Eleven Chicago Public Schools magnet schools were nationally recognized for excellence, the district announced, a record number honored in a single year honored by the Magnet Schools of America association.
The “Magnet School of Excellence Awards” are awarded annually to a select group. After submitting their applications, winners are scored on their “ability to raise student academic achievement, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity, provide integrated curricula and instruction, and create strong family and community partnerships that enhance the school’s magnet theme,” the district said in a Tuesday news release.
There are 47 magnet schools within the CPS school district, according to its website. This year, eleven CPS schools were recognized by the Magnet Schools of America. Those deemed “excellent” are eligible for consideration for monetary awards and further excellence awards, including being named the nation’s top Elementary, Secondary, or New & Emerging Magnet School.
At CPS, four schools earned “Schools of Excellence” designations, including William C. Goudy Technology Academy, LaSalle II World Language Magnet Elementary School, Mark Sheridan Math & Science Academy and Ole A. Thorp Elementary Scholastic Academy. The designation is the highest level of excellence award possible in the MSA’s National Merit Awards program.
Additionally, one School of Excellence can win $5,000 and the Dr. Ronald P. Simpson Distinguished Merit Award, considered the nation’s most prestigious magnet school award, according to the release.
Six additional schools earned “Schools of Distinction” designations, the second-highest level of award. Those schools include Chappell World Language Magnet Elementary School, Hawthorne Scholastic Academy, Jonathan Burr Elementary School, Joseph Jungman STEM Magnet Elementary School, Walter L. Newberry Math & Science Academy and William H. Brown STEM Magnet Elementary School.
Latoya Lyons, principal at William H. Brown STEM Magnet Elementary School, was recognized as 2026 Principal of the Year for Regional VI, which encompasses multiple states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
“It takes strong leadership and a willingness to bring everybody together to rally behind the vision and mission, but when your school does well, we know it’s the boots on the ground and the teachers and staff who are really driving the change,” Lyons said in the release. “It is validating to know that the work is making a difference and making an impact in the lives of both our students and our staff.”
In addition to the new designations, another CPS school was honored by the program. The Chicago High School for Agricultural Science also retained its status as a Nationally Certified Demonstration school, meaning it exceeds the MSA’s standards of excellence and “serves as a learning model for magnets across the country to replicate,” the release said.
The MSA designations indicate “evidence of the momentum building across Chicago Public Schools,” CPS CEO/Superintendent Macquline King said in the news release.
“Our schools are rebounding and redefining what is possible for student success. Every day, our educators and students are driving meaningful transformation, and it is incredibly rewarding to see their dedication and excellence acknowledged on a national stage,” King said in the release.
