools/find-a-school/.

Users can also use the CPS school locator to see where CPS schools are located, what the attendance boundaries are for a specific address, what city-wide (non-attendance boundary) schools are nearby, and utilize various other geographical overlays (e.g. Safe Passage Routes). To use the CPS school locator, visit https://schoolinfo.cps.edu/schoollocator/index.html.

School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP)

In the past, the ARA used School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP) ratings to provide information about student and school performance. In 2020, CPS suspended SQRP due to the impact of COVID-19. CPS is currently transitioning to the new Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency policy. This policy replaces the district's previous School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP).

Once implemented, additional metrics will be published that offer a holistic perspective on student, school, and district performance.

To learn more about the district's Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency efforts or the updated policy, visit https://www.cps.edu/strategic-initiatives/continuous-improvement-data-transparency.

Zoned Schools and Applying to Schools

CPS uses the term 'zoned schools' to describe schools that have an associated attendance boundary. In the city of Chicago, each street address is assigned to one elementary school and one high school with an attendance area. Students can choose to attend their assigned or zoned school or apply to attend another zoned school, a city-wide school, or a specific program at another school. If a student chooses to attend their assigned or zoned school, they do not need to apply and are automatically admitted. If a student chooses to attend another zoned school with available seats, admission will be determined by a lottery. City-wide schools do not have attendance boundaries and admit all students through an application and lottery process.

To identify specific school boundaries and learn more about a school's admissions process, use the CPS School Locator at cps.edu/schoollocator.