ChitownLiving | Chicago Real Estate + Life

Parents in Chicago need to go to school just to figure out the Chicago Public Elementary School enrollment and acceptance process.  With more than 500 elementary schools, the process is complex, and the choices are overwhelming.  I have had friends jokingly tell me that going through the process is “something they would not wish on their worst enemy”. I am currently working with a family who is relocating to Chicago.  Schools are very important to them and will impact which neighborhood they ultimately choose.  Having pulled this information together several times before, I decided to provide links to some useful resources as well as “summarize” the acceptance process.  Here goes. Website Links Some online links I have found very informative.

• Chicago Public Schools - This website is the main gateway to invaluable resources.
• Chicago Public School Locator - Need to find a school?  Then this is the place to look.  Key in an address and this site will tell you the school district.
• Chicago Public School Scores - Find test scores and other stats.
• Chicago Office of Academic Enhancement - Information on Chicago Magnet School programs.
• Illinois State Board of Education - Information on statewide education plans.

Online Links to PDF Files (Huge files so save to computer before opening.) These directories are fantastic resources.  Each school profile, with boundaries, and acceptance process is in one place.

• Chicago Elementary Directory - For those that want a printable version of Chicago Elementary Schools.
• Chicago High School Directory - Not the focus of the post but I include a link to the High School directory.

Acceptance There are only 4, yes 4, main types of acceptance: 1.  Neighborhood Schools  Neighborhood schools have defined boundaries.  You can trace the boundaries on a map.  The Chicago Public School Locator is a fantastic online resource to find a school’s boundaries.  You can pull boundaries up by school name or key in an address and the boundaries will be returned. Students living within the attendance boundaries do not typically need to apply for admittance to the school, unless the school is on Controlled Enrollment.  Controlled Enrollment essentially limits the number of neighborhood students that can enroll. Schools that are on Controlled Enrollment have the following rules:

• Students living outside the attendance boundary will not be accepted.
• Students living in the attendance boundary will be admitted if entering Kindergarten.
• Students living in the attendance boundary with a sibling currently enrolled will be given priority if space is available.
• Students living in the attendance boundary requiring bilingual or Special Education services will be enrolled if space is available.
• All other students will be referred to a receiving school.

2.  Computerized Lottery These schools enter every application into a computer that randomly selects students for acceptance, regardless of academic achievement or other factors.  Some schools, however, do give preference to certain factors such as a sibling who already attends the school, race to ensure diverse student population, how close a student lives to the school.  Each form is defined below:

• Sibling Lottery -   If an applicant has a brother or sister allready attending, they will be given preference.  The school may accept up to 45% of all applying students through the sibling lottery.
• Proximity Lottery - Conducted at Magnet Schools only, this lottery gives preference to applicants living within 1.5 miles of the Magnet School.  The school may accept up to 30% of all applying students who live within these limits. 
• General Lottery - Conducted for all students not included in the sibling or proximity lotteries.  Students not accepted through the lottery are placed on waiting lists maintained through the calendar year.

3.  Gifted and Enriched Academic Programs Some schools use factors such as test scores, attendance records, an academic performance evaluation, testing, or other factors to determine who is accepted. 4.  Open Enrollment For schools with enrollment boundaries, Open enrollment allows an applicant to apply to a school outside of their neighborhood school.  These spaces are very limited.  Schools on Controlled Enrollment do not accept Open Enrollment applications.  Applications are to be submitted in December for the following calendar year.  If more applications are received than spaces, then a lottery is used to determine who is accepted. Clear as mud, yes?  Flipping through the elementary school directory, the acceptance process seems to be riddled with exceptions at the school level.  As a buyer, it is critical to understand your chosen school’s acceptance process.  Do not assume that just because a top notch school is around the corner from your potential new home, acceptance is guaranteed.  For specific questions, contact must be made with CPS and the school directly.   I loved school, until now. Interesting to find out if other cities have such an involved acceptance process.