Albany Park report card

After several decades of economic decline, a new wave of immigration—spearheaded by Koreans, Mexicans and Guatemalans in the 1960s through 1990s—stabilized property values and bolstered small business activity in Albany Park. The surge gave rise to one of the nation’s most diverse neighborhoods; some 40 languages are spoken in the schools. But rising housing prices have taken a toll, forcing working-class families into Chicago’s less expensive South Side and western suburbs. The exodus has once-overcrowded schools now worrying about stable enrollment.

Neighborhood snapshot	Albany Park	Chicago
Students in private school	13%	18%
Population 25 and over w/ high school diploma	61%	72%
Median household income	$39,600	$38,600
Children below poverty level	25%	29%
Unemployment rate	7%	10%
Residents living in own homes	31%	48%
Median sale price (single family residence)	$243,000	$285,000
Median rent (per month)	$620	$616
Increase in condominiums (1989-04)	75 to 1,019 (1,360%)	71,819 to 174,227 (143%)
Source: Census 2000; Median sale price from Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois, June 2006 to June 2007; Condominium counts by Center for Urban Research and Learning, Loyola University Chicago.

Neighborhood schools look to raise the bar

Chicago Public Schools has made Albany Park a competitive place to run schools, adding ASPIRA-Haugan, a charter school, to the area’s mix of elementary schools in 2003. Roosevelt, a traditional neighborhood high school, competes with nearby Von Steuben, a magnet high school, for top students. Test scores are up across the board.

Student population	Enrollment	Poverty	Bilingual	Mobility
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Albany Park Multicultural Academy (7-8)	290	95%	19%	13%
Bateman (pre-k-8)	984	93%	31%	18%
Haugan (pre-k-5)	1,076	93%	49%	23%
Haugan-ASPIRA (6-8)*	505	92%	14%	18%
Henry (pre-k-6)	718	95%	40%	22%
Hibbard (pre-k-6)	1,159	95%	39%	17%
North River (pre-k-8)	296	92%	29%	31%
Volta (pre-k-8)	949	92%	47%	16%
HIGH SCHOOLS
Roosevelt	1,628	95%	21%	30%
Von Steuben	1,479	56%	1%	9%
Student ethnicity	White	Black	Hispanic	Other
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Albany Park Multicultural Academy	9%	8%	67%	17%
Bateman	8%	4%	75%	13%
Haugan	9%	6%	78%	8%
Haugan-ASPIRA*	3%	6%	83%	8%
Henry	5%	5%	85%	5%
Hibbard	6%	7%	73%	14%
North River	5%	10%	72%	13%
Volta	11%	6%	57%	27%
HIGH SCHOOLS
Roosevelt	8%	10%	71%	12%
Von Steuben	24%	31%	25%	20%
* ASPIRA demographic data includes all ASPIRA campus schools Source: 2007 State Report Card

How schools are doing

Elementary Performance	ISAT math-3	ISAT math-8	ISAT read-3	ISAT read-8
Albany Park Multicultural Academy	–	90%	–	86%
Bateman	78%	88%	65%	92%
Haugan	67%	–	64%	–
Haugan-ASPIRA	–	71%	–	71%
Henry	89%	–	65%	–
Hibbard	87%	–	71%	–
North River	100%	84%	73%	84%
Volta	89%	68%	86%	80%
High school performance	Graduation	Dropout	ACT math	ACT reading
Roosevelt	57%	7%	15.8	14.6
Von Steuben	79%	1%	19.8	20.7
Source: 2007 State Report Card

New school construction

Facing severe overcrowding during the 1990s, Albany Park activists organized to demand relief. The district eventually built two new schools and several additions to the area’s elementary schools. With more classrooms available and gentrification eating into enrollment, schools are now accepting more students from outside Albany Park. Last year, 87% of the students enrolled in the area’s schools came from local homes; down from 95% just five years ago.

New elementary schools and additions	Capacity	% Capacity	% Local Enrollment
Albany Park Multicultural Academy $18 million new school — 2006	900	32%	81%
Bateman $8 million addition — 1997	1,350	73%	82%
Haugan	1,680	64%	97%
Haugan Middle-ASPIRA $17 million new school — 2003	*	*	89%
Henry $2.5 million annex — 1996	930	77%	90%
Hibbard $12.5 million addition — 1997	1,725	67%	90%
North River $3.6 million exterior renovation — 2003	420	70%	*
Volta $2.7 million annex — 1996	1,230	77%	97%
* Data not available Note: Schools at/above 80% capacity are considered overcrowded. Source: Consortium on Chicago School Research; CPS Demographics Office; CPS Facilities