Kenwood Academy High School
CPS choice · 7-12
At a glance
On the 5Essentials survey, Family involvement and Instruction were both rated ‘Very Strong’ (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). In 2025–26, 853 applications were recorded for 150 offers (GoCPS, 2025–26 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- Family involvement was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 48% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - below what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Academic performance
- Year-over-year student growth was at the 35th percentile statewide in ELA and the 44th in math (ISBE Report Card 2025). 77% of students met or exceeded standards on the 2025 IAR.
- Academic fit
- Instruction was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 90% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - above what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Social-emotional fit
- The school’s supportive environment was rated ‘Strong’ 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
- 5015 S BLACKSTONE AVE
- Neighborhood
- Kenwood
- Phone
- (773)535-1350
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://kenwoodacademy.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
Drawing, Modern/Hip-Hop Dance, Painting, Plays/Acting, Step Dance, Theater, Band/Orchestra, Comprehensive Gifted Program, Knitting, Pottery, Student Art Club, Fashion, Graphic Design, Percussion, Student Music Club, Violin/Strings, Art Studio, Ceramics, Dance, Guitar, Musicals, Photography, Sewing, Talent Show, Choir/Chorus, Drama, Mixed Media, Piano/Keyboard
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
16” Softball, Bowling, Boys' Golf, Boys' Tennis, Cheerleading, Football, Girls' Basketball, Girls' Soccer, Girls' Volleyball, Pom-Pon, Step Dance, Wrestling, Boys' Baseball, Boys' Lacrosse, Boys' Track, Chess, Girls' Softball, Girls' Water Polo, Tennis, Yoga/Pilates, Baseball, Boys' Basketball, Boys' Soccer, Boys' Volleyball, Conditioning and Fitness, Girls' Cross Country, Girls' Swimming, Basketball, Boys' Softball, Boys' Water Polo, Dance, Girls on Track, Girls' Golf, Soccer, Boys' Cross Country, Boys' Swimming, Girls' Lacrosse, Girls' Track, Softball, Volleyball
From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Very Strong
- Supportive environment
- Strong
- Ambitious instruction
- Very Strong
- Effective leaders
- Neutral
- Collaborative teachers
- Neutral
- Safety (student-reported)
- Weak
- Overall organization
- Well 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-Parent Trust, Expectations for Postsecondary Education, and Parent Involvement in School are rated above the CPS average 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
82 ▲ above the CPS average (60)- Academic Press· students-reported84 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- English Instruction· students-reported90 ▲ above the CPS average (65)
- Math Instruction· students-reported68 ▬ about the CPS average (69)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported86 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
Supportive Environment
76 ▲ above the CPS average (56)- Expectations for Postsecondary Education· teachers-reported98 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- Safety· students-reported58 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
- School-Wide Future Orientation· students-reported82 ▲ above the CPS average (62)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported67 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
Collaborative Teachers
71 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported76 ▲ above the CPS average (63)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported61 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported78 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported71 ▲ above the CPS average (43)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported67 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
Effective Leaders
73 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported79 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported85 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
88 ▲ above the CPS average (50)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported81 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported89 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported95 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported76 ▲ above the CPS average (70)
- Academic Personalism· students-reported72 ▲ above the CPS average (58)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (42)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported92 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Course Clarity· students-reported81 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported78 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported49 ▲ above the CPS average (38)
- Importance of High School for the Future· students-reported79 ▲ above the CPS average (67)
- Innovation· teachers-reported75 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported59 ▲ above the CPS average (41)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported76 ▲ above the CPS average (61)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported67 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- School Connectedness· students-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (58)
- School Safety· students-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (40)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported74 ▲ above the CPS average (65)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (38)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported61 ▲ 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 (4)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Academic Center Selective enrollment CPS requires a GPA of at least 2.50. | 7–8 | Screening | Yes | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Honors Magnet CPS requires a GPA of at least 3.00. Your child must take the HSAT to apply. | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
KENWOOD HS - General Education Neighborhood | 9-9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
Significantly Modified Curriculum w/ Moderate Supports (IEP) Special education | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Cutoff history
What it took to receive an initial offer here in each cycle CPS has published - by tier for Selective Enrollment, and on the citywide points line for points-based Choice programs. History is context - it can’t predict a future cutoff.
What is knowable right now
This cycle’s cutoffs are not published yet. CPS posts cutoff scores only after offers go out.
CPS-published · verified Jul 2026
Elementary offers go out to every family on the same day: March 12, 2027.
CPS-published · verified Oct 2026
| Cycle | Rank min | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 527.5 | 402.5 | 467.5 | 480 | 505 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2025-26 | 537.5 | 415 | 477.5 | 482.5 | 515 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2024-25 | 522.5 | 315 | 452.5 | 490 | 500 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2023-24 | 528 | 366 | 405 | 476 | 491 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2022-23 | 507 | 341 | 366 | 436 | 337 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
Minimum point totals from CPS’s published initial offers - waitlist movement can lower what it actually took, and cutoffs move year to year. Within the current-test cycles above, a tier’s minimum has shifted by as much as 154 points from one cycle to the next - treat any single year as a snapshot, not a target.
Local School Council
CPS-published· verified Oct 2026The Local School Council is a group of parents, staff, and neighbors who help run this school. They vote on the budget and the school plan. Their meetings are open to the public, so you can go and listen.
Next meetings
- Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 8:00 AM
- Tuesday, December 15, 2026 at 5:30 PM
- Tuesday, January 19, 2027 at 5:30 PM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Karen A Calloway · Principal
- Lionel Kimble · Parent
- Forrest Moore · Parent
- Michelle Hoy-Watkins · Parent
- Frederick Anderson · Parent
- LaTonya Seanior-Smith · Parent
- Arielle Thompson · Parent
- Felicia Davis Fourte · Community member
- Laurel Allen · Community member
- Markeira Davis · Teacher
- Madeleine Resch · Teacher
- Kristin A Flowers · School staff (non-teaching)
- Mora Spicer · Student
- Charlotte A Chung · Student
CPS keeps the official list of council meetings and members. See the CPS council list.
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.