West Town Academy

West Town Academy [http://www.westtownacademy.org] has been a part of Greater West Town Community Development Project [http://www.gwtp.org] , a communitarian non-profit organization working toward development on the west side of Chicago, since 1992.

WTA originated as a GED program aimed at Chicago high school dropouts. It became a fully state-certified high school in 1998 and, as cited in a November 11, 2003 article in the "Chicago Tribune" entitled "1 in 5 blacks drop out" and a "Chicago Sun-Times" January 9, 2004 article entitled "Schools pressured to dump bad students, critics say", has been retrieving "disenrolled" minority students from the Chicago Public School system through its association as a campus of Youth Connections Charter School. It also operates as an independent high school through the enrollment of students who are wards of the court and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. This unique situation makes West Town Academy both a public and private school simultaneously.

In a recent article in the "Wicker Park Booster", West Town Academy was in the running for a contract with Chicago Public Schools to operate independently from Youth Connection Charter School.

References

Grossman, Kate N. Chicago Sun-Times. " [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10018F229064FF80&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Schools pressured to dump bad students, critics say.] " January 9, 2004. pg. 8.Olszewski, Lori. Chicago Tribune. " [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/443614931.html?dids=443614931:443614931&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+11%2C+2003&author=Lori+Olszewski%2C+Tribune+staff+reporter&pub=Chicago+Tribune&edition=&startpage=1&desc=1+in+5+blacks+drop+out 1 in 5 blacks drop out.] " November 11, 2003. pg. 1.
Rowe, Anitra. Wicker Park Booster. "Academy gives drop outs a second chance." November 29. 2006. http://www.pioneerlocal.com/booster2/news/152319,b2-dropouts-112906-s1.article