International Prep Academy, Champaign IL

Original Research by School Decision on International Prep Academy

International Prep Academy is a public school serving prekindergarten through eighth grade in Champaign, with an enrollment of roughly 650 students. The school is part of Champaign CUSD 4, which recently implemented significant structural changes: in 2023, the district converted International Prep Academy into a PreK-8 school and eliminated its balanced calendar. The school's student body is predominantly Hispanic, with substantial shares of Black and white students, and a small number of Asian, multiracial, and Native American students. Free-or-reduced-lunch data was not available, and rates of special education enrollment and English learner status were also not reported.

State test results show academic performance at the school is below the midpoint among Champaign County districts. In English language arts, proficiency varies considerably by grade. Third-graders showed lower performance, while fourth-graders performed somewhat better. By fifth grade, roughly half of students were proficient, and sixth-graders held at a similar level. Seventh graders' proficiency dropped notably, though eighth graders recovered somewhat. Across all tested grades and both subjects, the overall proficiency index is materially weaker than the county median.

Mathematics proficiency is comparatively lower. Third and fourth graders achieved similar rates in both subjects, but math performance declined sharply in fifth grade and remained depressed through eighth grade. The pattern suggests students struggle most with math in the upper-middle grades, particularly grades five and six.

Science was tested in grade five and eight only. Fifth-graders' science proficiency roughly matches their math results for that grade. Eighth graders showed modestly stronger performance in science than in math, though still below proficiency for roughly three-fifths of the class.

The school participates in the AVID framework, which the district adopted across all schools. AVID strategies around notetaking, vocabulary, and text annotation are embedded in classroom instruction. A parent may want to look into whether this structured approach to college readiness aligns with what they seek for their child.

Champaign itself is a mixed-use city centered on downtown and the University of Illinois campus. Downtown has pedestrian-friendly blocks with restaurants, breweries, and arts offerings, though some older neighborhoods lack complete sidewalk networks. The area's employment base is anchored by the university, Carle Health, school districts, and major manufacturers and logistics operators including FedEx. Housing values and rents are moderately priced relative to national benchmarks. The city has seen recent growth in student housing and mixed-income residential development, with ongoing demand for workforce housing.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 38%

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 438%

School 38% · District 35% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 28% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 621%

School 21% · District 23% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 731%

School 31% · District 31%

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 22% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 35% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 40% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 38% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 645%

School 45% · District 38% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 40% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 44% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Science

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 32% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 842%

School 42% · District 33% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

This schoolChampaign CUSD 4, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.