Payton College Preparatory HS

Payton College Preparatory HS is one of the substantial high schools in Chicago, Illinois, part of Chicago Public Schools Dist 299, with 1,260 students on its rolls from grades 9 through 12. Compared to the state average of about 834 students per school, that is 51% bigger than typical.

Within Chicago Public Schools Dist 299, which oversees 622 schools and 324,396 students, Payton College Preparatory HS is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Payton College Preparatory HS logs that the most-represented group is White (32%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Other groups include 27% Asian, 26% Hispanic, 10% Black, 5% multiracial. That is meaningfully less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 44%.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Payton College Preparatory HS has 87 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.8:1, putting Payton College Preparatory HS higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 33% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Cook County (around 66%), the school's rate is noticeably below typical.

With demographic context factored in, Payton College Preparatory HS sits in the top 10% of Illinois schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 52.3%; actual is 89.5%, +37.2 points clear of the demographic baseline.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Cook County put median household income runs about $83,498, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Payton College Preparatory HS is one of 1406 public schools in Cook County (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students).

Salazar Elem Bilingual Center is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Payton College Preparatory HS ranks 2nd on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 44.1%.

Geographically, the school is in a city-core area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged up 17%: 1,073 students in 2018 compared to 1,260 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 43% to 32% across the same window. Class-load math has pulled in: from 17.4:1 in 2018 to 14.5:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.