Emanuel spoke Thursday at one of the last two schools in the city to be devoted entirely to the International Baccalaureate, or IB, program.
The mayor promised earlier this year to double the city's number of IB students. He says that the program gives students a huge leg-up in college applications.
"These are the types of reforms that are going to give our kids, our families, our city a competitive advantage--make sure they have all the doors open," Emanuel said.
A University of Chicago study shows that IB students are 40 percent more likely to attend a four-year college and 50 percent more likely to get into a selective college.
