Marine Leadership Academy - Ames

1920 N Hamlin Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

www.cps.edu

549 Students

High School 7th - 12th

School Overview

Marine Leadership Academy (MLA) – Ames, located in the Hermosa neighborhood of Chicago, is a specialized Chicago Public School that integrates a rigorous academic curriculum with the structure and leadership principles of the United States Marine Corps. As a military-themed academy, the school emphasizes character development, self-discipline, and community service. Students, often referred to as cadets, are encouraged to cultivate personal responsibility and leadership skills that are designed to prepare them for both post-secondary education and professional success, regardless of the career path they choose.

Beyond its military-inspired framework, MLA – Ames focuses on providing a supportive environment that fosters academic growth and personal maturation. The school offers a variety of extracurricular activities and sports to complement its core educational mission, aiming to build well-rounded individuals. By combining traditional core subjects with a focus on civic duty and physical fitness, the academy seeks to create a disciplined school culture that empowers students to act as responsible leaders within their own community and beyond.

549

Total Students

46.2

Full-Time Teachers

11.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Marine Leadership Academy - Ames
Demographic	Student Count
White	16
Hispanic	516
Black	12
Asian	3
Two or More	1
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
516 (94.0%)
White
16 (2.9%)
Black
12 (2.2%)
Asian
3 (0.5%)
Two or More
1 (0.2%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
Phone:	(773)534-4970
Website:	http://www.cps.edu
Grade Range:	7th - 12th
Total Students:	549
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	46.2
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 7 34

Grade 8 73

Grade 9 106

Grade 10 117

Grade 11 88

Grade 12 131

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Marine Leadership Academy - Ames
Grade	Student Count
Grade 7	34
Grade 8	73
Grade 9	106
Grade 10	117
Grade 11	88
Grade 12	131

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Marine Leadership Academy - Ames
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	225	41%
Male	324	59%

Nearby High Schools (Within 10 Miles)