Walter Payton College Preparatory High School
CPS choice · 9-12
At a glance
The school’s supportive environment and family involvement were each rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). In 2025–26, 7,932 applications were recorded for 350 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). 23% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - below what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- 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 ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 73% 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).
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 1034 N WELLS ST
- Neighborhood
- Near North Side
- Phone
- (773)534-0034
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://wpcp.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
Ballroom Dancing, Drawing, Modern/Hip-Hop Dance, Painting, Plays/Acting, Theater, Band/Orchestra, Ethnic/Folk Dance, Fundamentals/Theory of Music, Knitting, Mosaics, Paper Making, Pottery, Rock Band, Student Art Club, Animation/Cartoon, Fashion, Murals, Student Music Club, Violin/Strings, Art Studio, Ceramics, Dance, Guitar, Media and Production Workshops, Musicals, Photography, Sewing, Talent Show, Web Design, Choir/Chorus, Drama, Improv, Mixed Media, Piano/Keyboard, Sketching
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, Cheerleading, Football, Girls' Basketball, Girls' Soccer, Girls' Volleyball, Pom-Pon, Wrestling, Boys' Baseball, Boys' Lacrosse, Boys' Track, Chess, Girls' Softball, Girls' Water Polo, Rugby, Tennis, Baseball, Boys' Basketball, Boys' Soccer, Boys' Volleyball, Girls' Cross Country, Girls' Swimming, Basketball, Boys' Softball, Boys' Water Polo, Dance, 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
- Very Strong
- Ambitious instruction
- Very Strong
- Effective leaders
- Weak
- Collaborative teachers
- Neutral
- Safety (student-reported)
- Neutral
- Overall organization
- 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
Classroom Rigor, Expectations for Postsecondary Education, and Emotional Health are rated above the CPS average; Quality Professional Development, Instructional Leadership, and Teacher-Principal Trust 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
85 ▲ above the CPS average (60)- Academic Press· students-reported88 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- English Instruction· students-reported94 ▲ above the CPS average (65)
- Math Instruction· students-reported84 ▲ above the CPS average (69)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported75 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
Supportive Environment
90 ▲ above the CPS average (56)- Expectations for Postsecondary Education· teachers-reported96 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- Safety· students-reported85 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
- School-Wide Future Orientation· students-reported94 ▲ above the CPS average (62)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported86 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
Collaborative Teachers
56 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported66 ▬ about the CPS average (63)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported54 ▬ about the CPS average (52)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (55)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported52 ▲ above the CPS average (43)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
Effective Leaders
52 ▬ about the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported53 ▬ about the CPS average (52)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported69 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
78 ▲ above the CPS average (50)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported74 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported81 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported79 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported85 ▲ above the CPS average (70)
- Academic Personalism· students-reported77 ▲ above the CPS average (58)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported56 ▲ above the CPS average (42)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Course Clarity· students-reported83 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported96 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported55 ▲ above the CPS average (38)
- Importance of High School for the Future· students-reported93 ▲ above the CPS average (67)
- Innovation· teachers-reported58 ▬ about the CPS average (56)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported75 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (41)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported62 ▬ about the CPS average (61)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported95 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- School Connectedness· students-reported87 ▲ above the CPS average (58)
- School Safety· students-reported87 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported34 ▼ below the CPS average (40)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported98 ▲ above the CPS average (65)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported71 ▲ above the CPS average (38)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported75 ▲ 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 (3)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Selective Enrollment High School Selective enrollment Your child must take the HSAT to apply. | 9 | Screening | Yes | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Significantly Modified Curriculum w/ Moderate Supports (IEP) Special education | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Visual Impairment (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. The first 640-scale cutoffs will exist after offers go out in spring 2027.
CPS-published · verified Jul 2026
High school offers go out to every family on the same day: February 12, 2027.
CPS-published · verified Oct 2026
| Cycle | Rank min | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 900 | 794 | 832 | 868 | 898 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2025-26 | 900 | 796 | 864 | 873 | 898 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2024-25 | 900 | 793.5 | 855 | 868 | 898 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2023-24 | 900 | 833.5 | 850 | 895 | 900 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2022-23 | 900 | 812 | 857 | 880 | 900 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| Before the 2022-23 cycle CPS used a different admissions test - the rows below are shown for context only and are never mixed into the likelihood band. | ||||||
| 2021-22 | 898 | 797 | 851 | 886 | 895 | CPS-published · verified Dec 2021 |
| 2020-21 | 898 | 803 | 855 | 882 | 895 | CPS-published · verified May 2021 |
| 2019-20 | 898 | 792 | 871 | 882 | 894 | CPS-published · verified Mar 2022 |
| 2018-19 | 898 | 808 | 863 | 884 | 896 | CPS-published · verified Apr 2018 |
| 2017-18 | 898 | 771 | 846 | 875 | 894 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2017 |
| 2013-14 | 898 | 801 | 845 | 871 | 892 | CPS-published · verified Mar 2013 |
| 2011-12 | 897 | 806 | 833 | 869 | 889 | CPS-published · verified Jan 2012 |
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 40 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 6:00 PM
- Tuesday, December 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM
- Tuesday, January 19, 2027 at 6:00 PM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Fareeda J Shabazz · Principal
- David Kuo · Parent
- Michelle Kuo · Parent
- Cassie Eng · Parent
- Rishi Agrawal · Parent
- Laura Hansen · Parent
- Suzanne Bish · Parent
- Sana Ansari · Community member
- Chibuzo Ezeigbo · Community member
- Mirelle A Rivera · Teacher
- Amy Seter · Teacher
- JUDITH WATKINS · School staff (non-teaching)
- Telvir L Williams · Student
- Princesa Miranda · Student
- Anden J Hong · 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.