Ellen H Richards Career Academy High School
CPS choice · 9-12
At a glance
25% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms, below what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2026). For 2025–26, 172 applications were recorded for 25 offers (GoCPS, 2025–26 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- 79% of students were chronically absent in 2026 - above what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2026).
- Academic performance
- The state's 2026 rating is Comprehensive - the lowest of its five ratings, which ISBE uses to identify schools for additional support (ISBE Report Card 2026).
- Academic fit
- 91% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - about what's typical for CPS high schools (ISBE Report Card 2026). Average class size is 20.2; about 10.2 students per teacher, computed from all-teacher staffing.
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 5009 S LAFLIN ST
- Neighborhood
- New City
- Phone
- (773)535-4945
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://richards.cps.edu
- 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
Film and Video, Student Art Club, Murals, Student Music Club, Art Studio, Dance, Media and Production Workshops, Talent Show, Mixed Media
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, Cheerleading, Football, Girls' Basketball, Girls' Soccer, Girls' Volleyball, Boys' Track, Fast Pitch, Girls' Softball, Baseball, Boys' Basketball, Boys' Soccer, Boys' Volleyball, Girls' Cross Country, Basketball, Girls on Track, Soccer, Boys' Cross Country, 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
- Unknown - no CPS school ID on record
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
Teacher-Principal Trust, Teacher Influence, and Quality Professional Development are rated above the CPS average; Rigorous Study Habits, Expectations for Postsecondary Education, and Teacher-Teacher 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
58 ▬ about the CPS average (60)- Academic Press· students-reported42 ▼ below the CPS average (55)
- English Instruction· students-reported75 ▲ above the CPS average (65)
- Math Instruction· students-reported76 ▲ above the CPS average (69)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Supportive Environment
49 ▼ below the CPS average (56)- Expectations for Postsecondary Education· teachers-reported36 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Safety· students-reported48 ▬ about the CPS average (49)
- School-Wide Future Orientation· students-reported56 ▼ below the CPS average (62)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported57 ▬ about the CPS average (56)
Collaborative Teachers
54 ▬ about the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported74 ▲ above the CPS average (63)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported67 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported50 ▲ above the CPS average (43)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported29 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
Effective Leaders
63 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported57 ▬ about the CPS average (56)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported68 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported67 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
46 ▼ below the CPS average (50)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported33 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported60 ▼ below the CPS average (70)
- Academic Personalism· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (58)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported49 ▲ above the CPS average (42)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Course Clarity· students-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported39 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported27 ▼ below the CPS average (38)
- Importance of High School for the Future· students-reported55 ▼ below the CPS average (67)
- Innovation· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported29 ▼ below the CPS average (41)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported53 ▼ below the CPS average (61)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported35 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- School Connectedness· students-reported52 ▼ below the CPS average (58)
- School Safety· students-reported62 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported50 ▲ above the CPS average (40)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported70 ▲ above the CPS average (65)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported41 ▬ about the CPS average (38)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported51 ▬ about 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Culinary & Hospitality Management Career & technical Your child must take the HSAT to apply. | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Entrepreneurship Career & technical Your child must take the HSAT to apply. | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
General Education Neighborhood | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
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
- Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 11:30 AM
- Thursday, December 10, 2026 at 11:30 AM
- Thursday, January 14, 2027 at 11:30 AM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Ellen M Kennedy · Principal
- Maria Moreno · Parent
- Lakeesha Newton · Parent
- Lamar Bruce · Parent
- Sara Villagran · Parent
- Michelle Gutierrez · Parent
- Andres Villegas · Community member
- Guadalupe Rendon Guzman · Teacher
- Shawon Gray · Teacher
- Taryn Miller · School staff (non-teaching)
- Jonathan Rivera · Student
- Ruby Pena · Student
- Mariah M Conley · 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.