Legal Prep Charter Academies

Legal Prep is Chicago's first and only legal-themed charter high school and opened its doors to its first class of 200 freshman students on August 20, 2012.  Located in West Garfield Park, Legal Prep serves the Garfield Park, Austin, Lawndale, and Humboldt Park communities.  Legal Prep will add a grade per year until it is a full high school serving approximately 800 students.  Legal Prep serves a student population that is over 95% diverse and over 90% low-income as defined by eligibility for the federal free and reduced lunch program.  Legal Prep is a free, open enrollment CPS high school, meaning any student living in the city of Chicago can attend.

Legal Prep's mission is to prepare Chicago's youth to succeed in college and in life.  Through a rigorous curriculum and a culture of high expectations, Legal Prep will empower its students to achieve their full potential.  Legal Prep will focus on the skills that all great lawyers possess: excellent written and oral communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and advocacy.  While not all of our students will go on to be lawyers, all students will gain an appreciation and respect for the law.  These "21st century skills" will prepare students for success in any number of postsecondary paths.

To help accomplish, Legal Prep is working with the entire Chicago legal community and other area businesses to provide the resources and exposure to our students so that they know that they can excel in college and pursue a legal education.  There are numerous ways for corporate legal departments, law firms, bar associations, and individual attorneys to be involved so please let us know if you are interested in supporting Legal Prep or would like to learn more about the school.

Legal Prep's Mission

• Create high expectations for its students.
• Require maximum effort from its students.
• Provide extended school days and a longer school year to bring all students up to grade level and challenge those students who are already succeeding.
• Demand accountability from students, teachers and administrators.
• Provide the resources for students to succeed.
• Require summer school and after-school tutoring for students not currently at grade level in any core subject.
• Require every student to prepare a post-secondary education plan.
• Require every student to complete a college readiness curriculum to ensure students have the skills to succeed at college.