King College Prep High School: Best High School in Chicago (2026 List)

About King College Prep High School

King College Prep High School is a public selective enrollment magnet school in Chicago, Illinois, that is ranked among the top serving students in grades 9-12. It is one of the best schools in the Chicago Public Schools system, with an enrollment of some 600 students and a careful student-to-teacher ratio of about 14:1. The school is considered a best school. It has a challenging college-prep curriculum that includes Advanced Placement (AP) classes and exams. The AP participation rate at the school is 31%. The student body is a diverse community with a 99% total minority enrollment. King College Prep High School is 8% proficient in Mathematics and 21% proficient in Reading, academically. Participation in the SAT consistently prepares students for post-secondary success. The school, funded at approximately $17,800 per pupil, offers excellent resources to its economically disadvantaged students. Finally, the school is recognized as one of the best schools in fostering academic excellence and leadership in a professional, scholarly environment, and it is one of the best high schools in Illinois.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 8%

Reading 21%

State average proficiency is 8% in Math and 21% in Reading.

43

Full-time Teachers

17 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

2

Teachers In First Or Second Year (yrs)

721

Total Students

$66456

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 0.97%

Asian 0.55%

Hispanic 2.64%

Black 94.87%

Two+ Races 0.69%

Native Am. 0%

White

0.97%

Asian

0.55%

Hispanic

2.64%

Black

94.87%

Two+ Races

0.69%

Native Am.

0%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 721

57%

411 Female

43%

310 Male

Student Population

721 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 17 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

240 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

King College Prep High School Contact Information

Address

4445 S Drexel Blvd, Chicago, IL, 60653

View on Map

Phone

(773) 535-1180

Call Now

Website

http://www.cps.edu

Recent News & Updates

New Playground Name

We are so excited to announce the name of our new playground! Following a school-wide and Robinson community vote we narrowed a large list of names down to four. Since our students will be using the playground on a daily basis, we gave them the final vote! 476.....

School Timings

Regular School Hours

All Grades: 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 7:45 AM for student arrival. Please refer to the school calendar for specific early dismissal dates.

After School Activities

Information coming soon

School Session Dates

September to June

School session starts in September 1st week and ends in June 3rd week. For exact dates, please contact the school.

Remarkable Alumni

Being Updated

Map

Latest News

King College Prep High School Lady Jaguars won the school’s first Chicago Public League Girls Flag Football title and Coach Daniel Moore was named Coach of the Week by the Chicago Bears for leading the championship run. The South Side selective enrollment magnet program offers Advanced Placement courses, dual-credit opportunities and SAT preparation. King College Prep continues to emphasize leadership and social responsibility, as students participate in athletics, arts and community service throughout Kenwood. The campus provides counseling and extracurricular activities for college-bound scholars to build skills for success in postsecondary education.

FAQ

Q1. Are there advanced classes available?

Ans. Honors and AP classes at King College Prep High School push students to think critically and do their best work.

Q2. Do students get help with standardized tests?

Ans. Yes. The school has resources to help students get ready for the SAT and ACT tests.

Q3. Are students able to look into more than one career path?

Ans. Yes, King College Prep High School has a lot of different programs that help students find out what they're good at and what they like.

Q4. Does King College Prep High School support professional growth?

Ans. Yes, students learn how to communicate, work as a team, and solve problems, which are all important skills for any job.

Q5. What does King College Prep High School do to help students get ready for life after graduation?

Ans. College planning, mentoring, and skill-building programs help students move on to higher education, vocational paths, or jobs.

Games & Extracurricular Activities

Sports

Soccer Club Grades 1-3 | Mon/Wed 3:30-4:30pm
Basketball Grades 2-4 | Tue/Thu 3:30-4:45pm
Track & Field Grades 3-5 | Fri 3:30-5:00pm

Arts

Art Club Grades K-2 | Mon 3:00-4:00pm
Drama Club Grades 3-5 | Wed 3:30-5:00pm
Choir Grades 2-5 | Thu 3:15-4:15pm

Clubs

Chess Club Grades 2-5 | Fri 3:15-4:15pm
Garden Club All Grades | Tue 3:15-4:00pm
Robotics Club Grades 3-5 | Thu 3:30-5:00pm

Note: Schedules may change during school holidays. Please contact School for exact Schedule.

Summer Suggested Reading

Horn Book Selections

Vocabulary.com +3 Horn Book +3 What to Read to Your Kids +3

ML

Maggie Lou, Firefox

by Arnolda Dufour Bowes

PS

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

MLV

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

by Nicholas Day

Vocabulary.com Top Picks

Penguin Random House +10 Vocabulary.com +10 Wikipedia +10

F

Frindle

by Andrew Clements

WR

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

JGP

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Penguin Random House Features

Horn Book +2 Penguin Random House +2 The Guardian +2

SLB

The Secret Language of Birds

by Lynne Kelly

S

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

Free Robotics and Stem In-person Workshop in Your Neighbourhood for 7-14 Years Tech Enthusiasts.

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What Parents Say