Charter School Networks

North Lawndale College Prep (NLCP) exists to create a better future by developing and empowering transformational leaders. With the belief that every student is capable of college graduation, NLCP provides a comprehensive high school education and the support necessary to graduate from college.

Students enrolled in North Lawndale College Prep have an opportunity to be a part of the Phoenix Pact, a program that makes it possible for graduates of NLCP to go to college where they are most likely to succeed, rather than having to settle for colleges they can afford. The Phoenix Pact awards scholarships so students can go to college with no out-of-pocket cost. It secures grants to limit loan debt and provides counselor support while in college.

Betty Shabazz International Charter School Network’s mission is to provide an academic and culturally relevant program that integrates and balances cultural knowledge and improves competencies in reading, oral and written language, mathematics, science, technology, social studies, and the arts and humanities. With a strong focus on leadership skills, sustainable living, and the arts, the African-centered educational program consistently produces high achieving students with a strong sense of cultural identity and commitment to higher learning. Betty Shabazz operates two campuses: Betty Shabazz Academy (grades K-8) and Barbara A. Sizemore Academy (grades K-7).

The ASPIRA Charter School Network was established by ASPIRA Inc. of Illinois, a 40-plus year old non-profit committed to the self-determination of Latino and underserved youth through education, leadership development, and cultural awareness. The ASPIRA Charter School Network’s mission is to develop life-long learners who are prepared for leadership and success. ASPIRA focuses on providing a rigorous college-prep curriculum for inner-city, Puerto Rican, Latino, and other educationally underserved youth in their middle school, two high schools, and options high school in preparation for the transition to college and beyond.

Catalyst Schools holistically educate the young men and women entrusted to its care through a school community committed to teaching minds and touching hearts. Catalyst envisions a life of meaning and purpose for all people in a world that is just and peaceful. The network serves children living in communities challenged by the effects of discrimination and economic poverty. Catalyst Schools understand that each of the communities in which they serve have incredible gifts and whose assets, culture, and heritage hold the promise of a great future. Catalyst helps unlock the gift that is within each child by addressing the whole child: academic, social-emotional, physical and psychological.

Chicago International Charter School’s (CICS) core purpose is to offer Chicago families an excellent and innovative school choice where their children can thrive every day. Through a portfolio model of 14 schools managed by diverse operators, CICS serves 8,300 students and offers varied and high-quality options to Chicago families.

Concept Schools is a nonprofit charter management organization that provides STEM-focused and college-preparatory education to 14,000 primarily low-income students of color on 34 campuses across the Midwest.

We provide comprehensive start-up, academic, financial, and operational services and excel at providing learning and leadership opportunities for students to unleash their potential.

Instituto Justice & Leadership Academies is dedicated to increasing Chicago’s high school graduation and college completion rates by providing high quality learning environments for re-engaged youth ages 17-21 with less than 20% 16 year olds. The school offers a welcoming environment where students are challenged and supported to reach high level competencies in order to earn graduation. Students are also provided career path opportunities that are connected to their passions and talents – including pipelining students to careers in health care, manufacturing, and information technology through Instituto’s award-winning workforce development programs and its long standing partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago.

KIPP Chicago Schools is a local network of charter schools that is part of the nationally renowned Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP). KIPP Chicago schools are completely free, and there are no requirements for enrollment except residency in Chicago.

Founded in 2003, KIPP Chicago Schools began with a single class of fifth graders at KIPP Ascend Middle School. Today, KIPP Chicago Schools consists of seven schools. Together, these schools educate more than 2,400 students in grades K-8 from the South and West Sides of Chicago. KIPP Chicago campuses are located in the Austin, Englewood, North Lawndale, and West Humboldt Park neighborhoods. KIPP Chicago also advises more than 1,000 KIPP alumni currently in high school or college through its KIPP Through College program.

LEARN Charter School Network’s commitment to providing underserved communities with a high-quality, college prep elementary education is unwavering. Since opening its doors as a charter school in 2001, LEARN has grown from one school serving 110 students to a thriving network of students 10 charter schools serving 4,000 students in the Chicagoland area, including North Chicago and Waukegan.

Fueled by an ambitious growth plan and supported by some of the most innovative funders in the sector, LEARN’s mission remains crystal clear: To provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree.

Noble is a nonprofit organization that runs 17 charter public high schools and one middle school in Chicago. Founded as Noble Street Charter School in 1999, the network now serves more than  12,000 students, and they come from every neighborhood in the city. Every year, 99 percent of Noble seniors are accepted into college before they graduate high school. Noble schools are free and open-enrollment – any student who completes 8th grade and lives in Chicago may attend.

At Perspectives Charter Schools (PCS), the A Disciplined Life® education model teaches the whole child. Perspectives combines academic rigor, social emotional learning, and experiential opportunities to establish a culture of trust, curiosity and achievement. Their holistic model fosters ethical leadership and cultivates agency guiding students to lead productive and meaningful lives.

For over 20 years, the Perspectives network has served public school students in grades 6-12 on the South Side of Chicago.

The University of Chicago Charter School takes a research-based approach to instruction on its four campuses, which serve grades Pre-K through 12. Formative assessments are used to gauge student progress, with the results used to fine-tune instruction and target academic and social supports. An advanced technological infrastructure supports teaching and learning, and the teachers, staff and leaders aim to inspire students to become critical thinkers and leaders.

Acero Schools is an urban, non-profit charter school network serving a high percentage of bilingual students. With a focus on innovation and sharing best practices, the network takes a team-based approach to developing high performing schools. Using proven educational models for social emotional learning, personalized learning and data-driven and differentiated instruction, Acero Schools has a customized approach for each individual school to best meet the needs of students.

Acero Schools are tuition free and serve 7,500 Chicago students and their families through 12 elementary schools, two high schools and one K-12 school.

Urban Prep Academies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a network of all-boys public schools including the country’s first charter high school for boys. Urban Prep’s mission is to provide a high-quality and comprehensive college-preparatory educational experience to young men that results in their graduates succeeding in college. The schools are a direct response to the urgent need to reverse abysmal graduation and college completion rates among boys in urban centers. While most of Urban Prep students come to the schools from economically disadvantaged households and behind in many subject areas, Urban Prep remains committed to preparing all of its students for college and life.

Youth Connection Charter School (YCCS) has served as the leading provider of alternative education programs in the Chicago area since 1997, helping more than 14,000 students earn a high school diploma. YCCS is the first and only charter alternative education school with 20 campuses serving more than 4,000 students in Chicago, dedicated to educating students who have dropped out and are off-track. YCCS meets the needs of students through programs committed to academic excellence and social and cultural skill development. YCCS supports students’ learning by enhancing academic, technical, and vocational skills. Their innovative programs prepare students for post-secondary education and employment, ultimately developing YCCS graduates to become contributing members of their communities.

Intrinsic Schools is a high performing charter school network serving students in seventh to 12th grade. Opened in August 2013, Intrinsic’s model blends great teaching with cutting-edge technology to better leverage teachers and provide students with a truly personalized learning experience. In this student-centric model, Intrinsic creates different structures for learning that include group projects, presentations, and self-directed online learning. The mission of Intrinsic Schools is to prepare all students for 21st-century post-secondary success and to cultivate independent, intellectually curious learners. At Intrinsic Schools, students will have opportunities to navigate their learning and to discover their passions through purposefully designed curricular experiences, which are critical for post-secondary success. The Intrinsic culture will be characterized by a focus on mastery, autonomy, and community.