In a by-the-numbers evaluation, Chicago takes a close look at 233 public high schools in the six-county metropolitan region. In these charts are a wide range of statistics about such things as graduation rates, teacher experience, school spending, and test scores—as well as an exclusive look at the relationship between test scores and money—that provide a careful delineation of the area’s best and worst schools. In addition, successful educators describe how a subtle shift in teaching methods has helped root out obstacles to learning while helping students improve their test scores.

A NEW LESSON PLAN >>

For decades, teachers decided exactly what high-school students should learn—and how they should learn it. But an innovative student-centered model has turned that old methodology on its head as educators now work with pupils to ensure that “no child left behind” is more than just a rhetorical catch phrase. 

BY THE NUMBERS >>

Chart annotations and analyses of the numbers 

THE CHARTS >>

Statistics for 233 public high schools in Chicago’s six-county metro area

Photography: Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee