Summary:
Zip code 60638 has two public high schools serving grades 9–12 in Chicago Public Schools District 299: Kennedy High School and Hancock College Preparatory High School. Their 2025–2026 results show a sharp divide: Hancock was above the state in all nine reported test comparisons, while Kennedy was below it in all nine. The most important finding for families is that Hancock outscored Kennedy by 55 to 69 percentage points in every matching subject, grade and exam.
Hancock is the clear academic standout. Across the reported tests, its average proficiency was 95% in ELA, 81% in mathematics and 85% in science, compared with 36%, 15% and 25% at Kennedy—gaps of 59, 66 and 60 points. In 11th-grade ACT results, Hancock scored 94% in ELA, 84% in mathematics and 88% in science; Kennedy scored 36%, 18% and 30%. SchoolDigger ranked Hancock 9th of 620 schools statewide, in the 99th percentile with five stars, while Kennedy ranked 529th of 620, in the 15th percentile with one star.
Recent results show different patterns at the two schools: from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, Hancock’s subject averages rose by 1 point in ELA and 5 in mathematics, while science fell by 2; Kennedy’s averages fell by 7 points in ELA, 1 in mathematics and 6 in science. There are exceptions: Hancock’s 11th-grade ACT mathematics result jumped 13 points, while its ninth-grade science result declined 6 points. As additional context, both schools reported free/reduced lunch eligible shares for 2024–2025 of 65% at Hancock and 66% at Kennedy. Hancock’s student-teacher ratio was 17.5, compared with 15.1 at Kennedy. Hancock also had a higher graduation rate (97% versus 81%), but chronic absenteeism was high at both schools: 29% at Hancock and 62% at Kennedy.
Thank you for your feedback!