What is STEM?
STEM education unleashes opportunities for students, giving them the skills to conceive and develop revolutionary products and processes that will continue to shape the nation and Chicago’s economic future. Our goal at Solorio is to develop resilient, critical thinkers with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the demands of a technology-driven world. We must give our students the foundation to solve problems and tackle complex issues that face current and future generations.
Our Vision For STEM
Every day in every STEM classroom in CPS, all students will:
- Actively make sense of and construct solutions to complex questions
- Productively contribute to the learning community to support a culture of collaboration, risk-taking, and innovation
- Regularly reflect on and communicate their understanding of disciplinary ideas
Through these experiences and purposeful opportunities to face transdisciplinary challenges, students will graduate from CPS as knowledgeable, flexible, and resourceful problem solvers prepared to improve the world.
Habits of Mind
Persevere | Innovate | Apply | Communicate | Advocate
To help our students prepare for the 21st Century, we believe in shaping their minds with how to think, not necessarily what to think. At Solorio, all of our teachers and students learn our Habits of Mind that help our students succeed in a world with STEM.
The 4 Pathways
To Help Our Students Get Ahead
To help our students prepare for the 21st Century, we believe in shaping their minds with how to think, not necessarily what to think. At Solorio, all of our teachers and students learn our Habits of Mind that help our students succeed in a world with STEM.
Early College
Program
Associates in Computer Science & HS Diploma Upon Full Completion
Requires:
- 2.5 GPA
- 90% Attendance
- Pass College Placement Exam
Increased Access to Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit Courses
Internship Opportunities
Traditional College
Preparation
AP, Regular, and Honors Courses
General Education
Choices on ALL Electives
CTE Pre-Engineering
4-Year Honors Program With 1 Engineering Course Per Year
No Eligibility Requirements
Participate in ISTE STEM Challenge
Can Waive Out of Computer Science Requirement
CTE Web Design
3-Year Regular Program Courses: ECS, Web Design 1 & 2
No Eligibility Requirements
CIW Web Foundations Associate Certification Exam
Early College Program
The Early College Program at Solorio allows each student the opportunity to gain college credits while in high school through dual credit/dual enrollment. Students can start taking college-level classes as soon as their Junior Year. Students in the program range from pursuing an entire Associate's Degree to students just looking to take a few college courses to earn as many credits as possible before graduating high school tuition free.
Testing Information
Testing will be offered at Solorio:
November
December
March
April
June
July
Students should come with their CPS ID's, and be prepared to sit for anywhere between 1-3 hours to complete testing depending on their own testing pace.
There are two separate Early College entrance exams; Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS; Math) and Read to Write (RTW; English).
City Colleges of Chicago
Richard J. Daley College
Eligibility Requirements
Students must meet the following eligibility requirements each semester to begin and remain enrolled in the Early College program:
- Minimum of 2.5 GPA
- Minimum of 90% Attendance Rate
- Meet college-level readiness on the English and/or Math entrance exam(s) (testing window for entrance exams will be in March and April)
OR
- Have a SAT score of at least a 480 in English and 530 in Math
Two Early College Entrance Exams
Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces
ALEKS Math
The ALEKS Math test has content from Algebra, Geometry, and more. ALEKS is a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system; It uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions.
How to Prepare:
A great way to study for ALEKS is to get math tutoring, practice lessons on KHAN Academy, and do the actual ALEKS practice tests on the ALEKS website.
Passing:
Students must receive at least a 46 on this test to become college-eligible.
Read to Write
RTW
The RTW tests students on their reading, comprehension, and writing knowledge. The RTW test places students into the appropriate English course that will best promote academic success and determine eligibility for other courses new students can take during their first semester at college. Students must read paragraphs, answer questions, and write 2-3 complete essays throughout the test.
How to Prepare:
A great way to student and prepare for this exam is to use Achieve 3000 and get tutoring in English. Click here to learn more about the RTW exam.
Passing:
To become college-eligible, students must receive a score of at least 6 on this test.
Benefits
What are Some Benefits of the Early College STEM pathway?
Get College Credit Through
Daley College
Dual Credit and Enrollment classes can be applied to these 4-year Universities:
- City Colleges of Chicago
- DePaul University
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Southern Illinois University
- Governors State
- FISK University
- East West University
- Northern Illinois University
- Roosevelt University
- Dominican University
- University of Illinois Chicago
Get Career Technical Education
CTE Focus
Get a Head Start! CTE gives high school students the chance to get a head start on preparing for college and careers.
Practical Learn how core school subjects like math, science and writing are used in real-life.
Earn Nationally Recognized Certifications! Opportunity to earn nationally recognized certifications which you can use to get a job, that will help you pay for college, or start off your career straight out of high school!
Job Shadow & Internships! Opportunity to participate in hands-on training in your chosen program and gain real world experience through job shadows and internships.
Potential to Graduate with an
Associates Degree
Save Money! College won't be as expensive as you won't need to take as many courses otherwise.
Save Time! After graduating high school, you'll only need 2 more years of college to get your bachelor's degree or you can go directly into the workforce.
Gain industry
Certifications & credentials
Get Hands-On
Carerr-Focused Experience
Work Directly With
STEM PROFESSIONALS
Our Corporate Sponsor
Salesforce believes that...
When technology is used for good, it can change the world.
“Salesforce is the world’s #1 customer relationship management (CRM) platform. Our cloud-based, CRM applications for sales, service, marketing, and more don’t require IT experts to set up or manage — simply log in and start connecting to customers in a whole new way.”