Safest Schools
in Chicago 2026
Every CPS school graded A–F on safety, academic performance, school climate, and year-over-year trends. Find the safest school for your family — filtered by level, type, and neighborhood.
Top 3 Safest Schools in Chicago
Selective Enrollment Schools Are the Safest
Chicago's 5 selective enrollment high schools — Northside Prep, Walter Payton, Jones, Lane Tech, and Whitney Young — all earn A or A+ safety grades with fewer than 20 incidents per year combined. North Side neighborhood schools are the next safest tier.
Showing 19 of 19 schools
Northside Prep
Walter Payton
Jones College Prep
Whitney Young
Lane Tech
Lincoln Elementary
Skinner Elementary
Bell Elementary
Disney Magnet
Ogden International
Ravenswood Elementary
Senn High School
Mather High School
Chappell Elementary
Kenwood Academy
Morgan Park High
Uplift Community
Hope Academy
South Shore Intl
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How We Grade Schools
Safety Grade (A–F) — Based on reported incidents per enrollment, security measures, and CPD school safety data. A+ = fewer than 5 incidents/year.
SQRP Rating — CPS School Quality Rating Policy. Level 1+ is the highest; evaluates attendance, test scores, growth, and graduation rates.
Math & Reading Proficiency — % of students meeting or exceeding Illinois state standards on PARCC/IAR assessments.
School Climate — Based on CPS 5Essentials survey: student/teacher relationships, safety perceptions, and school culture scores.
📋 Data Sources & Methodology
All school data on this page is sourced from official public records. Academic ratings reflect the most recent published CPS SQRP cycle (2022–23). Proficiency percentages are from the Illinois Report Card (illinoisreportcard.com) and represent the share of students meeting or exceeding Illinois state standards on the IAR (grades 3–8) or SAT (grade 11).
Important: Academic data reflects the 2022–23 school year (most recent published SQRP cycle). Safety grades are IllinoisCrime.com editorial ratings derived from CPS incident reports, CPD neighborhood crime data, and CPS 5Essentials survey scores — they do not represent official CPS rankings. Always visit schools in person and consult CPS directly for enrollment decisions.
Illinois School Safety Report 2026
CPS & Suburban Schools Graded on Safety, Academics & Climate — 14 pages, PDF