Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy
Charter · 9-12
At a glance
On the 5Essentials survey, school leadership was rated ‘Very Weak’ and teacher collaboration was rated ‘Very Weak’ (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). In 2024–25, 377 applications were recorded for 56 offers (GoCPS, 2024–25 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- Family involvement was rated ‘Weak’ 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
- Address
- 2520 S WESTERN AVE
- Neighborhood
- Lower West Side
- Phone
- (773)890-8020
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://www.ihsca.org/
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Weak
- Supportive environment
- Not published - too few responses or not surveyed
- Ambitious instruction
- Not published - too few responses or not surveyed
- Effective leaders
- Very Weak
- Collaborative teachers
- Very Weak
- Safety (student-reported)
- Very Weak
- Overall organization
- Not Yet Organized
UChicago 5Essentials levels from the spring 2024 survey (CPS Progress Reports SY2425, verified 2026-09-16) - benchmarked categories relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages. A school can answer mostly positively and still rate below the benchmark typical.
Full 2024 report (UChicago)- the survey these levels come from·2026 report- newer survey, new benchmark
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
Teacher Safety, Classroom Disruptions, and Student Responsibility are rated above the CPS average; Collaborative Practices, Teacher-Teacher Trust, and Instructional Leadership 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
53 ▼ below the CPS average (60)- Academic Press· students-reported50 ▼ below the CPS average (55)
- English Instruction· students-reported64 ▬ about the CPS average (65)
- Math Instruction· students-reported59 ▼ below the CPS average (69)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Supportive Environment
52 ▼ below the CPS average (56)- Expectations for Postsecondary Education· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Safety· students-reported52 ▬ about the CPS average (49)
- School-Wide Future Orientation· students-reported55 ▼ below the CPS average (62)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported59 ▬ about the CPS average (56)
Collaborative Teachers
41 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported42 ▼ below the CPS average (63)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported38 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported52 ▬ about the CPS average (55)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported41 ▬ about the CPS average (43)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported31 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
Effective Leaders
42 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported38 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported46 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
44 ▼ below the CPS average (50)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported46 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported65 ▼ below the CPS average (70)
- Academic Personalism· students-reported53 ▼ below the CPS average (58)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported49 ▲ above the CPS average (42)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported50 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Course Clarity· students-reported53 ▬ about the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported34 ▼ below the CPS average (38)
- Importance of High School for the Future· students-reported62 ▼ below the CPS average (67)
- Innovation· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported56 ▬ about the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported33 ▼ below the CPS average (41)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (61)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported49 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- School Connectedness· students-reported52 ▼ below the CPS average (58)
- School Safety· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported26 ▼ below the CPS average (40)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported59 ▼ below the CPS average (65)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported43 ▲ above the CPS average (38)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported58 ▲ 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 (2)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
HEALTH-General Education Charter | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
HEALTH-Health Sciences Charter | 9 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
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.