Urban Prep Academies was founded in 2002 by Tim King and a group of African-American education, business and civic leaders who wanted to improve the educational opportunities available to urban boys. In 2005, this nonprofit organization was approved under Chicago's Renaissance 2010 initiative to open Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men-Englewood Campus.

Urban Prep operates the country's first and the state of Illinois' only charter public high schools for boys. Since accepting its first class in the fall of 2006, Urban Prep has been recognized internationally for its success in improving the academic, social and emotional development of urban young men.

In 2010 all 107 seniors, from that first class, are not only graduating, but they are all attending four-year colleges starting this fall.