North Cook Young Adult Academy: Top Charter in Des Plaines (2026 List)

About North Cook Young Adult Academy

North Cook Young Adult Academy is a specialized public alternative school in Des Plaines, Illinois, serving grades 6 through 12. It is a major program of the North Cook Intermediate Service Center and is known as a leading school for offering a supportive, structured environment for students who thrive in a non-traditional education. With around 60 students, the academy has a student-teacher ratio of about 10:1, ensuring a close-knit learning atmosphere that allows for personalized support.The school is a top school for the Regional Safe Schools Program (RSSP) focused on academic persistence, social-emotional growth and credit recovery. The North Cook Young Adult Academy proudly supports a diverse student body and has been recognized as one of the top schools in the area for personalized instruction to economically disadvantaged students. The program is well-known as a premier school for successful transitions and SAT prep. The specific proficiency in Mathematics and Reading is typically reported through home districts. Ultimately, it is one of the most reputed schools to help students overcome challenges to graduate successfully, and it is one of the best high schools in Illinois.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 0%

Reading 0%

State average proficiency is 0% in Math and 0% in Reading.

5

Full-time Teachers

0

Total Students

$66456

Avg. Teacher Salary

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

North Cook Young Adult Academy Contact Information

Address

1001 E Touhy Ave Ste 200, Des Plaines, IL, 60018

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Phone

(847) 803-3707

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Website

http://www.ncisc.org/NCYAA

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: 8:45 AM to 2:25 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 8:30 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

North Cook Young Adult Academy is an alternative school located in Region 05 North Cook ISC 1 at 1001 E Touhy Ave, Des Plaines. The Academy (grades 6-12) offers individualized credit recovery and SAT/ACT preparation with a student-to-teacher ratio of 5:1. The program provides a structured pathway for students with multiple suspension or expulsion cases, with an emphasis on academic progress, counseling and transition planning for return to home school districts or graduation. NCYAA staff work with home schools and North Cook ISC to align practices with district policies to ensure students are receiving counseling, social work and instructional support.

FAQ

Q1. How does North Cook Young Adult Academy get students ready for success in the future?

Ans. Planning, skill-building, and guidance programs help students make the transition to college, vocational training, or a job.

Q2. Do students get help with standardized tests?

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

Q3. What does North Cook Young Adult Academy do to make the learning environment better?

Ans. Respect, working together, and being responsible make sure that the school culture is safe, welcoming, and open to everyone.

Q4. Are there ways to get better at school?

Ans. Yes, advanced classes and projects make students work hard in school and think for themselves.

Q5. Does North Cook Young Adult Academy 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.

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

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What Parents Say