When outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel hands over the keys of the city to newly elected Lori Lightfoot in May, he'll be passing on, among other things, a K-12 system at the top of its game.

Though not without battle wounds – some of them still raw – Emanuel's tenure comes to a close at a time when the Chicago Public Schools system is boasting an all-time high graduation rate nearing 80 percent. During his stewardship, students' average test scores improved by roughly six grade levels, and they're now learning at a faster rate than 96 percent of all school districts in the country, including their wealthier and more well-resourced peers.

Read more at US News.