Chicago Plans High School for Black Males

CHICAGO — The Chicago school district plans to open an all-boys high school primarily for black teenagers.

The Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men must be approved by the Board of Education this month, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Mayor Richard Daley plans to open 100 schools in the city in the next five years. Plans for the next two years include a virtual elementary school, a high school operated by the University of Chicago and a high school stressing business entrepreneurship.

Urban Prep would be located inside Englewood High School. Backers say it is aimed at a group that has the lowest graduation rate of any in the city.

“We’re going to take our students where they are and help them gain admission to college and succeed once they are there,” said Tim King, the founder of Urban Prep. “Clearly there is a high need for figuring out how to serve these kids academically.”