Data Definitions

The average daily student attendance rate is the percentage of the total number of days in which students during the school year were marked present at a school, divided by the total number of days that those students were expected to be in attendance. Data on school attendance is available online, found in school level reports, from the “Metrics” section of the Chicago Public Schools website. Due to COVID-19, year-end attendance data from SY2020 is not available and is not included in this report. 

The proportion of licensed childcare slots available for all youth, age 5 and under, in a community. This serves as a proxy measure for access to local, licensed childcare, which is a key component of early youth development. Research from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) consistently shows that access to high-quality early childhood education positively impacts cognitive, social, and emotional development. It also supports parents’ participation in the workforce, contributing to economic stability. Other important considerations when assessing the access that young people have to early childcare include affordability, quality standards, and inclusivity and diversity. Data on childcare slot availability comes from youth (0-5) population US Census data and IECAM data on full-time licensed center slots from “Infant” to “Age Five to Kindergarten”. 

The proportion of graduates from CPS high schools in a community who enrolled directly in college (2- and 4-year degrees) in the fall following spring or summer high school graduation. Data on college enrollment comes from To and Through and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), which houses enrollment and graduation records for colleges throughout the United States. This does not include students who delayed college entry. Enrollments from North Park University are missing from 2020 and 2021 rates. In 2019, North Park University enrollees comprised around 1% of all immediate enrollees from CPS. 

The proportion of graduates from CPS high schools in a community who immediately enrolled in college and completed a degree or obtained a credential within six years of high school graduation. College degree attainment is correlated with a wide range of positive outcomes, including income, employment, life satisfaction, happiness, physical health, and mental health. Data on college completion comes from To and Through and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), which houses enrollment and graduation records for colleges throughout the United States. Students who enrolled in a college that does not provide graduation records to the NSC, or whose records are suppressed due to FERPA or other reasons, are not included in these rates.  

The proportion of graduates from CPS high schools in a community who immediately enrolled and remain enrolled continuously (no semesters off) for the four semesters after high school graduation in one or more two-year or four-year colleges, or who completed a college degree or credential within two years. Youth that drop out of post-secondary programs are at risk of never re-enrolling and attaining a degree. Research shows that college dropouts earn significantly less than college completers. Data on college persistence comes from To and Through and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), which houses enrollment and graduation records for colleges throughout the United States.

The average travel time to work (in minutes) for a given community. Longer commute times are also associated with poorer physical health. Data on commute times comes from US Census tables at the census tract level, aggregated by crosswalk to the community level.

The 5Essentials Survey is administered to students and teachers, with an optional parent survey, once a year. After in-depth survey scoring, schools receive individualized web-based reports that offer a comprehensive view of their school environment. Data from the survey (“My School My Voice”) comes from ISBE’s Report Card Library.

The percentage of individuals in a community reporting that they have health insurance at the time of the survey (which could be at any point during the year). Research validates that having health insurance coverage enhances the accessibility of healthcare, promotes favorable health results, such as an individual’s perception of their personal health and overall well-being, encourages the prudent utilization of healthcare resources, and alleviates financial burdens on individuals, families, and communities. Data on the number of insured individuals comes from the Chicago Health Atlas and the American Community Survey.

The proportion of first-time ninth graders who graduate from high schools in a community in four years, including the summer after their fourth year. A high school diploma is typically required for most jobs and to access higher education. A student’s graduation is counted towards the graduation rate of the community area or high school where that student began and finished their first year in the school district. Students who transfer into CPS high schools are included with their corresponding ninth-grade cohort. Students who transfer out of CPS are not included in the high school graduation rate. The To&Through Project uses a high school graduation rate that includes students who graduated through Options schools (i.e., alternative schools). Students who received their high school diplomas from Options schools (sometimes called alternative schools) are included in our high school graduation rates and in the denominators of college enrollment rates. Data on high school graduation comes from To and Through and Chicago Public Schools.

The median household income, which includes all income received by each person in a household who is aged 15 and older, excluding certain receipts such as capital gains, and aggregated at the community level. Income has a large impact on several important outcomes including mental health, life expectancy, and access to healthcare. Data on household income comes from the US Census’ American Community Survey.

The total number of jobs in each community. The location of and ability to access jobs impacts commute and transportation costs, which present significant barriers to lasting employment. Data on job numbers comes from US Census Employment Statistics at the census tract level, and then aggregated to the community level.

Percentage of youth who have adequate academic and social-emotional preparedness to succeed in kindergarten and the early grades, based on observations by teachers. Kindergarten readiness sets the foundation for a young person’s educational journey. Research from organizations such as the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) highlight the significance of kindergarten readiness in predicting future academic achievement and long-term educational outcomes. Data on kindergarten readiness is only available at the district level and comes from ISBE’s KIDS assessment dashboard, which houses assessment results collected in the first 40 days of student attendance. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SY 2021 KIDS data was collected across the entire school year. Data for that year CANNOT be used to indicate students’ “readiness” for kindergarten.

Launched by President Obama in 2014, and led by the Obama Foundation today, the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Alliance is an initiative to address persistent opportunity gaps, particularly those faced by young boys of color. With a community-centered approach to systemic change, MBK aims to bring together local leaders, nonprofits, corporations, philanthropy, and residents to collectively influence and enact long-lasting change for communities in areas of opportunity. The MBK equity framework consists of six key milestones for success, each representing a critical life stage for youth. These six milestones help us organize our priorities and ultimately provide youth the support needed to navigate and achieve individual and communal goals.

1. Elementary On-Track:

   The percentage of students attending schools in a community who are considered ‘On Track’ in 6th through 8th grade. Elementary On-Track is a composite metric, typically calculated for 3rd-8th graders, and is based on students’ ending the school year with a GPA at 3.0 or better and having been marked present at school for at least 90% of the days in the year they were expected to be in attendance. Students who are in this category (above a 3.0 GPA and above 90% attendance) in middle school are the most likely to graduate from high school and enroll in college. All elementary “on track” data presented comes from To & Through’s “Condensed EOT” Data Tool and combines information from two school years for students in 6th-8th grade. In simpler terms, instead of displaying data solely for SY21, the information encompasses 6th-8th grade students from both SY21 and SY20 for each annual dataset in the tool. Given the prevalence of significantly small class sizes in many elementary schools, To & Through implemented this strategy in order to limit data suppression, ensure student confidentiality, and enable more comprehensive subgroup analysis. Moreover, it’s imperative to note that Chicago Public Schools implement a unique Elementary On-Track criterion that comprises five categories (in contrast to the four used by To & Through) and employs different standards to determine what meets the ‘on-track’ criteria, diverging from the methodology used by To & Through, the source of our data. Due to rounding, community and city-wide numbers presented may not add up precisely to totals cited from To & Through or Chicago Public Schools.

2. Freshman On-Track:

   The percentage of students attending schools in a community who are considered ‘On Track’ in 9th grade. A student meets the on-track criteria by failing a maximum of one semester in a core course and acquiring a minimum of 5 credits by the conclusion of their ninth-grade year. Freshman On-Track serves to assess the proportion of students who are progressing towards graduation within four years. Students who meet the on-track criteria after their freshman year are more than three times as likely to graduate from high school within the four-year period compared to those who are not on track. All freshman “on track” data presented comes from To & Through’s “High School Milestones” Data Tool. Notably, the Freshman On-Track rate excludes ninth-graders from charter schools due to the district’s recent reception of ninth-grade grades from these institutions. Due to rounding, community and city-wide numbers presented may not add up precisely to totals cited from To & Through or Chicago Public Schools.

These are the most important metrics of youth opportunity – when communities are faring well or trending positively for these indicators, they are likely to be setting youth up for success later in life.

Proficiency metrics represent the proportion of students (who attend schools in a community) who meet state or national standards for a subject area at each grade level. Growth represents the average change in performance over time for students (who attend schools in the community) in comparison to the performance of their academic peers (e.g., students in Illinois who have the same scaled score in the prior year). 

1. Reading Proficiency and Growth:

   Research has shown that third grade represents the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn”. We include scores in reading proficiency and growth to illustrate how students attending schools in a community are faring at this critical milestone in the development of fundamental literacy skills. The growth measure includes the current year score and up to two prior years’ scores, which allows the growth percentile calculation to represent a true growth trend — not just movement up and down from year to year. Data on these measures come from scores on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and are found in ISBE’s Report Card Data Library.

2. Math Proficiency and Growth:

   Eighth grade math represents the transition into higher levels of math abstraction, which includes algebra, and research (including from NAEP) consistently demonstrates the correlation between eighth-grade math skills and long-term educational outcomes, such as high school graduation rates and college readiness. The growth measure includes the current year score and up to two prior years’ scores, which allows the growth percentile calculation to represent a true growth trend — not just movement up and down from year to year. Data on these measures come from scores on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and are found in ISBE’s Report Card Data Library.

The proportion of licensed childcare centers rated as “high quality” (“Silver” or “Gold”), in a community. These sites meet or exceed quality benchmarks on learning environment, instructional quality, and administrative standards based on Illinois’ Excelerate quality designations for early childcare settings. These standards aim to recognize and promote high-quality programs. The Gold and Silver ratings are considered “High-quality” and are granted to centers that meet specific quality criteria. Gold-rated programs demonstrate exceptional quality in areas such as staff qualifications, curriculum, assessment, and family engagement, while Silver-rated programs also exhibit strong quality practices but may have some areas for further improvement or growth. Data on childcare quality ratings comes from IECAM.

The count of in-school suspension (ISS), out-of-school suspension (OSS), and expulsion incidences for every 100 students at a school, aggregated across a community, and available as a sum total (ISS + OSS + expulsions) to make overall comparisons. Such exclusionary punishments, where youth are removed from the learning environment, have deleterious consequences, and disproportionately impact students of color and students with disabilities. An in-school suspension is the removal of a student from their regular educational schedule for more than 60 minutes of the school day to an alternative supervised setting inside the school building to engage in structured activities that develop academic, social, emotional, and/or behavioral skills. An out-of-school suspension is the removal of the student from class attendance or school attendance. Expulsion is the removal of a student from school for 11 or more consecutive days, up to a maximum of two calendar years. Data on school disciplinary rates is available online, found in school level reports, from the “Metrics” section of the Chicago Public Schools website. 

The key inputs and influences on primary outcomes – they must be considered alongside primary outcomes to adequately understand the holistic nature of youth opportunity.

The percentage of youth attending schools in a community who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Due to their lack of stable housing, homeless unaccompanied youth encounter profound challenges and obstacles in their lives, all of which impede their capacity to reintegrate into society, diminish their drive, and obstruct their journey towards self-sufficiency, success, and active participation within their families and communities. Data for the numbers of students experiencing homelessness comes from ISBE’s Report Card Library.

The percentage of students attending schools in a community that earned Early College and Career Credentials (ECCC) at the time of their graduation. An increase in the amount of ECCCs earned by students is associated with improved high school graduation and college enrollment rates as students are better prepared to succeed after high school. In order to successfully earn an ECCC credential, the student must have one or more of the following credentials: at least one credit from an approved early college course, a 3 or higher on an AP exam(limited to students enrolled in at least one AP course), a 4 or higher on an IB exam (limited to students enrolled in at least one IB course), an approved career certification  (limited to students enrolled in courses that result in that certification), or the State Seal of Biliteracy. Data on ECCC attainment is available online, found in school level reports, from the “Metrics” section of the Chicago Public Schools website.

The percentage of students attending schools in a community who are labeled as having ‘concrete’ postsecondary plans, prior to graduating high school. Chicago Public School’s “Learn.Plan.Succeed” initiative requires that all students demonstrate evidence of a postsecondary plan to ensure that students and families receive proper planning and support to prepare them for success in college, career and civic life. These plans may include college, military, employment, job training, apprenticeship, or gap year programs as potential evidence of a ‘concrete’ plan. Data on numbers of students with concrete plans is found in school level reports, from the “Metrics” section of the Chicago Public Schools website.

The number and percentage of schools in a community with a “Supportive Schools” certification from Chicago Public Schools. Optimal student learning occurs in an environment where they experience safety and emotional support, along with physical security. Chicago’s Office of Social and Emotional Learning (OSEL) acknowledges schools that have placed a strong emphasis on cultivating supportive school atmospheres and fostering positive school cultures. This recognition is achieved through the Supportive Schools Certification Process, which engages teams of staff, students, families, and community members. Additionally, some schools opt to implement a research-based curriculum that provides explicit instruction in social and emotional skills. Data on the number of schools with “Supportive Schools” certification comes from individual school profile pages on Chicago Public Schools “School Profile Search” website.

The number of crimes related to violence (including homicide, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery) per 100,000 people in a community. Youth who may experience higher incidences of violent crime are in danger of long-term health impacts to mental health and cognitive development and may have less opportunities to contribute to their communities. Data on the number of violent crimes comes from the Chicago Health Atlas.

The proportion of all youth, age 24 and under, in a community that are either not employed or not in school. Many youths choose not to attend college after high school graduation for a variety of reasons including preferences for work immediately after graduation and the prohibitive cost of a college degree. Although there are multiple paths to a household sustaining income, youth that are not in school nor working are at risk of becoming disconnected, making future employment and school enrollment more difficult. Data on youth disconnection comes from IPUMS USA (originally, the “Integrated Public Use Microdata Series”) employment database.

The proportion of all youth, age 24 and under, in a community that are employed. Employment is an important source of mental and physical well-being and youth unemployment is associated with increased mental health problems. Youth unemployment is also associated with increased risk of unemployment later in life. Data on youth employment comes from the US Census’ American Community Survey and includes civilian employment totals (non-active-duty military personnel not included).

The proportion of all youth, age 5 and under, in a community that are living in households earning less than 200% of the federal poverty line (about $35,000 per year). Affordability of early childcare is a primary barrier for access, with annual costs in Chicago averaging $25,000 per year. Youth living in poverty face significant barriers in accessing early childcare services. Data on poverty rates for youth (0-5) comes from IECAM.