The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in English language arts. The lowest is 38% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Horizon Science Acad-mckinley Pk
Horizon Science Academy McKinley Park is a kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade charter district serving a predominantly Hispanic student population in the Chicago area. The district enroll a mid-sized student body distributed across elementary, middle, and high school grades, with strong representation from the Hispanic community and smaller numbers of Black and white students.
The district's academic profile is uneven. In the early elementary grades, proficiency rates in math and English language arts are solid, with roughly three-quarters to four-fifths of third and fourth graders meeting proficiency benchmarks. By fifth grade, however, results sharply decline. In math, proficiency drops dramatically from roughly three-quarters in fourth grade to roughly a quarter in fifth grade and remains in that range through eighth grade. English language arts shows similar weakness in the middle grades, though a rebound to roughly three-quarters proficiency appears in eighth grade. Science proficiency in fifth and eighth grades sits below half, with fifth grade at roughly one-third. These results suggest students are struggling as they transition into upper elementary and middle school mathematics, with some recovery in reading by the end of middle school. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what happens to student learning during this transition period and what instructional supports are in place for students who fall behind.
The district operates a single school building for kindergarten through eighth grade, historically in a shared facility where space constraints have been significant. In August 2025, the district opened a new dedicated high school campus in Bridgeport, physically separating grades 9 through 12 from the main McKinley Park building. This move freed up space at the original site, allowing first through third graders to move from modular classrooms back indoors and improving access to science laboratories. The new high school campus includes redesigned classrooms, gymnasium facilities, and expanded opportunities for academic, vocational, and extracurricular programming alongside strengthened college guidance. For parents considering the district, this structural change represents a significant shift in the operational model and warrants a conversation with school leadership about curriculum continuity, college preparation pathways, and how the separation of grade levels will affect student transitions.
Across all tested grades and subjects, the district's overall proficiency rate places it above the midpoint among Cook County's districts. Chronic absenteeism stands at approximately one-quarter of the student body, matching the county median. No graduation rate data is available; state testing data was not provided for high school grades.
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