Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy
Charter · 9-12
At a glance
80% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms - above what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). On the 5Essentials survey, school leadership and teacher collaboration were both rated ‘Very Weak’ (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). In 2025–26, 377 applications were recorded for 56 offers (GoCPS, 2025–26 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- Family involvement was rated ‘Weak’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages).
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 2520 S WESTERN AVE
- Neighborhood
- Lower West Side
- Phone
- (773)890-8020
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://www.ihsca.org/
- Before and after care
Supplemental care not found.
SchoolNav searched the school’s website and the main care providers’ pages in Sep 2026 and found no before or after care. Some programs are never posted online, so ask the school office or on a tour.
- Arts and creative
Ceramics
From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Sports
Football, Girls' Basketball, Girls' Volleyball, Boys' Baseball, Boys' Track, Boys' Basketball, Boys' Soccer, Basketball, Boys' Cross Country, Softball, Volleyball, Flag football
From the school’s CPS profile and its athletics pages, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Weak
- Supportive environment
- Not published - too few responses or not surveyed
- Ambitious instruction
- Not published - too few responses or not surveyed
- Effective leaders
- Very Weak
- Collaborative teachers
- Very Weak
- Safety (student-reported)
- Very Weak
- Overall organization
- Not Yet Organized
UChicago 5Essentials levels from the spring 2024 survey (CPS Progress Reports SY2425, verified 2026-09-25) - benchmarked categories relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages. A school can answer mostly positively and still rate below the benchmark typical.
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
Teacher Safety, Classroom Disruptions, and Student Responsibility are rated above the CPS average; Collaborative Practices, Teacher-Teacher Trust, and Instructional Leadership are rated below it this year.
From the 2026 CPS 5Essentials survey (25-26). Scores are benchmarked 1–99 (not percentages) - higher is stronger, and each is shown against the CPS average that same year. This is a newer survey on a different benchmark than the component levels above, so the two aren’t directly comparable.
Show all measures ▸Hide measures ▾
Ambitious Instruction
53 ▼ below the CPS average (60)- Academic Press· students-reported50 ▼ below the CPS average (55)
- English Instruction· students-reported64 ▬ about the CPS average (65)
- Math Instruction· students-reported59 ▼ below the CPS average (69)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Supportive Environment
52 ▼ below the CPS average (56)- Expectations for Postsecondary Education· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Safety· students-reported52 ▬ about the CPS average (49)
- School-Wide Future Orientation· students-reported55 ▼ below the CPS average (62)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported59 ▬ about the CPS average (56)
Collaborative Teachers
41 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported42 ▼ below the CPS average (63)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported38 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported52 ▬ about the CPS average (55)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported41 ▬ about the CPS average (43)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported31 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
Effective Leaders
42 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported38 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported46 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
44 ▼ below the CPS average (50)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported46 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported65 ▼ below the CPS average (70)
- Academic Personalism· students-reported53 ▼ below the CPS average (58)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported49 ▲ above the CPS average (42)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported50 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Course Clarity· students-reported53 ▬ about the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported34 ▼ below the CPS average (38)
- Importance of High School for the Future· students-reported62 ▼ below the CPS average (67)
- Innovation· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported56 ▬ about the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported33 ▼ below the CPS average (41)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (61)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported49 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- School Connectedness· students-reported52 ▼ below the CPS average (58)
- School Safety· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported26 ▼ below the CPS average (40)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported59 ▼ below the CPS average (65)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported43 ▲ above the CPS average (38)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported58 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
UChicago Consortium — the 2026 cycle (school year 25-26) is re-benchmarked to spring 2024 (SY25+); it is NOT level-comparable to the spring-2013-benchmarked component levels shown elsewhere.
Programs (2)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
HEALTH HS-General Education Charter | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
HEALTH HS-Health Science Charter | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Parent questions & conversation
What parents and people who know this school are asking, answering, and talking about - their own words, experiences and opinions rather than verified facts.
Parent notes on this school are visible to signed-in Chicago families. Sign in to read and ask.
SchoolNav is not affiliated with CPS. Details change - each fact above shows when it was last verified. Application decisions should always be confirmed in GoCPS.