CPS for Beginners

*Note, things do change. Please be sure to validate information with the CPS Office of Access and Enrollment.

1. School Options

Neighborhood Schools – Everyone is assigned a neighborhood school based on address.

• Some Neighborhood schools have open enrollment meaning non-neighborhood kids can apply (chosen by lottery.)

Choice Schools

• Magnets Schools
  • Chosen by lottery
  • Priority lottery given first to siblings
  • Then to children of school staff
  • Then to proximity 1.5 miles
  • Then general lottery
• Charter Schools
  • Operate independently
  • Separate application processes
• Selective Enrollment Schools
  • Must test in
  • Tiers are a factor at all school levels (elementary, academic centers, high school)

2. Know Your Tier

• City is divided into 4 socio-economic Tiers 
• Based on census data including: 
  • Area's median income
  • Education level
  • Home-ownership rates
  • Single-parent family rates
  • Rates of English-speaking
  • Neighborhood school performance
• Purpose is to create equity between wealthier and less wealthy families and diversity at Selective Enrollment schools.
• Find your tier: https://schoolinfo.cps.edu/schoollocator/index.html?overlay=tier

How Tiers Affect Admissions

• Available seats at Selective Enrollment Schools are distributed with 30% to top scorers, and then 20% to the top scorers in each of the four tiers.
• The higher the Tier, i.e. Tier 4 being the highest, typically the higher the cut-off scores (a.k.a. minimum score needed.)
• Final scores can consist of grades and admission test results depending on grade level.

What to Consider When Buying/Renting a Home in a Particular Tier

• Buy/rent deeply within the borders, as zoning can change.
• There are strange pockets of Tier 2/Tier 3 homes in Tier 4 neighborhoods to keep an eye out for.

3. Selective Enrollment Elementary Schools (SEES)

• Some different class offerings, but in general:
  • Classical curriculum = one year accelerated
  • Regional Gifted curriculum = two years accelerated
• 5 Classical Schools – Decatur, McDade, Poe, Skinner North, Skinner West
• 14 Regional Gifted Centers
  • Edison, Keller and Lenart (fully RGC) 
  • Beaubien, Bell (1st grade entry), Carnegie, Coonley, National Teachers, Pritzker, and South Loop -housed in neighborhood schools
  • Greeley, Orozco, and Pulaski – designed for students who are English Language Learners and housed in neighborhood schools
  • Beasley –housed in a magnet school

4. Application Process for Kindergarten

• Children must be 5 years old before September 1st to enter kindergarten.
  • There is an early entry process for kids who will turn 5 between September 1st and December 31st.
    • Must have completed at least one year of preschool
    • Must pass an evaluation
    • Evaluations are available the winter or spring prior to entry
    • If evaluated in winter, child is younger but more spots available
    • If evaluated in spring, child is older but less spots available
    • Evaluations are very rigorous and only  10-15% pass
    • You may only be evaluated once
• Kindergarten applications usually open in September and close early December.
• First you must register to get a student ID, once that arrives you can apply, so be sure to get your ID asap.
• SEES - The sooner you apply the earlier your test date options will be.
• You can apply to 20 Choice schools and 6 SEES (start touring.)
• SEES must be ranked in order of preference.
• You can get into more than one choice but not SEES.

5. Selective Enrollment Exam for Kindergarten

• #1 Thing - Prepare child to separate from you and walk away with a stranger.
• IMO - Take test as late as possible.
• Types of Questions: 
  • Coins
  • Patterns
  • Shapes
  • Letters
  • Associations (i.e., a glove is to hand, as a sock is to foot)
• Classical schools have their own test so if applying to both Classical and RGC, your child will need to take two separate but similar tests.

6. Looking Ahead

• You can keep applying for SEES – spaces do sometimes open up at 1st grade (Bell) and 3rd grade levels.
• Academic Centers
  • Scores based on 5th grade grades and admission exam administered in 6th grade.
  • Super competitive, not as many seats available as high school (Tier 4 students basically need straight As and an almost perfect admissions test score.)
  • Once you are in an Academic Center, you can stay for the connected high school without reapplying.
  • Northside Academic Centers: Whitney Young, Lane, Taft (though Taft High School is not SEHS)
• Selective Enrollment High Schools (SEHS)
  • Scores based on 7th grade grades and admission exam administered in Fall of 8th grade.
  • If your student didn't have straight As in 7th grade, and you live in Tier 4, they basically need a perfect test score for a chance to get into a SEHS.
  • Lots of good options aside from SEHS (Lincoln Park, Senn, Amundsen, etc.)

7. Additional Resources

• CPS Office of Access and Enrollment – subscribe for important date updates
  • 773-553-2060 - I have found this office to be very helpful on the phone.