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Hi everyone,
I heard some updates from families and friends indicating that the Office of Access and Enrollment is working on “right-sizing” gifted programs. I understand that this term generally refers to aligning enrollment numbers and class sizes with long-term district goals, but I haven’t been able to find clear guidance on when and how these changes are being implemented — especially for non-entry grades like 2nd and 3rd.
Does anyone know if the right-sizing approach will impact the number of offers being made from waitlists this year for mid-grade entry? Or whether schools might adjust class caps (e.g., from 28 to 29 or 30) as part of this effort? I know that as of now K-3 should be capped at 28 and 4-8 at 31, and I wonder whether this stays the same.
We’re currently on the waitlist for a non-entry grade and trying to understand how this might affect movement and planning. Any insight from those familiar with CPS planning or recent patterns would be greatly appreciated.
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I think that the end of student based budgeting could impact the decisions of popular schools (both choice and SE) on how many students to admit. Previously, schools got an actual dollar amount for each additional student they enrolled, which incentivized filling all seats, but for this 2024-5 school year the new budget formula is based on set numbers of staff, opportunity index of students, and some other things that don’t directly depend on the number of students enrolled. So I guess this is first admission cycle after the new budget model so there could be some impact. The change is meant to shift resources toward neighborhood schools and increase equity, but like any major change there is certain to be a lot of upheaval and some casualties in the process.
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Classes sizes came up over the weekend, a current SEES PTO parent explained it like this.
For 2025-2026 – The school will make 28 kinder offers but won’t make additional offers for spots 26-28 if they are declined.
then in 2026-2027 – The class size will be 25 – as set by the new contract, so 25 offers will be made and filled if declined.Full disclosure this is 2nd hand chitchat from a backyard gathering. But assuming it’s true, or close, I would guess that non-entry grades will only make offers if the number of students who leaves drops the class size below the cap. So, 4 people would have to leave a 28-seat 2nd class to have one space in a 25-seat 3rd grade.
We’re (non-entry year) #3 on for Mcpherson and #6 for Bell. I’m not expecting to receive an offer at either.We learned at the recent LSC meeting that there are definitely budgeting considerations depending on TIF money and pension requirements.
There are 3 possibilities for next year: in one, all the cuts will be absorbed by the central office, 2nd – the schools will be impacted (ours will lose a teacher), 3rd – the principals didn’t even model because it would be so bad for the schools. -
Oh yes I forgot about the change in maximum class size with the new contract . That’s a separate issue than the one with the new budget model.
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Is this “right-sizing” something that OAE or any other CPS department has confirmed, or is this just a rumor?
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I don’t see how OAE specifically has any control over the sizes of schools. It’s the schools that offer the seats. Schools could offer fewer seats this cycle due to the new class sizes in the union contract or due to the new budget model, but OAE doesn’t control that. Also it’s nothing to do with SE schools specifically.
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The board controls the number of seats available. The school can make a recommendation based on staffing/etc. but the board tells the school how many seats are available.
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At a high level that’s surely true – the board controls what schools get opened, how many classes and grades they will have, etc. But I don’t think they have any hand in deciding how many seats will be offered in a particular class in a particular school. There is a maximum class size, based on the union contract, and generally schools were incentivized to fill those classes, but it seems that based on the new budget formula the incentive is not as strong. So a school could choose to keep a 5th grade class at 25 instead of 30 or whatever.
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For those interested, CTU is now threatening legal action against the Chicago Board of Education over proposed budget plans.
In recent weeks, CPS suggested delaying the proposals outlined in the new union contract to balance the budget for next year, given challenging financial circumstances, according to the CTU letter. Those delayed proposals would affect agreements around class size and staffing levels, the letter states, affecting English language learners and students with disabilities. “To be clear, the district does not have the option of delaying investments it is contractually obligated to make under our (collective bargaining agreement), for FY26 or any other year of the agreement,” Davis Gates writes in the letter. Facing a $529 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2026, district officials pushed back. They indicated in a statement to the Tribune that they may need to review new proposals under various labor agreements to ensure long-term sustainability.
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