Richards Career Academy HS: Top Public High School in Chicago IL (2026 List)

About Richards Career Academy HS

Richards Career Academy High School is a public 4-year vocational high school in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It serves grades 9–12. It is one of the best schools in the Chicago Public Schools system, with an enrollment of nearly 270 students and a good student-teacher ratio of about 13 to 1. Also, it’s known as one of the top schools for Career and Technical Education (CTE). They offer pathways in professional areas such as culinary arts and business technology to prepare students for the real world. The student body is 100% total minority enrollment and culturally diverse. Richards Career Academy High School has a 5% Mathematics proficiency and a 5% Reading proficiency, and has a 3:1 ratio of ongoing support for standardized testing such as the ACT and SAT. The school has plenty of resources for its economically disadvantaged students with funding at about $22,500 per student. Ultimately, the school is recognised as one of the best schools to combine practical vocational mastery with academic resilience in a community-oriented professional environment, and it is one of the best high schools in Illinois.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 5%

Reading 5%

State average proficiency is 5% in Math and 5% in Reading.

30

Full-time Teachers

11 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

1

Teachers In First Or Second Year (yrs)

315

Total Students

$66456

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 0.32%

Asian 0%

Hispanic 62.54%

Black 32.06%

Two+ Races 4.44%

Native Am. 0.63%

White

0.32%

Asian

0%

Hispanic

62.54%

Black

32.06%

Two+ Races

4.44%

Native Am.

0.63%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 315

42.54%

134 Female

57.46%

181 Male

Student Population

315 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 11 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

157 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Richards Career Academy HS Contact Information

Address

5009 S Laflin St, Chicago, IL, 60609

View on Map

Phone

(773) 535-4945

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 3:30 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

Richards Career Academy hosted its first annual Open House, inviting parents, community partners and organizations like CPS Early College and Parent University to learn about student programs and supports. The New City campus offers Career and Technical Education pathways, SAT prep and dual credit options that link classroom learning to in-demand careers. Students play football, basketball, volleyball and soccer and get tutoring, counseling and college advising to get them ready to graduate. The school’s team also honored student leaders and will continue to hold college fairs, military visits and career workshops throughout the year.

FAQ

Q1. Can students get rides from all neighborhoods?

Ans. Bus service is available depending on the district's eligibility zones.

Q2. What does Richards Career Academy HS teach?

Ans. Richards Career Academy HS has a college-preparatory curriculum and gives students chances to learn through practical activities and improve their skills.

Q3. Are college entrance exams conducted here?

Ans. Students can take the SAT and ACT tests on-site or through programs that work together.

Q4. Are there any activities at the school that don't happen during school hours?

Ans. Students can have more fun at school if they play sports, do arts and crafts, join clubs, or do things that get them involved in the community.

Q5. Does Richards Career Academy HS encourage people to get involved in their community?

Ans. Yes, students can help out with community programs and volunteer projects to learn about civic duty.

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