Curriculum

Based on the belief that every person has his or her own talents, and committed to developing those talents, our school does not track students. Instead, we require basic college preparatory courses for all students over the course of four years. All students who may be struggling with high school material are able to participate in transition courses and receive extra help, in order to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for academic success. Students performing above grade level are able to enroll in accelerated courses of study in English, mathematics, science, and foreign languages.

Students in ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades benefit from courses designed by researchers and curriculum specialists. Taken in the first semester of these three grades, these courses prepare students for the academic challenges they will face during the second semester. In English, these courses are Strategic Reading (9th), Reading and Writing in Your Career (10th), and College-Prep Reading and Writing (11th). The mathematics courses are Transition to Advanced Math (9th), Geometry Foundations (10th), and Algebra II Foundations (11th).

The educational structure at Chicago Talent revolves around small learning communities that promote strong relationships among students, faculty, and staff. Students receive 90 minutes a day of instruction in mathematics and language arts, as well the opportunity to take science and history classes, to engage in art, and to choose from a variety of electives.