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Taft High School

Public Grades 7-12
293rd
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 698 Illinois High Schools
Better than 58% of Illinois high schools
Summary

Taft High School is a public high school in Chicago, Illinois, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 4,416 students. The school is part of the Chicago Public Schools District 299, which is ranked 698 out of 811 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Taft High School consistently outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency, with 93% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 81.2% in Mathematics, compared to the district's 42.8% and 27.3%, respectively. The school's performance is particularly strong for certain student subgroups, ranking in the top 25% and top 30% of Illinois high schools for special education and low socioeconomic status students, respectively. Additionally, Taft High School has maintained a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 82.5% to 89.0%, which is higher than the district average.

While Taft High School's academic performance is impressive, the school has faced challenges with chronic absenteeism, with rates ranging from 25.4% to 62.4% over the past few years. When compared to nearby high schools, Taft High School generally outperforms other Chicago Public Schools in the area, such as Chicago Academy High School and Rickover Naval Academy High School, but lags behind high-performing schools in other districts, such as Niles West High School and Maine South High School.

4,487
Students ?
16.3
Student/teacher ratio ?
$15,050
Per pupil spending ?
50.6%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 6530 W Bryn Mawr Ave
       Chicago, IL  60631-3185

(773) 534-1000

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
45.0%
White:
39.4%
Asian:
7.5%
more
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 Compare Taft High School to nearby high schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 49th percentile in 2015 → 58th in 2025
Strengths
✓Test scores above the Illinois average (55% vs 47% meeting standards)
✓Ranking is trending up — up 9 percentile points since 2015
✓Among the top-ranked schools in Chicago Public Schools District 299
Worth a look
!High chronic absenteeism (62% vs 25% Illinois)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school55%
District avg36%
Illinois avg47%
Middle school
13th of 1,368
Illinois public middle schools ?
Top 1%▬ steady since 2015
See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
293rd of 698
Illinois public high schools ?
Top 42%▲ up 9 pts since 2015
From bottom 49% (2015) to top 42% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of Illinois High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
16th of 144High Schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299
698th of 811Chicago Public Schools District 299 among Illinois districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202598.113 of 136899.0%★★★★★
202497.331 of 136397.7%★★★★★
202388.0132 of 136790.3%★★★★★
202298.914 of 136999.0%★★★★★
202199.313 of 124199.0%★★★★★
201976.7267 of 135680.3%★★★★☆
201878.7230 of 129382.2%★★★★☆
201794.944 of 129396.6%★★★★★
201694.545 of 129496.5%★★★★★
201598.818 of 130298.6%★★★★★
201497.09 of 132299.3%★★★★★
201397.68 of 136799.4%★★★★★
201292.92 of 136599.9%★★★★★
201192.61 of 134499.9%★★★★★
201092.15 of 132799.6%★★★★★
200992.48 of 131899.4%★★★★★
200893.11 of 129399.9%★★★★★
200793.41 of 128799.9%★★★★★
200693.82 of 127299.8%★★★★★
200595.37 of 120999.4%★★★★★
200496.61 of 120499.9%★★★★★
200396.78 of 118599.3%★★★★★

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202591.31 of 18699.5%★★★★★
202485.513 of 18492.9%★★★★★
202280.632 of 19883.8%★★★★☆
201875.636 of 20982.8%★★★★☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202596.813 of 124899.0%★★★★★
202495.730 of 125197.6%★★★★★
202388.4113 of 127591.1%★★★★★
202297.918 of 128698.6%★★★★★
201964.0412 of 127667.7%★★★☆☆
201872.8275 of 122677.6%★★★★☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202593.923 of 66996.6%★★★★★
202491.632 of 64395.0%★★★★★
202385.453 of 66192.0%★★★★★
202295.917 of 66297.4%★★★★★
201971.5128 of 63980.0%★★★★☆
201859.2192 of 59067.5%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202598.312 of 122999.0%★★★★★
202493.926 of 121997.9%★★★★★
202377.8155 of 123487.4%★★★★☆
202299.94 of 122199.7%★★★★★
201983.6103 of 121791.5%★★★★★
201879.7140 of 116187.9%★★★★☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202598.113 of 127199.0%★★★★★
202497.824 of 126498.1%★★★★★
202386.1135 of 129289.6%★★★★☆
202299.29 of 128699.3%★★★★★
201985.7146 of 129688.7%★★★★☆
201881.5170 of 122386.1%★★★★☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
2024100.03 of 80299.6%★★★★★
2023100.02 of 80599.8%★★★★★

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202596.110 of 88498.9%★★★★★
202496.112 of 87598.6%★★★★★
202381.8122 of 89586.4%★★★★☆
202298.47 of 89899.2%★★★★★
201966.5267 of 90570.5%★★★★☆
201874.5183 of 88979.4%★★★★☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202555.8293 of 69858.0%★★★☆☆
202453.8274 of 69760.7%★★★☆☆
202338.6440 of 69937.1%★★☆☆☆
202251.5335 of 69952.1%★★★☆☆
202158.6234 of 68866.0%★★★☆☆
201951.1318 of 70154.6%★★★☆☆
201839.7409 of 64736.8%★★☆☆☆
201741.8383 of 64240.3%★★☆☆☆
201628.0483 of 64324.9%★☆☆☆☆
201544.1311 of 61449.3%★★☆☆☆
201438.2450 of 67032.8%★★☆☆☆
201339.4447 of 67033.3%★★☆☆☆
201229.4508 of 66523.6%★☆☆☆☆
201121.9533 of 65518.6%★☆☆☆☆
201038.2462 of 64328.1%★☆☆☆☆
200936.4459 of 63227.4%★☆☆☆☆
200829.0493 of 62421.0%★☆☆☆☆
200724.6499 of 61218.5%★☆☆☆☆
200618.0501 of 59615.9%★☆☆☆☆
200520.2504 of 59014.6%★☆☆☆☆
200412.1525 of 59211.3%★☆☆☆☆
200311.6516 of 58611.9%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202536.0190 of 32341.2%★★☆☆☆
202445.6116 of 29961.2%★★★☆☆
202369.653 of 30182.4%★★★★☆
202246.8122 of 29458.5%★★★☆☆
202159.966 of 28176.5%★★★★☆
201963.173 of 29975.6%★★★★☆
201851.095 of 25362.5%★★★☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202521.9124 of 14816.2%★☆☆☆☆
202410.2124 of 1379.5%★☆☆☆☆
20237.5125 of 1346.7%☆☆☆☆☆
202214.7122 of 14113.5%★☆☆☆☆
20218.0122 of 1359.6%★☆☆☆☆
201918.3110 of 13015.4%★☆☆☆☆
20188.8122 of 1327.6%☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202540.5239 of 49151.3%★★★☆☆
202450.8129 of 42969.9%★★★★☆
202330.9275 of 42835.7%★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202546.8125 of 28456.0%★★★☆☆
202462.447 of 24881.0%★★★★☆
202341.3110 of 21749.3%★★★☆☆
202272.222 of 20589.3%★★★★☆
202192.27 of 18996.3%★★★★★
201937.395 of 18348.1%★★☆☆☆
201838.381 of 15146.4%★★☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202552.5325 of 68552.6%★★★☆☆
202446.8312 of 66453.0%★★★☆☆
202337.4421 of 65635.8%★★☆☆☆
202252.1299 of 65854.6%★★★☆☆
202156.3242 of 63962.1%★★★☆☆
201947.4347 of 66547.8%★★☆☆☆
201840.1386 of 62037.7%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202549.4162 of 36655.7%★★★☆☆
202450.6129 of 33661.6%★★★☆☆
202329.1245 of 33326.4%★☆☆☆☆
202240.9191 of 33543.0%★★☆☆☆
202148.5123 of 31761.2%★★★☆☆
201945.0148 of 31753.3%★★★☆☆
201837.5177 of 29139.2%★★☆☆☆

Homeless

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202559.436 of 13873.9%★★★★☆
202451.643 of 12565.6%★★★☆☆
202353.431 of 10470.2%★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202562.4197 of 67270.7%★★★★☆
202466.6153 of 63976.1%★★★★☆
202349.8288 of 64455.3%★★★☆☆
202255.1238 of 62662.0%★★★☆☆
202175.892 of 61184.9%★★★★☆
201955.3244 of 63961.8%★★★☆☆
201843.9324 of 58544.6%★★☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202556.6257 of 68562.5%★★★☆☆
202458.6224 of 66866.5%★★★☆☆
202338.0415 of 66837.9%★★☆☆☆
202248.3334 of 66449.7%★★★☆☆
202157.0255 of 65360.9%★★★☆☆
201952.7280 of 67558.5%★★★☆☆
201837.6402 of 61935.1%★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202544.7109 of 21148.3%★★☆☆☆
202434.3110 of 18239.6%★★☆☆☆
202325.0115 of 16329.4%★★☆☆☆
202237.4102 of 17040.0%★★☆☆☆
202148.676 of 16052.5%★★★☆☆
201941.792 of 16544.2%★★☆☆☆
201830.8104 of 15432.5%★★☆☆☆

Pacific Islander

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202215.92 of 20.0%★★★★☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202568.5113 of 52778.6%★★★★☆
202462.4121 of 48274.9%★★★★☆
202361.2127 of 47673.3%★★★★☆
202244.4194 of 49360.6%★★★☆☆
202148.9149 of 45367.1%★★★☆☆
201937.1239 of 47349.5%★★☆☆☆
201836.7201 of 37446.3%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202550.3236 of 56458.2%★★★☆☆
202447.7245 of 55455.8%★★★☆☆
202335.5348 of 55737.5%★★☆☆☆
202250.1260 of 56053.6%★★★☆☆
202157.5198 of 55364.2%★★★☆☆
201941.2289 of 55247.6%★★☆☆☆
201832.5374 of 54831.8%★★☆☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Middle school
Special Education (2024)100th percentile~ school
Asian (2025)99th percentile~ school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)99th percentile~ school
Male (2025)99th percentile~ school
Female (2025)99th percentile~ school
White (2025)99th percentile~ school
Hispanic (2025)97th percentile~ school
High school
Special Education (2025)79th percentile+21 vs school
Homeless (2025)74th percentile+16 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)71st percentile+13 vs school
Male (2025)62nd percentile+4 vs school
White (2025)58th percentile~ school
English Language Learner (2025)56th percentile~ school
Hispanic (2025)56th percentile~ school
Female (2025)53rd percentile-5 vs school
Disabled (2025)51st percentile-7 vs school
Multi-racial (2025)48th percentile-10 vs school
African American (2025)41st percentile-17 vs school
Asian (2025)16th percentile-42 vs school
Pacific Islander (2022)<1st percentile-52 vs school
By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?
English Language Arts93%+40 vs state
Science88%+43 vs state
Mathematics81%+43 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Taft High School

In the 2024-25 school year, 4,487 students attended Taft High School.

Students at Taft High School are 45% Hispanic, 39% White, 7% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Taft High School ranks 293rd of 698 Illinois high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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