Wells Community Academy HS: Top Public School in Chicago (2026 List)

About Wells Community Academy HS

Wells Community Academy High School is a public four–year high school in Chicago, Illinois, a part of the Chicago Public Schools. It is one of the top schools in the Chicago Public Schools system with a student population of about 360 and a healthy student-teacher ratio of about 13:1. The school is recognized for its robust Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and focus on college readiness, which includes Advanced Placement (AP) coursework for 35% of students. The student body is culturally diverse with minority enrollment totaling 85%. In terms of academics, Wells Community Academy High School has 5% proficiency in Mathematics and 5% proficiency in Reading, but is consistently supportive of standardized tests such as the SAT. The school has substantial resources to offer its economically disadvantaged students, with funding of around $22,500 per pupil. Ultimately, the school is recognized as one of the best schools for developing academic resilience and providing professional vocational pathways in a caring, community-oriented 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.

32

Full-time Teachers

12 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

3

Teachers In First Or Second Year (yrs)

380

Total Students

$66456

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 15%

Asian 0.79%

Hispanic 42.89%

Black 39.21%

Two+ Races 1.84%

Native Am. 0.26%

White

15%

Asian

0.79%

Hispanic

42.89%

Black

39.21%

Two+ Races

1.84%

Native Am.

0.26%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 380

42.63%

162 Female

57.37%

218 Male

Student Population

380 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 12 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

190 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Wells Community Academy HS Contact Information

Address

936 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622

View on Map

Phone

(773) 534-7010

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: 8:35 AM to 3:05 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 8:20 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

Wells Community Academy High School, under Principal Dr. Brad Rossi, reignited its focus on the arts and student environment with the preservation of its historic Keith Haring mural and campus improvements. The campus offers a pre-law program, Advanced Placement courses, SAT preparation and dual credit options that prepare Raiders for college and legal careers. Wells students compete in basketball, soccer and other CPL sports while participating in drama, music and visual arts that demonstrate creativity and community pride.

FAQ

Q1. Does Wells Community Academy HS support learning through practical activities?

Ans. Yes, students work on projects and do things that help them learn skills they can use in the real world.

Q2. What does Wells Community Academy HS 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.

Q3. Does Wells Community Academy HS 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.

Q4. Are college entrance exams conducted here?

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

Q5. What does Wells Community Academy HS teach?

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

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