Content Overview: Algebra I Topics Seen on the Algebra Exit Exam

For students in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) taking Algebra I in middle school, the Algebra Exit Exam is an end-of-course assessment designed to measure mastery of the key algebra skills taught during that year and to help determine readiness for higher-level math in high school. The exam aligns with the district’s Algebra I curriculum and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, and it draws directly from the critical concepts students encounter in their algebra studies, preparing them for mathematical studies that they will encounter in high school. Succeeding on the Algebra Exit Exam can help students go down accelerated math pathways in high school, and later, in college. Below, we will review the content and structure of what to expect on the Algebra Exit Exam.

The Algebra Exit Exam typically includes around 40 questions that mix multiple-choice items with numeric response problems. Students are given about 120 minutes to complete it. This format requires a strong ability to reason, make educated guesses, and solve problems efficiently and in an organized manner, encouraging students to show not just correct answers but understanding of mathematical processes.

While we don’t know exactly what will be on the test, we expect to see common Algebra topics addressed. This will include things like linear relationships; students need to interpret, represent, and manipulate linear equations and inequalities, solve them using a variety of methods, and connect algebraic expressions to graphs, tables, and real-world contexts. Other common Algebra topics that may be seen on the exam include slope, intercept, translation, functions, systems of equations, inequalities, and quadratic equations. Throughout the Algebra Exit Exam, emphasis is placed on understanding equivalent expressions, manipulating algebraic structures, and using mathematical reasoning to justify solutions. Students also interpret and analyze data, which connects algebraic thinking to real-world problem solving.

It is important to note that the exam, similarly to ones that a student would encounter in-class, assumes that students are confident with expressions and equations. This means students must be comfortable simplifying various expressions, applying the distributive property, combining like terms, and using algebraic reasoning to model and solve problems. These foundational skills support the more complex work with functions and systems.

While TPC’s Algebra Exit Exam prep courses have already begun, we still have one-day Algebra Exit Exam workshops available for enrollment (click here), which involve students taking a practice test based on the real exam, breaking for a pizza lunch provided by us, and reviewing answer explanations and test-taking strategies with a tutor. TPC also has individual tutoring offerings (click here) available for students looking for one-on-one, personalized help on their Algebra Exit Exam prep.

The Algebra Exit Exam: What You Need to Know

Across Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Algebra Exit Exam is an important benchmark for mostly 8th-grade students taking high school-level Algebra I; the exam, often forgotten next to the High School Entrance Exams and CPS HSAT, plays a meaningful role in determining a student’s readiness for more advanced mathematics in high school. It isn’t a graduation exam or a state-wide requirement, but it is a district assessment given annually in the spring to students enrolled in an approved Algebra I course in 7th or 8th grade. The results help schools decide whether students are prepared for higher-level math like geometry or honors courses when they enter high school, and can result in students “testing out” of certain Algebra courses when they enter their secondary school.

The Algebra Exit Exam is aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the CPS Algebra I curriculum, meaning it assesses the key concepts students are expected to learn in that course. The exam includes a mix of multiple-choice questions and constructed response items that require students not only to solve problems, but also to explain their reasoning. Depending on the specific year and blueprint used, the exam typically features around 37 to 40 questions assessing foundational algebra topics such as expressions, equations, functions, and problem-solving with variables. It is administered online and usually takes about 120 minutes to complete.

Students take the Algebra Exit Exam near the end of the school year, often in late May, while they are enrolled in Algebra I. CPS students take the test at their own school during normal school hours, while non-CPS students who plan to enroll in a CPS high school must register to take the exam at a district-designated location on a weekend date in May. For the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, we anticipate that the exam will take place in late May.

When the exam is scored, students receive a scaled score; the results are classified as pass or did not pass. A score at or above the district’s established “pass” threshold indicates that a student has a generally consistent understanding of algebra skills and is ready to progress to the next level of math coursework. There is also a “high pass” category for students who demonstrate an especially strong and masterful understanding of algebra concepts. Students who earn a pass or high pass can typically enter geometry or honors geometry as freshmen, which positions them for accelerated math pathways throughout high school. This can also lead students to testing out of required Math-related courses when they reach college.

For families and educators, the Algebra Exit Exam serves several purposes. It ensures that students who take Algebra I in middle school have truly mastered the subject before moving forward, supports appropriate placement in high school math sequences, and can open opportunities for more advanced courses like honors geometry or AP mathematics. While the test is only one piece of placement decisions, preparing for it helps students build confidence and strengthens foundational math skills that will benefit them throughout high school and beyond.

Test Prep Chicago is now offering Algebra Exit Exam prep courses (click here). These courses, which run for a total of ten hours, include a Diagnostic and Final exam, a review of material seen on the exam and test-taking strategies, and testing analytics. TPC is also offering one-day Algebra Exit Exam one-day workshops (click here), which involves students taking a practice test based on the real exam, breaking for a pizza lunch provided by us, and reviewing answer explanations and test-taking strategies with a tutor. TPC also has individual tutoring offerings (click here) available for students looking for one-on-one, personalized help on their Algebra Exit Exam prep.

Let’s Learn About Lane Tech Academic Center

The Academic Center Entrance Exam (ACEE), also known as the Regional Gifted Center Test (RGC Test), plays a major role in admissions for selective enrollment 7th and 8th grade Academic Centers. There are 7 such Academic Centers in Chicago: Brooks, Kenwood, Lane Tech, Lindblom, Morgan Park, Taft, and Whitney Young. Students will be taking the ACEE in mid to late January; in the meantime, Test Prep Chicago will be featuring some of the top Academic Centers, laying out what makes them special. 

First up is Lane Tech. Founded in 1908, Lane Technical College Prep High School and Academic Center (also known as Lane Tech) is situated in Roscoe Village, a neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. Though founded many years ago, Lane Tech’s Academic Center opened in 2011. Since Lane Tech is both a selective enrollment high school and Academic Center, students enrolled in Lane’s academic center are automatically enrolled in Lane Tech’s high school program without needing to reapply.

Much like at other Academic Centers, students enrolled can gain high school credit for classes as well as work on material that is 1-2 years advanced. Furthermore, as early as their 7th-grade year, students at Lane Tech Academic Center begin receiving high school credit for classes like algebra, biology, global issues, and electives such as world language, art, music, or computer science. As students progress to high school, all Academic Center students at Lane are expected to take either Honor or Advanced Placement courses, though, still must meet all regular prerequisites in place by course instructors and departments. This puts students on track to already be taking AP courses (that may count for college credit) during their freshman year of high school.

In addition to academics, Lane Tech Academic Center also offers extracurriculars students would find at any other elementary school. Sports offered include cross country, track, basketball, soccer, and cheerleading to name a few. There are also other clubs and activities which include Student Council, Math Team, Yearbook, Science Olympiad, and Debate.

Admission scores for Selective Enrollment Academic Centers are calculated on a 600-point scale. 300 points are determined by the Academic Center Entrance Exam, and 300 points are determined by 5th grade scores in math, reading, science, and social studies. While we cannot know the scores required for admittance into Lane Tech for the 2026-27 school year, last year’s cutoff scores for Lane Tech are listed below:

Rank                    Min. Point Total

Tier 4                                   565

Tier 3                                   552.5

Tier 2                                   530

Tier 1                                   482.5

Admission to Lane Tech is highly competitive, and the Academic Center Entrance Exam is a key component in the admissions process. Test Prep Chicago offers individualized tutoring (click here), group courses (click here), and one-day workshops (click here) to ensure our students are as prepared as possible for the exam. Our extensive curriculum covers Number Series, Verbal and Figural Analogies, Paper Folding, Number Puzzles (Algebra), Figural Matrices, and more. We prepare students for every possible section that (to our knowledge) can appear on the ACEE. It is not too late to begin your student’s prep!

Thank you to Lauren Lynch, who compiled the majority of the research for this article for Test Prep Chicago. Her prior work on the subject can be found here. To find out more about Lane Tech Academic Center’s courses or extracurriculars, visit their website: https://lanetech.org/ltac/. To see the cutoff scores for all Selective Enrollment Academic Centers, click here.