Prosser Career Academy High School

What Prosser Career Academy High School does

Prosser Career Academy is a public high school within the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system, located at 2148 N Long Avenue in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood. It operates a dual-track academic model that combines International Baccalaureate programming (IB Diploma Programme, authorized since 2000, and IB Career-related Programme) with nine Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathways covering Culinary Arts, Carpentry, Electricity, HVAC & Refrigeration, Welding, Game Programming, Automotive Technology, Machine Technology, and Digital Media. Students are admitted through the district-wide GoCPS choice system for 9th grade and a transfer process for grades 10-12, with a 50-point admissions bonus for applicants residing within a 2.5-mile radius.

The school's underlying educational technology stack includes Aspen Parent Portal for student information, Google Meets for virtual parent-teacher conferences, the Edlio website platform, and industry-grade tooling unique within CPS — most notably HAAS CNC mills and lathes used in the Machine Technology program alongside CAD/CAM instruction, plus physical computing hardware (micro:bits, Raspberry Pis, programmable drones) in the Game Programming pathway. A two-acre Community Garden operated with the Chicago Farm Lab nonprofit functions as an outdoor teaching space. Reported student outcomes include a 95% graduation rate, 90% of students earning Early College & Career Credits, and an average of $20 million in earned scholarships.

Prosser is funded through Chicago Public Schools district allocations; it does not charge tuition and has no commercial revenue model beyond nominal $5 standard transcript fees and $17 IB transcript fees routed through IBO.org. The school is led by Principal Sandra Shimon, supported by IB Coordinators Jennifer Koszyk and Jessica Stephenson, and is governed locally by a Local School Council under Illinois law. The 2021 National Blue Ribbon School designation for Closing the Achievement Gap is the primary external credential supporting its positioning within the CPS choice market.

Name

Prosser Career Academy High School

Legal name

Prosser Career Academy

Website

https://prosseracademy.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prosser Career Academy is a Chicago Public Schools high school in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood, combining International Baccalaureate programs with nine Career & Technical Education pathways (Culinary Arts, Welding, Machine Technology, Game Programming, etc.) to serve citywide students admitted through the GoCPS choice system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Secondary Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools (EDAJACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Public high school education
• Career technical education
• International baccalaureate programs
• Workforce skills training
• Dual enrollment pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: Prosser Career Academy is a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) public high school funded through district and government education funding. There is no tuition charged to students.
2. Transcript Fees: Transcripts are available for $5.00 per transcript. IB transcripts are sent through IBO.org with a $17 charge per transcript.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Prosser Career Academy is a public high school within Chicago Public Schools that delivers secondary education through two parallel tracks: nine Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathways (Culinary Arts, Carpentry, Electricity, HVAC & Refrigeration, Welding, Game Programming, Automotive Technology, Machine Technology, and Digital Media) and two International Baccalaureate programs (IB Diploma Programme and IB Career-related Programme). Students earn industry-recognized certifications, early college credits, and access apprenticeships and internships with union and corporate partners. Education is tuition-free to Chicago students, with admissions managed through the district's GoCPS choice program.

Product overview

Prosser Career Academy is a Chicago Public Schools high school offering a dual educational model combining Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathways with International Baccalaureate programs. The school provides nine CTE programs (Culinary Arts, Carpentry, Electricity, HVAC, Welding, Game Programming, Automotive Technology, Machine Technology, Digital Media) alongside IB Diploma and Career Programmes. Additional programs include JROTC, athletics, and extensive extracurricular clubs. The institution was named a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School for Closing the Achievement Gap, serving Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood as a citywide choice school.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career & Technical Education (CTE) Pathways Nine career-focused CTE pathways (Culinary Arts, Carpentry, Electricity, HVAC & Refrigeration, Welding, Game Programming, Automotive Technology, Machine Technology, and Digital Media) in which students select a pathway in 9th grade and complete coursework through 12th grade with industry-recognized certifications for immediate career entry or post-secondary options. Includes OSHA 10-Hour, ASE, Adobe, HAAS Mill Operator, and IC3 Digital Literacy certifications.
• IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for grades 11-12, offering courses in English, Spanish, History, Biology, Mathematics, and elective subjects including Digital Society, Visual Arts, and Psychology. Designed for students seeking preparation for highly selective colleges and universities with an internationally recognized credential.
• IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) Career-related IB program combining at least two IB Diploma courses with CTE pathway studies and the CP Core (Ethics, Service Learning, Reflective Project, Language Development). Designed for students seeking a career-focused track that integrates IB coursework with hands-on technical training.
• Athletics Program School-sponsored athletic programs across fall, winter, and spring seasons including Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, Swimming, Flag Football, Basketball, Cheerleading, Track, Baseball, Softball, and Water Polo. Open to enrolled Prosser students.
• Clubs & Extracurricular Activities Student clubs and extracurricular activities including Debate Team, Prosser Players theater troupe, National Honor Society, GSA, Chess Club, Black Student Union, Dreamers Club, Poetry Club, and Gaming Club (CHI Craft - Minecraft). Open to enrolled Prosser students.
• JROTC Falcon Battalion Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program with mission to motivate young people to become better citizens through leadership development and military-affiliated education. Open to enrolled Prosser students.
• Prosser Community Garden & Chicago Farm Lab Two-acre teaching and learning garden with chickens, bees, and fruit-bearing trees utilized by Prosser students and surrounding schools, partnered with Chicago Farm Lab nonprofit for urban agriculture education.
• IB Transcript Services IB transcript requests processed through the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) at IBO.org at a $17 fee per transcript, available to former and current Prosser students.
• Standard Transcript Services Standard transcript processing available for $5.00 per transcript, available to former and current Prosser Career Academy students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% graduation rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, Prosser's Digital Media students collaborated with documentary photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz and educator Erin Jiminez to create a digital exhibition titled 'Your Chicago,' which is now showcased on MoCP's website. This partnership provides students with real-world creative experience and public recognition of their work.
• Chicago Farm LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago Farm Lab is a nonprofit that connects Chicago's northwest side families to nature and urban agriculture. They share a plot within Prosser's Community Garden and collaborate on teaching and learning experiences.
• MicrosoftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft provides internship opportunities for students in the Game Programming CTE pathway, offering real-world technology industry experience.
• City Colleges of Chicago (Wright, Daley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect transfer of up to 15 Dual Enrollment credits to City Colleges of Chicago through the Machine Technology program. Includes Aim 2 Launch program for spring and summer internships and apprenticeships.
• American AirlinesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents in the Automotive Technology program have been photographed in front of American Airlines planes, suggesting partnerships for field experiences or career exposure in the aviation industry.
• IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 134 / REFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBEW134 REF partnership provides the Electrical Construction pathway with a direct pipeline into the electrical trade. Includes summer solar program and pre-apprentice program options for students.
• Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute at Kennedy-King CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual credit offerings through Washburn College for Culinary Arts students. Provides pathway for students to continue culinary education at the institute.
• IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProsser is an authorized IB World School since 2000, offering both the IB Diploma Programme and IB Career-related Programme under IBO standards and curriculum.
• Saint Anthony HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for COVID vaccination clinics held at Prosser. Saint Anthony Hospital administered vaccinations to students and family members age 12 and above.
• Alternatives Youth Shaping Positive ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides individual therapy for students during the school day at Prosser. Students can be referred by speaking with their school counselor.
• Youth OutreachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides individual, group counseling, and substance use services to Prosser students in school and at their offices, free of charge.
• WOW (Working on Womanhood) - Youth GuidanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool-based, trauma-informed group counseling program using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to improve social-emotional competencies of young women in grades 6-12.
• Discovery Partner Institute (DPI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship opportunities for students in the Game Programming CTE pathway.
• HVAC InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship opportunities for students in the HVAC & Refrigeration CTE pathway.
• Local 597 PipefittersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship and apprenticeship pathway opportunities for HVAC & Refrigeration students.
• Local 73 SheetmetalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship and apprenticeship pathway opportunities for HVAC & Refrigeration students.
• UTI (Universal Technical Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship and post-secondary pathway opportunities for HVAC & Refrigeration students.
• INRA and CCAPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvide internship opportunities for Culinary Arts students through industry partnerships.
• Plumber UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship and apprenticeship pathway opportunities for Welding students.
• Sheet Metal WorkersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship and apprenticeship pathway opportunities for Welding students.
• IronworkerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides internship and apprenticeship pathway opportunities for Welding students.
• DonorsChooseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit organization dedicated to schools serving low-income communities that allows Prosser teachers to create fundraisers specific to classroom materials and student welfare needs.
• Chicago Public Schools (CPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProsser is a CPS school governed by Chicago Public Schools district policies, funding, and the GoCPS centralized admissions system.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): National for-profit provider of automotive, diesel, and welding technical training. Comparable to Prosser's Automotive and Welding CTE pathways as a larger, broader incumbent in the same occupational training space.
• Lincoln Tech: National for-profit technical and trade school operating across multiple trades (HVAC, electrical, welding, automotive). Comparable to Prosser's CTE catalog as a broader, multi-state technical education incumbent.
• Lane Tech High School: Larger CPS selective-enrollment high school with a strong STEM/CTE-adjacent culture and wide extracurricular breadth. Comparable as a higher-performing CPS choice school with similar IB-style academic rigor.

Direct peers

• North-Grand High School: CPS public high school with IB programming and industry-focused pathways. Comparable to Prosser as a similarly structured district school offering both college-prep and CTE options.
• Dunbar Vocational High School (Paul Laurence Dunbar): CPS career academy with vocationally focused programming, similar to Prosser's CTE-centric structure. Operates within the same district and admissions system with comparable student demographics.
• Chicago Vocational Career Academy: Another CPS public high school with a career and technical education model similar to Prosser's, offering multiple CTE pathways to citywide students. Directly comparable in mission, funding source, and student profile.
• Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy: CPS career academy focused on healthcare and STEM pathways. Directly comparable in operating model: CPS public school, CTE pathways, industry certifications, and college-prep dual-track programming.
• Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute (Kennedy-King College): Public culinary training program within City Colleges of Chicago that partners with Prosser's Culinary Arts CTE for dual credit. Highly comparable as a Chicago-based culinary trade pathway with shared students.

Others

• Chicago Public Schools GoCPS Choice Programs: The district-wide centralized admissions system through which Prosser recruits all 9th-grade students. Comparable as the broader CPS choice ecosystem that directly channels applicants to Prosser and competing CTE schools.

Emerging players

• City Colleges of Chicago (Wright, Daley, Kennedy-King): Public community college system that accepts Prosser's Machine Technology dual-enrollment credits and provides Aim 2 Launch internship pathways. Comparable as a post-secondary CTE accelerator that overlaps with Prosser's Mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Prosser_CA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProsserCareerAcademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/Prosser_CA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/prosser-career-academy-high-school

Compliance27 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prosser Career Academy High School