Data Definitions

The average daily student attendance rate is the percentage of the total number of days in which students during the school year were marked present at a school, divided by the total number of days that those students were expected to be in attendance. Due to COVID-19, year-end attendance data from SY2020 may not be available or not included in this report. Additionally, due to data availability and/or small class sizes, this data may not be available by school district.

1. PE and PK Attendance: The percentage, on average, of days that students in PE and Pre-K in an area were marked present during the school year. Research indicates that regular attendance during early grades is associated with improved academic performance, higher reading proficiency, and reduced risk of later school dropout. Data on school attendance is available in published school level reports from Chicago Public Schools.
2. Chronic Absenteeism & Truancy: The proportion of youth attending schools in an area that are accruing an inordinate amount of absences throughout the school year. Illinois law defines a “chronic absentee” as a student who misses at least 10% of school days (18 days) in a typical 180-day school year, regardless of whether the absences are excused. Excused absences may include illness, suspension, or caring for a family member. A “chronic truant” is defined as a student who misses at least 5% of school days (9 days) in a typical 180-day school year without a valid excuse, with excused absences excluded from the count. Regular attendance is essential for student success, and those who are chronically absent or truant face higher risks of academic and social difficulties. Data on this measure comes from ISBE’s Report Card Library.

The proportion of licensed childcare slots available for all youth, age 5 and under, in an area. This serves as a proxy measure for access to local, licensed childcare, which is a key component of early youth development. Research from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) consistently shows that access to high-quality early childhood education positively impacts cognitive, social, and emotional development. It also supports parents’ participation in the workforce, contributing to economic stability. Other important considerations when assessing the access that young people have to early childcare include affordability, quality standards, and inclusivity and diversity. Data on childcare slot availability comes from youth (0-5) population US Census data and IECAM data on full-time licensed center slots from “Infant” to “Age Five to Kindergarten”.

The proportion of graduates from CPS high schools in an area who enrolled directly in college (2- and 4-year degrees) in the fall following spring or summer high school graduation. Data on college enrollment comes from To and Through and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), which houses enrollment and graduation records for colleges throughout the United States. This does not include students who delayed college entry. Enrollments from North Park University are missing from 2020 and 2021 rates. In 2019, North Park University enrollees comprised around 1% of all immediate enrollees from CPS. Additionally, due to data availability, district-level data for this indicator is only presented for the entire district in years prior to 2023. In other words, for a district like 1A, the most recent year would show data specific to that area, whereas previous years would reflect combined data for all of District 1, encompassing both 1A and 1B.

The proportion of graduates attending CPS high schools in an area who immediately enrolled in college and completed a degree or obtained a credential within six years of high school graduation. College degree attainment is correlated with a wide range of positive outcomes, including income, employment, life satisfaction, happiness, physical health, and mental health. Data on college completion comes from To and Through and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), which houses enrollment and graduation records for colleges throughout the United States. Students who enrolled in a college that does not provide graduation records to the NSC, or whose records are suppressed due to FERPA or other reasons, are not included in these rates.  Additionally, due to data availability, district-level data for this indicator is only presented for the entire district in years prior to 2023. In other words, for a district like 1A, the most recent year would show data specific to that area, whereas previous years would reflect combined data for all of District 1, encompassing both 1A and 1B.

The proportion of graduates attending CPS high schools in an area who immediately enrolled and remain enrolled in both the fall semester directly after high school graduation, and the subsequent fall, in either a two-year or four-year college. Youth that drop out of post-secondary programs are at risk of never re-enrolling and attaining a degree. Data on college persistence comes from To and Through and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), which houses enrollment and graduation records for colleges throughout the United States. Additionally, due to data availability, district-level data for this indicator is only presented for the entire district in years prior to 2023. In other words, for a district like 1A, the most recent year would show data specific to that area, whereas previous years would reflect combined data for all of District 1, encompassing both 1A and 1B.

The average travel time to work (in minutes) for a given area. Longer commute times are a barrier to employment, especially for individuals with children, and are also associated with poorer physical health outcomes. Improvements in an area’s average commute time reflect improvements in local job proximity and transportation networks. Data on commute times comes from US Census tables.

An aggregate score summarizing how schools within an area, on average, are faring on all indicators of the 5Essentials Survey. The 5Essentials Survey is administered to students and teachers, with an optional parent survey, once a year. Research has shown that 5Essentials Survey indicators reliably predict school success on a variety of outcomes for both high school and elementary schools. Data from the survey (“My School My Voice”) comes from ISBE’s Report Card Library.

The proportion of individuals in an area reporting that they have health insurance at the time of the survey (which could be at any point during the year). Research validates that having health insurance coverage enhances the accessibility of healthcare, promotes favorable health results, such as an individual’s perception of their personal health and overall well-being, encourages the prudent utilization of healthcare resources, and alleviates financial burdens on individuals, families, and communities. Data on the number of insured individuals comes from the Chicago Health Atlas and the American Community Survey.

The proportion of first-time ninth-graders who graduate from high schools in an area in four years, including the summer after their fourth year. A high school diploma is typically required for most jobs and to access higher education. A student’s graduation is counted towards the graduation rate of the area or high school where that student began and finished their first year in the school district. Students who transfer into CPS high schools are included with their corresponding ninth-grade cohort. Students who transfer out of CPS are not included in the high school graduation rate. The To and Through Project uses a high school graduation rate that includes students who graduated through Options schools (i.e., alternative schools). Students who received their high school diplomas from Options schools (sometimes called alternative schools) are included in our high school graduation rates and in the denominators of college enrollment rates. Data on high school graduation comes from To and Through and Chicago Public Schools. Additionally, due to data availability, district-level data for this indicator is only presented for the entire district in years prior to 2023. In other words, for a district like 1A, the most recent year would show data specific to that area, whereas previous years would reflect combined data for all of District 1, encompassing both 1A and 1B.

The median household income, which includes all income received by each person in a household who is aged 15 and older, excluding certain receipts such as capital gains, and aggregated at the specified geographic level. Income has a large impact on a number of important outcomes including mental health, life expectancy, and access to healthcare. Data on household income comes from the US Census’ American Community Survey. According to methodology outlined by ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute), we determine the median household income for a group of tracts utilizing Household Income Distribution Census data, which provides the number of households within specific income ranges for each tract. Household counts by income band across all tracts in the area are summed, and cumulative totals and percentages are calculated. The income range where the cumulative percentage exceeds 50% is identified, and the midpoint household is determined by dividing the identified income range’s total number of households by two. The exact position of the median within this range is then located using cumulative totals. Finally, linear interpolation is applied to estimate the median income, providing a more precise measure than the median-of-medians method by accounting for variations in household counts across tracts.

The total number of jobs in each area. The location of and ability to access jobs impacts commute and transportation costs, which present significant barriers to lasting employment, especially for individuals with low incomes and/or families. Data on job counts comes from US Census Employment Statistics.

The proportion of youth who have adequate academic and social-emotional preparedness to succeed in kindergarten and the early grades, based on observations by teachers. Kindergarten readiness sets the foundation for a young person’s educational journey. Research from organizations such as the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) highlight the significance of kindergarten readiness in predicting future academic achievement and long-term educational outcomes. Data on kindergarten readiness is only available at the district level and comes from ISBE’s KIDS assessment dashboard, which houses assessment results collected in the first 40 days of student attendance. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SY 2021 KIDS data was collected across the entire school year. Data for that year CANNOT be used to indicate students’ “readiness” for kindergarten.

Launched by President Obama in 2014, and led by the Obama Foundation today, the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Alliance is an initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps, particularly those faced by young boys of color. With a community-centered approach to systemic change, MBK aims to bring together local leaders, nonprofits, corporations, philanthropy, and residents to collectively influence and enact long-lasting change for communities in areas of opportunity. The MBK equity framework consists of six key milestones for success, each representing a critical life stage for youth. These six milestones help us organize our priorities and ultimately provide youth the support needed to navigate and achieve individual and communal goals.

1. Elementary On-Track:

   The proportion of students attending schools in an area who are considered ‘On Track’ in 6th through 8th grade. Elementary On Track is a composite metric based on students’ GPA and attendance. Students who are in the On Track category (above a 3.0 GPA and above 90% attendance) in middle school are the most likely to graduate from high school and enroll in college. Data on Elementary on Track comes from To & Through’s Data Tool and references two school years of data for each year of data presented. In other words, instead of displaying data for students in SY21, the data includes students from both SY21 and SY20, and that applies to each year of data on the tool. This was done to protect student privacy and to enable more analysis of subgroups, since many elementary schools have very small class sizes and data would otherwise be suppressed. Moreover, it’s imperative to note that Chicago Public Schools implement a unique Elementary On-Track criterion that comprises five categories (in contrast to the four used by To & Through) and employs different standards to determine what meets the ‘on-track’ criteria, diverging from the methodology used by To & Through, the source of our data. Due to rounding, area totals presented may not add up precisely to totals cited from To & Through or Chicago Public Schools.

2. Freshman On-Track:

   The proportion of students attending schools in an area who are considered ‘On Track’ in 9th grade. A student meets the on-track criteria by failing a maximum of one semester in a core course and acquiring a minimum of 5 credits by the conclusion of their ninth-grade year. Freshman On-Track serves to assess the proportion of students who are progressing towards graduation within four years. Students who meet the on-track criteria after their freshman year are more than three times as likely to graduate from high school within the four-year period compared to those who are not on track. Notably, the Freshman On-Track rate excludes ninth-graders from charter schools due to the district’s recent reception of ninth-grade grades from these institutions. Data on “Freshmen On Track” comes from To & Through’s Data Tool. Due to rounding, area totals presented may not add up precisely to totals cited from To & Through or Chicago Public Schools.

These are the most important metrics of youth opportunity – when communities are faring well or trending positively for these indicators, they are likely to be setting youth up for success later in life.

Proficiency represents the proportion of students (who attend schools in an area) who meet state or national standards for a subject area at each grade level. Growth represents the average change in performance over time for students (who attend schools in an area) in comparison to the performance of their academic peers (e.g., students in state who have the same scaled score in the prior year). In Illinois, 3rd-8th graders’ subject proficiency and growth is measured through the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) measure. The growth measure includes the current year score and up to two prior years’ scores, which allows the growth percentile calculation to represent a true growth trend — not just movement up and down from year to year. Evaluating both academic growth over time and proficiency on standardized assessments provides a comprehensive view of student learning, ensuring educators can support all students, from those who need to catch up to those ready for advanced challenges. Data on IAR outcomes are found in ISBE’s Report Card Data Library.

1. 1. Reading Proficiency and Growth: Research shows that third grade marks the crucial transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” making it essential to include reading proficiency and growth scores to highlight how students in an area are progressing in foundational literacy skills.
   2. Math Proficiency and Growth: Eighth-grade math serves as a crucial transition into higher-level mathematical abstraction, including algebra, with research—such as studies from NAEP—consistently linking proficiency at this stage to long-term educational outcomes like high school graduation and college readiness.

The proportion of licensed childcare centers rated as “high quality” (“Silver” or “Gold”), in an area. These sites meet or exceed quality benchmarks on learning environment, instructional quality, and administrative standards based on Illinois’ Excelerate quality designations for early childcare settings. These standards aim to recognize and promote high-quality programs. The Gold and Silver ratings are considered “High-quality” and are granted to centers that meet specific quality criteria. Gold-rated programs demonstrate exceptional quality in areas such as staff qualifications, curriculum, assessment, and family engagement, while Silver-rated programs also exhibit strong quality practices but may have some areas for further improvement or growth. Data on childcare quality ratings comes from IECAM.

The number of in-school suspensions (ISS), out-of-school suspensions (OSS), and expulsions per 100 students at a school, aggregated across an area. An in-school suspension is the removal of a student from their regular educational schedule for more than 60 minutes of the school day to an alternative supervised setting inside the school building to engage in structured activities that develop academic, social, emotional, and/or behavioral skills. An out-of-school suspension is the removal of the student from class attendance or school attendance. Expulsion is the removal of a student from school for 11 or more consecutive days, up to a maximum of two calendar years. These exclusionary punishments, which remove students from the learning environment, have harmful effects and disproportionately impact students of color and those with disabilities. We focus on out-of-school suspensions (OSS) in our trend analysis because they are more prevalent than expulsions, making them a stronger indicator of disciplinary patterns, and they result in greater instructional loss than in-school suspensions (ISS), which still offer a structured learning environment. Data on school disciplinary rates is available online in school-level reports under the “Metrics” section of the Chicago Public Schools website. Note: This data reflects the total number of incidents, not unique students, meaning a single student may be involved in multiple ISS incidents.

The key inputs and influences on primary outcomes – they must be considered alongside primary outcomes to adequately understand the holistic nature of youth opportunity.

The proportion of youth attending schools in an area that are participating in Out of School Time (OST) programming at their school sites. Youth who participate in OST are more likely than non-participating peers to experience higher rates of academic growth, sufficient exercise, avoid risky behaviors, and are less likely to become victims or perpetrators of violence. Data on this measure comes from the Office of Student Support and Engagement at Chicago Public Schools. Note: Data does not include CPS Athletics and may not fully represent all programming that is available at each school.

The proportion of youth attending schools in an area who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Due to their lack of stable housing, homeless unaccompanied youth encounter profound challenges and obstacles in their lives, all of which impede their capacity to reintegrate into society, diminish their drive, and obstruct their journey towards self-sufficiency, success, and active participation within their families and communities. Data for the numbers of students experiencing homelessness comes from ISBE’s Report Card Library.

The proportion of youth attending schools in an area that earned Early College and Career Credentials (ECCC) at the time of their graduation. An increase in the amount of ECCCs earned by students is associated with improved high school graduation and college enrollment rates as students are better prepared to succeed after high school. In order to successfully earn an ECCC credential, the student must have one or more of the following credentials: at least one credit from an approved early college course, a 3 or higher on an AP exam (limited to students enrolled in at least one AP course), a 4 or higher on an IB exam (limited to students enrolled in at least one IB course), an approved career certification  (limited to students enrolled in courses that result in that certification), or the State Seal of Biliteracy. Data on ECCC attainment is available online, found in school level reports, from the “Metrics” section of the Chicago Public Schools website.

The proportion of youth attending schools in an area that who are labeled as having ‘concrete’ postsecondary plans, prior to graduating high school. Chicago Public School’s “Learn.Plan.Succeed” initiative requires that all students demonstrate evidence of a postsecondary plan to ensure that students and families receive proper planning and support to prepare them for success in college, career and civic life. These plans may include college, military, employment, job training, apprenticeship, or gap year programs as potential evidence of a ‘concrete’ plan. Data on numbers of students with concrete plans is found in school level reports, from the “Metrics” section of the Chicago Public Schools website.

The proportion of all youth, age 5 and under, in an area that are eligible for subsidized care programs in Chicago, including Early Head Start/Head Start, Prevention Initiative, Preschool For All, state subsidy (CCAP), and public Pre-K (Chicago Public Schools). Affordability of early childcare is a primary barrier for access, with annual costs in Chicago averaging $25,000 per year. Data on this measure comes from the Chicago Early Childhood Integrated Data System (CECIDS). The CECIDS model estimates the number of children eligible for major subsidized early child care programs in Chicago based on each program’s published eligibility requirements related to child age, household income, and/or household labor force participation. Additionally, due to data availability and/or small class sizes, this data is not available by school district.

The proportion of all youth, age 5 and under, in an area that are served by subsidized and private pay child care programs in Chicago. Even in areas with many families technically eligible for subsidized child care programs, fewer children may be served due to factors such as limited funding, a shortage of local providers, complex application processes, lack of program awareness, geographic barriers, and disparities in access related to race, ethnicity, or language, which can prevent eligible families from fully accessing available support. Data on this measure comes from the Chicago Early Childhood Integrated Data System (CECIDS). Additionally, due to data availability and/or small class sizes, this data is not available by school district.

The number and percentage of schools in a community with a “Supportive Schools” certification from Chicago Public Schools. Optimal student learning occurs in an environment where they experience safety and emotional support, along with physical security. Chicago’s Office of Social and Emotional Learning (OSEL) acknowledges schools that have placed a strong emphasis on cultivating supportive school atmospheres and fostering positive school cultures. This recognition is achieved through the Supportive Schools Certification Process, which engages teams of staff, students, families, and community members. Additionally, some schools opt to implement a research-based curriculum that provides explicit instruction in social and emotional skills. Data on the number of schools with “Supportive Schools” certification comes from individual school profile pages on Chicago Public Schools “School Profile Search” website.

The number of crimes related to violence (including homicide, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery) per 100,000 people in an area. Youth who may experience higher incidences of violent crime are in danger of long-term health impacts to mental health and cognitive development and may have less opportunities to contribute to their communities. Data on the number of violent crimes comes from the Chicago Health Atlas.

The proportion of all youth, age 24 and under, in an area that are either not employed or not in school. Many youths choose not to attend college after high school graduation for a variety of reasons including preferences for work immediately after graduation and the prohibitive cost of a college degree. Although there are multiple paths to a household sustaining income, youth that are not in school nor working are at risk of becoming disconnected, making future employment and school enrollment more difficult. Data on youth disconnection comes from IPUMS USA (originally, the “Integrated Public Use Microdata Series”) employment database.

The proportion of all youth, age 24 and under, in an area that are employed. Employment is an important source of mental and physical well-being, and youth unemployment is associated with increased mental health problems and an increased risk of unemployment later in life. Data on youth employment comes from the US Census’ American Community Survey and includes civilian employment totals (non-active duty military personnel not included).

The proportion of all youth, age 5 and under, in a area that are living in households earning less than 200% of the federal poverty line. Affordability of early childcare is a primary barrier for access, with annual costs in Chicago averaging $25,000 per year. Data on poverty rates for youth (0-5) comes from IECAM.