Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 644 schools in district

School of Social Justice HS

3120 S Kostner Ave, Chicago, IL 60623City of Chicago SD 299 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
289
Students
Total enrolled
$25,647
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 79% vs nat'l
10.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 34% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 20% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 289 students in grades 09–12 in Chicago, Illinois.
79% above average funding
District spends $25,647 per pupil, 79% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

School of Social Justice HS is a mid-sized high in Chicago, Illinois, serving grades 09–12 with 289 students. The district invests $25,647 per student — 79% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 10.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 95% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at School of Social Justice HS

289
Total Students
10.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
95%
Free Lunch
29
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution132 male · 157 female
46%
54%
Male 46%Female 54%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility95%
National avg 52% · 274 students
Student Composition
87%
12%
Hispanic / Latino87%
Black12%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 170993005793

Academic Outcomes at School of Social Justice HS

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 29th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 60623

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$25,647Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$25,647
State avg
$20,102
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$11,285
Student Support$4,873
Administration$3,078
Operations$3,847
Other$2,565
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $25,647 spent per student, an estimated $11,362 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
30%
53%
State government
29.9%
Local (property tax)
52.8%
Federal programs
17.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $25,647/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 10.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 95% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Disney Elem Magnet SchoolEdwards Elem SchoolArmstrong G Elem IntL StudiesHealy Elem School
↓
High School
Lane Technical High SchoolTaft High SchoolCurie Metropolitan High SchoolKenwood Academy High School
+21 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyCook County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCity of Chicago SD 299 →
Phone: (773)535-4300
NCES ID: 170993005793
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Chicago seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in City of Chicago SD 299
High
Lane Technical High School
4,496 students · 07–12
● 42 opp36% FRL
High
Taft High School
4,464 students · 07–12
● 50 opp51% FRL
High
Curie Metropolitan High School
3,178 students · 09–12
● 52 opp85% FRL
High
Kenwood Academy High School
2,338 students · 07–12
● 31 opp59% FRL
High
Young Magnet High School
2,148 students · 07–12
● 37 opp36% FRL
High
Lincoln Park High School
2,107 students · 09–12
● 37 opp46% FRL
High
Jones College Prep High School
1,941 students · 09–12
38% FRL
High
Thomas Kelly College Preparatory
1,903 students · 09–12
● 52 opp94% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3120 S Kostner Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.