The History of Jones College Prep

Jones College Prep became an entirely new school as of August 1998. Jones College Prep is now a full four-year college preparatory school, offering the best and most innovative opportunities for student academic achievement. The first graduating class was the class of 2002. JCP is ranked among the top high schools based on standardized test data in the city, and among the top two in attendance. While JCP intends to retain the sense of achievement and commitment to excellence that Jones has generated, we are in the process of making a brand new history.

Jones College Prep, formerly Jones Academic Magnet High School, Jones Metropolitan High School of Business and Commerce, and Jones Commercial High School, came into existence in February 1938. The building, constructed shortly after the Chicago fire, was located at Harrison Street and Plymouth Court. The Chicago Board of Education, recognizing a need for a commercial business education, remodeled an old building, once Jones Elementary School and later Jones Continuation School, to house Jones High School. It was named for William Jones, who in 1840 became the first president of the Board of Education. He encouraged the education of every child, including girls, a progressive position during his time.

The present building, opened in 1967 and constructed to resemble an office building, housed the Jones program, designed for juniors and seniors, qualifying them for office work after graduation. Jones was the first Chicago school to engage in the Cooperative Work-Study program, organized to give students practical experience in their subject and skill areas.

Although Jones has always enrolled students from any part of the city, during the spring of 1982 Jones became part of the Chicago Board of Education's "Options for Knowledge" program. Magnet schools and programs were created to provide Chicago Public Schools students with unique educational opportunities in an integrated setting. The magnet school policy is designed to ensure equity and equal access to magnet schools for all children while maintaining racially balanced schools.

During the academic year 2001-2002, Jones underwent yet another transformation. The students, faculty, and staff were temporarily located at 1450 North Larrabee in the Near North Metro building while the school located at Harrison & State underwent a 14 million dollar renovation. As a result of this renovation, Jones is an entirely new school.