Manley Career Academy High School: Top Chicago School (2026 List)

About Manley Career Academy High School

Manley Career Academy High School is a public high school in Chicago, Illinois that serves students in grades 9-12. It is one of the top schools in the Chicago Public Schools district with an enrollment of approximately 75 students with an extremely supportive student to teacher ratio of approximately 6:1. The school is a leading school with a strong emphasis on career and technical education. It provides career-specific pathways in professional fields such as culinary arts and broadcasting to prepare students for today’s workforce. The student body is diverse with a 97% minority enrollment (total). Manley Career Academy High School is academically similar to the average school in Illinois, with a 10% proficiency in both Mathematics and Reading. The school also offers ongoing support for standardized tests such as the SAT. The school devotes on average about $54,000 per pupil, providing a rich array of resources to support its economically disadvantaged students. Ultimately, the school is recognized as one of the best schools because of its individualized instruction style and commitment to the development of academic resilience and vocational mastery, and it is one of the best high schools in Illinois.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 10%

Reading 10%

State average proficiency is 10% in Math and 10% in Reading.

11

Full-time Teachers

14 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

2

Teachers In First Or Second Year (yrs)

151

Total Students

$66456

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 3.31%

Asian 0%

Hispanic 7.95%

Black 87.42%

Two+ Races 1.32%

Native Am. 0%

White

3.31%

Asian

0%

Hispanic

7.95%

Black

87.42%

Two+ Races

1.32%

Native Am.

0%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 151

39.74%

60 Female

60.26%

91 Male

Student Population

151 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 14 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

151 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Manley Career Academy High School Contact Information

Address

2935 W Polk St, Chicago, IL, 60612

View on Map

Phone

(773) 534-6900

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: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 8:45 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

Manley Career Academy High School Wildcats provide dedicated CTE programs in Business, Radio-TV Broadcasting, Gaming, Medical Academy and Digital Media for career pathways. The school provides Advanced Placement courses, dual-credit options and SAT preparation to support students in achieving graduation and postsecondary goals. Manley provides students with mentoring, counseling and community partnerships that help increase college and workforce readiness on the West Side. Through athletics, clubs, and service-learning opportunities that link learning to real-world careers, the campus continues to build school pride.

FAQ

Q1. How does Manley Career Academy High School help students get ready for their careers?

Ans. Manley Career Academy High School helps students explore and plan their careers by giving them advice, internships, and programs that connect them with career exploration and planning.

Q2. Does Manley Career Academy High School help students think of new things?

Ans. Yes, students can find out more about art, music, and new projects that will help them be more creative.

Q3. Does Manley Career Academy High School teach useful skills for jobs?

Ans. Yes, students in technical and vocational programs get real-world experience that helps them get ready for the job market.

Q4. Can students take the SAT and ACT?

Ans. Yes, Manley Career Academy High School lets students who want to go to college take both the SAT and the ACT.

Q5. Are there arts and creative programs at Manley Career Academy High School?

Ans. Yes, students can take part in programs for visual arts, music, and performing arts.

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.

Local kids are transforming ideas into real-world.

See the projects happening right in your neighborhood

What Parents Say