Why Legal Prep?

Legal Prep's mission is to prepare Chicago's youth to succeed in college and in life.

The Problem

Legal Prep will serve students in the West Garfield Park community, where quality education options are lacking.  As the following numbers show, the three closest traditional Chicago Public Schools to Legal Prep are not preparing students for success:

CPS Schools
and averages		% of students meeting
or exceeding standards
on state tests		Dropout RateChronic Truancy Rate
Neighborhood
High Schools		6.6%*16.4%*51.2%*
CPS Average66.3%12.8%11.2%
State Average76.5%3.8%3.6%
* Average performance of the three closest traditional CPS high schools over the last three years

The Solution

Legal Prep will provide west side students with the option for a high-quality education that will put them on the path to college success.

Typical Urban
School Problem		 Legal Prep Charter
Academies Solutions
High Drop-out Rate-->Individualized Attention & Goal-Setting;
Advisor Invested in Student Success
The Majority of Graduates
are Not College-Ready		-->Focus on Reading & Writing;
Required College Readiness Course
School Culture of
Low Expectations		-->Culture of High Expectations;
College Acceptance Required to Graduate
Violence In and
Around Schools		-->Strict Code of Conduct;
High Level of Parent Engagement
Failure To Make-up
Academic Deficits		-->Longer School Day and Year;
Intensive Remediation Curriculum

Legal-Themed Curriculum

Legal Prep will offer its students a college prep curriculum with legal topics infused into the core subjects, where appropriate.  Legal Prep will also provide law-themed courses and extra-curricular activities.  The legal content is a way in which students can learn and hone their writing skills and oral presentation skills, as well as apply logic, analysis, and critical thinking to legal issues.  Law curriculum uses strategies that engage students in learning, foster civic participation, and promote meaningful relationships with professionals.

Legal Diversity Pipeline

Diverse attorneys are vastly underrepresented in the legal profession - only 11% of attorneys are diverse, compared to 36% of the U.S. population.  Legal Prep presents an exciting way to increase the pipeline of diverse students to the legal profession.  Legal Prep will not only provide exposure to the legal profession and attorney support, but also prepare students for the rigors of college and professional life.

Our Expectations

Preparing Students for College Requires:

  • More Time in School:  Legal Prep's school day will begin at 8:00 a.m., and there will be two dismissal times – the first dismissal time is at 4:00 p.m. and the second dismissal is at 5:00 p.m.  Students assigned to tutoring or homework help are required to stay until second dismissal, along with students participating in clubs, sports or other after-school activities, such as mentoring.  In addition to a longer school day, Legal Prep students will have a longer school year than the average Chicago Public School.

  • More Time on Task: Legal Prep's strict discipline has one purpose – to create a safe learning environment that provides students with the opportunity to focus on getting a quality education that will not be watered down by peers who are not invested in their own future.

  • Rigorous Instruction:  Every teacher at Legal Prep believes that all students can succeed in college, and each course will require a substantial amount of work and effort from each student.

  • Parental Support:  Students need support and sacrifice from parents and families to make it to college.  Legal Prep will expect parents and families to support our discipline policy, academic standards, and attendance policies.

    • Student Life

    Community of Academic Excellence: Students will be learning in an environment where every one of their classmates is college-bound and committed to academic excellence.  Students will be expected to work together and support each other in their studies.

    Advisory: Students will be placed in a same-gender advisory section that stays together with the same faculty advisor for all four years.  The advisor will help students set goals and develop effective study habits.  Advisors will be in regular contact with parents to provide updates on student progress.

    Peaceful Conflict Resolution: Students will be taught strategies for peaceful conflict resolution, and will be involved in administering the Legal Prep discipline policy through peer jury and peer mediation programs.

    Clubs & Sports: Students are encouraged to be involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities.  The following activities will be offered and students will have the opportunity to create clubs with their classmates and a faculty advisor.

    Athletics

    Soccer
    Basketball
    Volleyball
    Lacrosse
    Track
    Baseball/Softball

    Clubs

    DanceSpoken
    Word/Poetry
    Theatre
    Yearbook
    Quiz Bowl
     

    Law-Themed Activities

    Mock Trial
    Debate
    Student Government
    Model UN
    Law Film
     

    Legal Prep Fact Overview

    Number of Students (at capacity)
    810 (All Grades)

    Percentage of Low-Income Students
    Greater than 85%

    Percentage of Diverse Students
    Greater than 95%

    Location
    4319 W Washington Blvd., West Garfield Park

    Tuition
    Free Public School

    Admissions Policy
    Open enrollment for any Chicago student

    Curriculum Type
    College Preparatory, Legal-Themed

    Community Service Hours Required
    100

    Number of Students Who Will Attend College
    100%

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    4319 W Washington Blvd, Chicago IL, 60624-2232
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