As the local school district in Chicago, CPS serves as the charter authorizer for the city. The Illinois Charter School Law requires the review of all charter school proposals submitted to Illinois school districts. CPS releases an annual request for proposals designed to review new school applications, provides recommendations to the Chicago Board of Education on new school proposals, and provides oversight to authorized charter schools. CPS uses this RFP as its mechanism to accept proposals and meet the Illinois statutory requirement. The Office of Innovation and Incubation (I&I) is the office within CPS that oversees charter school authorization and oversight for the district.
CPS is one of the nation’s largest school districts and a national leading charter authorizer, implementing all essential practices established by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers critical to fostering high-performing charter schools. Currently, I&I oversees a portfolio of 137 charter, contract, and options schools and programs, and serves over 60,000 students citywide.
Among the portfolio of CPS-authorized schools are several diverse and innovative school models, blending technology with individualized instruction, dual-language programs, pre-professional training in the arts, and International Baccalaureate Programmes, among many others.
The 2019 Request for Proposals
This RFP will prioritize proposals seeking to serve communities with high need of improving educational outcomes and communities experiencing school overcrowding. CPS will consider proposals from operators who seek to open charter or contract schools to serve either a “traditional” student population (grades kindergarten through 12) or an “alternative” student population of students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out.
The information, forms, and support tools needed to complete this application can be found in the tabs below:
- Timeline - This tab provides a timeline of the RFP process.
- New Operator Application - This tab provides the Application for Operators New to Chicago and includes the accompanying materials required to develop and submit a proposal.
- Existing Operator Application - This tab provides the Application for Existing Chicago Operators and the accompanying materials required to develop and submit a proposal.
CPS will host a webinar for applicants in February 2019. We encourage all applicants to participate, and will provide information to sign up when an exact date is set.
Please contact 773-553-1530 or iandiauthorization@cps.edu with any additional questions.
Request For Proposal Process Timeline 2019
Each stage of the proposal submission and evaluation process is included in the timeline below. Please note that dates are subject to change.
Activity | Proposed Date | Information and Updates |
---|---|---|
RFP Released | December 28, 2018 | |
Applicant Intent to Apply Form Due | February 22, 2019 | Due by email to iandiauthorization@cps.edu by 5 p.m. |
Overview Webinar for Applicants | February 2019 | View the webinar on the RFP process for applicants. |
Office Hours with Applicants | Week of April 15-19, 2019 | If you have specific questions about the RFP, please email iandiauthorization@cps.edu with a list of the questions or request to schedule a consultation. |
Tier I Application | May 1, 2019 | Due by 5 p.m. to Epicenter |
Publicly Post Tier I Proposals | Summer 2019 | |
Tier II Application Due | August 1, 2019 | Due by 5 p.m. to Epicenter |
Tier III Application Due | October 1, 2019 | Due by 5 p.m. to Epicenter |
Public Hearing at CPS Central Office | November 2019 | 42 W. Madison, Chicago, IL |
CPS Board Meeting | December 2019 |
I&I reserves the right to request additional information and documentation from applicants, as deemed necessary for review, and to amend this timeline as needed.
New Operator Application and Support Material
This page includes all materials required to develop and submit a proposal if the applicant applying would be a New Operator in Chicago.
Applicant Forms and Resource Documents
Intent to Apply Form - All applicants must submit by email to iandiauthorization@cps.edu on February 22, 2019 by 5 p.m.
2019 CPS New Schools Request for Proposals
2019 RFP for New Charters and Contract Schools – Application to open new charter or contract schools.
Helpful Links and Documents
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2019 New Schools RFP Evaluation Form: New to Chicago
Criteria to evaluate the quality of proposals for applicants who are new to Chicago
-
Guidance that all operators should review when developing their proposals
- 2019 New Schools Request for Proposals (RFP) Webinar Recording
- 2019 New Schools Request for Proposals (RFP) Webinar PowerPoint
- Completeness Checklist (Tier I)
- Completeness Checklist (Tier II)
- Completeness Checklist (Tier III)
Domain 1: Community Engagement and Support
Section 1.2 Facilities
- ADA Compliance Report
- Inspecting Architect's Report
-
All proposals that identify an independent facility must include a completed Sources and Uses Report
Helpful Links and Documents
- List of CPS Approved Architects
-
A guide to communities and capital resources in Chicago
- ADA Guidelines – Details charter and contract school requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. (Coming Soon)
Domain 2: Academic Plan
Section 2.5: Diverse Learners
Section 2.6: Annual Calendar
Section 2.10: Design Team Experience and Capacity
Domain 3: Financial Plan
Section 3.1 School Budget
Helpful Links and Documents
Domain 4: Operational Plan
Section 4.4: Governance
Helpful Links and Documents
Domain 5: Business Plan
Section 5.3.1: Operational Capacity
Helpful General Documents and Links
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All proposals will be evaluated on compliance with Illinois Charter Schools Law
- Charter School Quality Policy
- CPS School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP) Website – An explanation of the SQRP and tools to improve your understanding of the policy
Existing Operator Application and Support Material
This page provides materials required to develop and submit a proposal for applicants that are already an operator in Chicago.
Applicant Forms and Resource Documents
Intent to Apply Form – All applicants must submit by email to iandiauthorization@cps.edu on February 22, 2019 by 5 p.m.
2019 CPS New Schools Request for Proposals
-
2019 NEW SCHOOLS RFP FOR EXISTING CHICAGO OPERATORS
Application only for operators who currently manage schools in Chicago
Helpful Documents
-
2019 New Schools RFP Evaluation Form: Existing Chicago Operators
Criteria to evaluate the quality of proposals submitted by existing Chicago operators
-
Guidance that all operators should review when developing their proposals
- 2019 New Schools Request for Proposals (RFP) Webinar Recording
- 2019 New Schools Request for Proposals (RFP) Webinar PowerPoint
- Completeness Checklist (Tier I)
- Completeness Checklist (Tier II)
- Completeness Checklist (Tier III)
Domain 1: Community Engagement and Support
Section 1.2 Facilities
- ADA Compliance Report
- Inspecting Architect's Report
-
All proposals that identify an independent facility must include a completed Sources and Uses Report
Helpful Links and Documents
- List of CPS Approved Architects
-
A guide to communities and capital resources in Chicago
- ADA Guidelines – Details charter and contract school requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. (Coming Soon)
Domain 2: Academic Plan
Section 2.5: Diverse Learners
Section 2.6: Annual Calendar
Section 2.10: Design Team Experience and Capacity
Domain 3: Business Plan
Section 3.3: Operational Capacity
Section 3.4: Financial Soundness
Helpful General Documents and Links
-
All proposals will be evaluated on compliance with Illinois Charter Schools Law
- Charter School Quality Policy
- CPS School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP) Website – An explanation of the SQRP and tools to improve your understanding of the policy
Application Overview
Applicant School Name | Name of Organization Applying | # of Proposed Campuses | Proposed Grades Served | Proposed Enrollment | Planned Opening Date | Targeted Communit(ies) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
At Capacity | Yr. 1 | At Capacity | Yr. 1 | |||||
Destiny STREAM Academy for Girls Charter School | Withdrawn |