North Star Academy Washington Park High School

Why North Star Academy Washington Park High School was nominated

North Star’s high school stands out for its relentless effort to rethink what students need to succeed beyond graduation and for its willingness to redesign core structures in service of that purpose. Leaders have treated GPA as a gateway to college persistence and reorganized instruction, data systems, and student supports around building the sustained habits of work that strong grades require. The school has moved away from passive learning by requiring every student to produce independent analysis before class discussion, redesigned grading to eliminate hidden gaps, and built high-accountability structures like Target 3.0 that pair data transparency with peer-driven goal setting. Together, these shifts reflect a high school actively reimagining how to cultivate independent learners, strengthen academic behaviors, and give every student a credible path to college success.