Chicago Public Schools (CPS) released a new analysis revealing that students participating in International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework graduate from high school and enroll and remain in college at rates well above the city’s average. In fact, students participating in IB coursework graduate at a higher rate than that of the district average, and enroll in college at a rate of more than 80 percent, exceeding the rate for the entire district. This latest analysis of SY 2014-15 data suggests that not only are district investments to expand the program paying off, but that these investments are supporting much of the district’s recent improvements in high school graduation rate and college enrollment rate.

In addition to the stronger graduate rates that IB programming produce, students across the District’s 15 IB schools enroll in college at a higher rate, and then persist at a higher rate. Other findings of the report demonstrate that specifically, the rigorous IB diploma and career programmes prepare students at a higher rate, with nearly 100 percent of IB diploma participants graduating from high school, with a college enrollment rate just shy of 100 percent, and a college persistence rate of 88 percent. Due to the success of IB programmes to date, CPS will increase IB enrollment by more than 20 percent by SY 2017-18. The District will expand enrollment for existing IB schools next year from 13,310 students to 15,198 students, and continuing expansion to 16,338 students in SY18. IB schools have a track record of academic excellence. According to the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, CPS IB students are 40 percent more likely to attend a selective four-year college.