Apply now to high school, elementary school, and 3 magnet preschools via www.go.cps.edu now through Dec. 13, 2019. https://go.cps.edu/about-gocps

For Parents, By Parents, About Public & Private Chicago Schools
Apply now to high school, elementary school, and 3 magnet preschools via www.go.cps.edu now through Dec. 13, 2019. https://go.cps.edu/about-gocps


CPS automatically allows entry to Kindergarten for students who are 5 by September 1st, but families with students who turn 5 by Dec. 31 can request an Early Entry to Kindergarten this Fall. The evaluation process would allow a fall birthday student to start at their neighborhood school (or any Choice or selective enrollment program with available space) if the student is deemed academically and socially ready by CPS. Required to implement ISBE’s Accelerated Placement Act, CPS has outlined a new 6 step policy for evaluation. The application is open from July 1-19 and FAQs can be found here. The six steps are:

Non-CPS students who are interested in applying for 5th-9th grade CPS programs for Fall 2020 should be sure to take the CPS administered NWEA Map tests. CPS requires this qualifying test of reading and math to be taken by all non-CPS students applying to selective programs in those upper grades. Students can register by August 30 to take the tests on Sept. 21, 22, 28, 29 or Oct. 5 or 6. All students who test by those dates will be able to use the online GoCPS application system. All current CPS students will have their spring NWEA Map scores used for qualifications and rubric calculations. GoCPS applications are open 9/30/19-12/6/19.
Families with 3 or 4 year olds by Sept. 1 can apply for sliding scale tuition full or half day 2019-2020 preschool programs in Chicago. Choose up to 2 program sites and find out by June if you were placed in one or on a waitlist.
Three steps to apply: 1. Create on online account; 2. Fill in family info including address, household size, employment & income; 3. Fill out info on your child and choose your top 2 program sites.
Some sites are based in CPS schools but unless it is your assigned neighborhood school, there is no guarantee that you can continue at that school for kindergarten. It is a great way to get to know a school, however, to see if you would like to put it on your application or attend it if it is your neighborhood school.
First round CPS elementary school notifications were released at 5pm on Monday, April 22.
Academic Centers (accelerated 7th/8th grade programs in high schools) have cutoff scores published here: GoCPS AC Cutoff Scores 2019-2020
All other elementary Gifted or Classical School programs do not publish cutoff scores. These offers are “single choice” and you can only receive one offer of SEES (selective enrollment elementary schools).
Magnet, magnet cluster & open enrollment schools are strictly lottery based and will have waitlist numbers published. These are multiple offer programs so you can be offered multiple schools and accept one yet be offered another option later and can change your acceptance then.
Results finally came out after a jam in the online notification portal, but here are some relevant links to study at your leisure.
Round 1 SEHS Cutoff Scores: https://cps.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/gocps/GoCPS_Cutoff_SEHS_2019.pdf
Round 1 Choice (Non-selective) Cutoff Scores: https://cps.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/gocps/GoCPS_Cutoff_Choice_2019.pdf
SEHS Principal’s Discretion Handbook (this allows an SEHS Principal to select 5% of the freshman class via a holistic admissions method): https://cps.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/gocps/PrincipalDiscretionHandbook.pdf
SEHS Principal’s Discretion FAQs: https://cps.edu/SiteCollectionDocuments/gocps/PrincipalDiscretionFAQs.pdf
GoCPS also has some helpful videos to aide in understanding how to interpret the results: https://go.cps.edu/high-school/selection
Good luck to the 8th graders! Wherever you end up, make the most of your time there as high school breezes by so quickly!
CPS Elementary notifications will come out on April 22 via the Go.CPS.edu portal or if you applied on paper, via mail. This includes first round notifications for the 4 magnet preschools, hundreds of elementary open enrollment, magnet, magnet cluster and several selective enrollment schools including Academic Centers. Good luck to all!
Round 1 – Offers Posted
Round 1 – Accept/Decline Deadline
Round 1 Waitlist Process Opens
Waitlist Accept/Decline Deadline
If families do not receive news of offers or missed the application deadline of December 2018, there is another opportunity to apply via an “End of Year Application” process:
Applications Opens
Applications Closes
CPS recently announced the date for 8th graders to hear about first round notifications. This is considered the “Selection” phase per GoCPS and here is their info:
The first activity in the Selection phase will be the release of Round 1 high school results on March 29, 2019.
Families who applied using the online application site will receive their results via their online GoCPS account. Families who applied with a paper application will receive a letter via U.S. mail. Paper applicant families will also be able to receive their results via an online GoCPS account that was created for them by the Office of Access and Enrollment. Notifications will be sent between March 25 and 28 to provide instructions on how to retrieve results.
Below is a complete timeline of dates related to the Selection phase for ninth grade applicants. It has also been posted in the ‘Important Dates’ section of the GoCPS home page where you can monitor for future updates.
· March 29: First-round results released
· April 12: Deadline to accept or decline first-round offers
· April 17: First-round waitlist process opens
· April 29: Second-round application process opens
· May 6: Second-round application deadline
· May 31: Second-round results released
· June 7: Deadline to accept or decline second-round offers
· June 12: Second-round waitlist process opens
Good luck to all expectant 8th graders!
Don’t miss the 12/14/18 deadline to apply to a wide range of CPS options for Fall 2019. Paper applications must be RECEIVED by 6pm at CPSOAE (see below) and online applications need to be submitted by 11:59pm via https://cps.schoolmint.net/signup. Only families who have a CPS Student ID can use the online application. All others need to use a paper application.
Submit elementary or high school paper applications to the Office of Access and Enrollment, 42 W. Madison St., Garden Level, Chicago, IL 60602. DO NOT SEND YOUR APPLICATION TO THE SCHOOL(S) TO WHICH YOU ARE APPLYING. Applications must be RECEIVED by December 14, 2018 by 6pm. Note that this is a RECEIVED BY date, NOT a postmarked date.
Applications received after December 14, 2018, will not be processed.
Researching schools? Check out the very informative GoCPS Search tool which can quickly show you school locations based on program types (magnet, selective enrollment, IB, military, CTE) or program group (fine & performing arts, STEM, academic centers, etc), sorted by grades or ratings, etc. Clicking on a school’s name will show a bounty of school data.
Second rounds for any programs that still have space typically begins in April for high school and May for elementary schools.
Good luck on your CPS school search!
From now until Dec 14, 2018, you can go to www.go.cps.edu and learn about applying to CPS programs from Preschool to High School. The applications are open and you can apply to schools and schedule testing or admissions screenings until the December deadline.
Lots of helpful info at the following links:
Remember, you can apply for up to 6 Selective Enrollment (test based) schools but must rank your choices and you will get a single offer.
You can also choose up to 20 non-selective (now called “Choice Programs”) lottery schools but elementary has no ranking and multiple offers while high school you do need to rank and it is single offer. Good luck!
Note: CPS Tiers also change each year on October 1st, so check your tier by entering your address at https://go.cps.edu/search. They can go up, down or stay the same each year.
Live in the city and have middle school aged (6th-8th grade) children? Come to the 7th Annual “Hidden Gems” Chicago High School Fair THIS Sunday, September 30th from 1-4pm to meet representatives from over 35 public and private high schools (and several resource vendors) that have terrific programs and more holistic or realistic admissions standards. 7th and 8th grade can be a stressful year for you and your students – take the pressure off by realizing all of the great options in the Chicagoland area. See our frequently updated list of participating schools online.
Families seeking to apply to CPS schools for 2019-2020 can begin the process to open an online GoCPS account. While the website references mostly high school (https://go.cps.edu/apply/activate), the activation process should be open for anyone interested in applying to the 4 CPS Magnet PK programs (Suder, Drummond, Mayer & Inter-American), and CPS elementary and high schools.
CPS applications for 2019-2020 officially open on October 1, 2018 and close on December 14, 2018, but there are a few things to do prior to that depending on what your status is. From ChiSchoolGPS’s latest newsletter:
“Unless you are enrolling in your assigned neighborhood school where no application is necessary, you can try for a seat at almost any other CPS school as long as you apply for a spot one year ahead of time. The first place to start that process is the CPS online application portal at go.cps.edu.
If you are applying to PK-4th grade:
If you are applying to 5th-8th grade:
If you are applying to 9th grade:
CPS will be administering the Reading & Math NWEA MAP tests to rising non-CPS 8th graders this September. Check out more info HERE: https://cps.edu/sitecollectiondocuments/gocps/GoCPS-NWEA-NonCPSRegistration.pdf and online at GoCPS.
From the pdf:
“Dear Non-CPS School Parent:
As you may know, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) currently utilizes the Northwestern Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP) for the eligibility/selection process for students applying to schools with academic requirements, including, but not limited to, CTE-College and Career Academies, International Baccalaureate High Schools, Magnet High Schools, Military Academies, and Selective Enrollment Elementary and High Schools.
The NWEA MAP will be offered free of charge for students who did not attend a CPS school during the 2017-2018 school year, are not currently enrolled at a CPS school, and will be applying for the 2019-2020 school year to grades 5-9 for schools with academic requirements.
The test is a two-part assessment: math and reading. Typically, the test is administered on two separate days; if you like, you can indicate your preference to have your child take both sections of the test on the same date. The test will be administered on September 15-16, 2018; September 22-23, 2018; and September 29-30, 2018. There will be two sessions offered on each of these days.
In order for students to be scheduled to test, the registration form must be received by the Office of Access and Enrollment no later than September 7, 2018. The test will be offered at four sites: Curie Metropolitan High School, Lane Tech High School, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, and Westinghouse College Preparatory High School. Students will be scheduled for the test location closest to their home address. PLEASE NOTE that your child cannot be considered for any school with minimum eligibility requirements if he/she does not take the NWEA MAP that is administered by the Chicago Public Schools system.
Please complete the attached NWEA MAP registration form and submit it to the Office of Access and Enrollment, indicating your preferred test weekend, as well as whether you want your child to take the test on one day or two. Note that indicating your preferred test weekend does not guarantee that your child will be scheduled for that weekend. Students will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. CPS will put test notification letters in the U.S. mail, to the home address on the registration form, one week prior to the student’s first test date. Reminder notifications will be sent as well, via robocall and email.
Please carefully review the NWEA MAP application and related material. Should you have additional questions after you review this information, please contact the Office of Access and Enrollment at 773-553-2060 or oae@cps.edu.”
Helpful FAQs can be found here: https://cps.edu/sitecollectiondocuments/gocps/GoCPS-NWEA-FAQ.pdf

Families who are still seeking elementary school options for the 2018-19 school year will have another chance to apply to elementary schools during the End-of-Year Citywide Options Program. This paper application process will feature high-quality magnet, magnet cluster and open enrollment schools, including three new STEM Magnet schools at Claremont, Jungman and W. Brown; as well as one new STEAM Magnet program at Southwest Chicago (Sor Juana). You can still apply during this application period if you have already accepted an elementary school offer or are on any elementary school waitlists. The End-of-Year application will be available from May 28 – June 1, 2018.
End-of-Year Applications Click HERE.
|
|
WHAT IS ROUND 2?
|
The Chicago Early Learning online preschool application opens on 4/30/18 @ 8:30am! Follow these easy steps to get your child enrolled in preschool:
Step 1) Visit ChicagoEarlyLearning.org to create an online account for your family
Step 2) Fill in information on your family, such as employment and income, information on your child, and then apply for your top choice preschool site
Step 3) If your child qualifies (you may find out immediately), you will receive an email on June 1st with information on how to verify your child’s preschool seat
If you have questions, please visit ChicagoEarlyLearning.org, or call the Chicago Early Learning Hotline: (312) 229-1690.
***********
It appears that these applications are “first come, first serve” so apply early for any particular site you would like. See the forum thread for more info.
These programs were formerly known as “Ready to Learn” or “Preschool for All”. This site does not cover magnet preschools or Tuition Based PK. Please review the FAQs for more detailed information.
Find and compare Chicago Early Learning programs to find the right one for your child. Get Started!
Narrow it down to your top two picks. Create an online account, fill out family information, and a child application to preschool sites. If your child qualifies for an offer, you will follow next steps verify their placement. If your child remains on a waitlist, stay tuned for more information from the Chicago Early Learning team.
Within two weeks of receiving your offer, bring proof of your family’s income, address, and your child’s birth to one of 12 Family Resource Center sites across the city. Click here for more information about Family Resource Centers. See below for more details about what documents you will provide.
Within two weeks of receiving your offer, bring proof of your family’s income, address, and your child’s birth to your assigned community-based program location. See below for more details about what documents you will provide.
Visit your child’s preschool to complete the enrollment process. The school may have more specific enrollment directions that they will communicate.
When you visit your child’s community-based site to verify your child’s offer, your site will communicate any additional expectations they have to complete the enrollment process.
If you have questions, please call our Chicago Early Learning Hotline: (312) 229-1690 or visit a Family Resource Center near you.
It’s that time! Here are some tidbits gleaned from GoCPS Elementary FAQs
GOCPS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
1. How will families find out the results of their applications to preschool through eighth grade? Online applicants to the four magnet preschools (Drummond, Inter-American, Mayer and Suder) through eighth grade will receive their first-round results on April 27th via their online GoCPS account. Paper applicants will receive a notification letter sent via U.S. mail to the home address on their application. In addition, paper applicants can view their results on an online GoCPS account that has been opened for them by the Office of Access and Enrollment. All applicants will receive more information on this process the week of April 23rd via email and robocall. Results will be posted on April 27th between 2 p.m. and 11:59 pm.
2. Will the Non-Selective Enrollment letter and the Selective Enrollment letter appear on the same screen online, or will families have to navigate to two different screens to accept or decline a seat? The results on the online account will all be on the same screen, along with a button that allows families to also download and print a hard-copy Non-Selective Enrollment letter and a Selective Enrollment letter. The letters that are mailed to the home address of paper applicants are two separate letters, one for Non-Selective Enrollment programs and one for Selective Enrollment programs.
ACCEPTING AND DECLINING OFFERS
3. How do families accept or decline an offer? Online applicants will accept or decline offers via their online GoCPS account. Paper applicants can accept or decline offers by submitting a paper confirmation form that they will receive with their paper notification letter or via the online GoCPS account that was opened for them. Applicants will have until Friday, May 11th to accept or decline an offer.
4. Can a student accept both a Selective Enrollment offer and a Non-Selective Enrollment offer, and decide which one they want later on? No. Students can only accept one offer.
5. Can students change their mind about accepting or declining an offer if they want to change it before the decision deadline? If a student DECLINES an offer, they cannot go back and change that decision once it is submitted. If a student ACCEPTS an offer and later decides that they want to decline it, they can do so.
6. What time is the deadline to make a decision on May 11th? The deadline to accept or decline offers is 6 pm on Friday, May 11th if the applicant is submitting a paper confirmation form, and 11:59 pm on Friday, May 11th if the applicant is making their decision via their online application account.
7. Will the families receive an email confirmation after they have made their decisions to accept or decline offers? No. Families will see a confirmation page online after they submit their decision. For their records, they should either print this page of save it to PDF.
SELECTIVE ENROLLMENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
19. Do Selective Enrollment schools have sibling preference? No.
20. When will students receive Selective Enrollment test scores? Selective Enrollment test scores and total points, if applicable, will be on the students’ notification letter that is released on April 27th.
More awesome FAQs at http://cps.edu/AccessAndEnrollment/Documents/FAQs_Elementary_ApplicationProcess.pdf
The 2018-2019 CPS High School notifications were released on Friday, March 30. The “First Round” deadline is April 13, and then families can enter into a “Second Round” for any leftover available spaces.
It’s a new process this spring so along with the release are some informative videos and information from GoCPS as well as the following, cut and pasted directly from the websites linked below:
Information regarding the GoCPS high school application process can be found in the High School FAQs. If you have additional questions, contact the Office of Access and Enrollment at 773-553-2060 or gocps@cps.edu.
Principal Discretion is a process that allows Selective Enrollment High School principals to fill a designated number of ninth grade seats, outside of the regular selection process, based on information provided through application packages submitted by students.
Applicants to ninth grade can apply to a Selective Enrollment school through the Principal Discretion process if they (1) did not receive a Selective Enrollment offer, or (2) they received a Selective Enrollment offer but would like to be considered for a different Selective Enrollment High School. (You do not have decline an offer in order to apply for Principal Discretion).
The Principal Discretion application period for the 2018-2019 school year begins at 9 am on April 9th and ends at 6 pm on April 20th. The application will be posted beginning on April 9th. Click the links below to access the Principal Discretion Handbook and Frequently Asked Questions. The handbook provides step-by-step instructions for submitting a Principal Discretion application package and contains the guidelines and requirements for the process.
If you have questions after you review these documents, contact the Office of Access and Enrollment 773-553-2060 or gocps@cps.edu.
Click the links below to access the cutoff scores for the 2018-2019 high school selection process:
Always an exciting time when CPS releases the next school year calendar. Here are some of the important dates for the 2018-2019 CPS school year:With the retirement of the indispensable and incomparable CPSObsessed blog that helped Chicago families for almost a decade, a sudden panic seized Chicago parents on where they would turn to soothe their obsession of tracking scores, tiers and offers for CPS admissions or learn about changing application processes or hear about new or up and coming schools, etc. While CPSObsessed was the place to visit for all things CPS, many parents were also weighing private school options or wondering about special need supports and a myriad of other school related topics.

Out of this gaping void came the genesis for ChicagoSchoolOptions. This new website aims to be a crowdsourced destination for the next crop of anxious Chicago parents looking for answers. It will only be as useful as those who contribute to the site make it, so please feel free to login and post to the School Forum or email us if you would like to help improve the site, be an editor or contributor (this uses a WordPress platform) or have any advice on increasing the user-friendliness. Currently it is maintained by someone with more passion for the topics than technical savvy about the platform.
We welcome your help to make ChicagoSchoolOptions the “go-to” site for sharing Chicago area school knowledge. From preschool to high school, public and private, general, gifted and special ed, this site is meant to help fellow parents gain a better understanding of all their school related questions. Contact us if you have anything to share and help us grow our community!

For those looking to discuss the 2018-2019 application cycle for CPS High school options, feel free to check out the threads at CPSObsessed- High School Application News Fall 2017 and continue your thoughts either in the comments below or on the School Forum pages.

For those looking to discuss the 2018-2019 application cycle for CPS Elementary school options, feel free to check out the threads at CPSObsessed- Fall 2017: Applying to Kindergarten/Elementary School and continue your thoughts either in the comments below or on the School Forum pages.

The annual ritual of applying to Chicago schools for the following fall admissions is almost done. While CPS applications for the 2018-2019 school year closed on Dec. 22, 2017, there are some private schools with applications still open or rolling admissions. CPS is in the thick of their supplemental admissions process, such as administering NWEA MAP and Selective Enrollment testing, info sessions, and auditions, while private schools may still allow for additional screenings (interviews, playdates, shadow days, etc) into the first few months of 2018.
Good luck to everyone on their school search, and please do visit our School Forum pages to learn or post about various Chicago schools. This website thrives on parents helping fellow parents, so the more information provided, the better. Thank you and best wishes for a successful 2018!