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Early Entrance To First Grade

Families looking to participate in the Early Entrance to First Grade process do not need to submit an application, but must email a required letter to gocps@cps.edu. Families interested in applying for Selective Enrollment programs must submit a qualifying letter on or before Friday, December 13, 2024 at 5 p.m. This is not a process by which a student can skip kindergarten.

Young student conducting a science experiment

Requirements

In order to apply for Early Entrance to First Grade, students must:

  • Turn six years old between September 2 and December 31 of the school year for which they are applying.
  • Have attended preschool and kindergarten at the same non-CPS school (daycare centers do not qualify for this process).
  • Have been taught in kindergarten by an appropriately certified teacher.
  • Be deemed ready by the non-CPS school to work at the first grade level.

Early Entrance to First Grade Information Sheet

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Steps to Apply

1

Email a required letter to gocps@cps.edu. Families also interested in applying for Selective Enrollment programs and/or participating in the initial round of the GoCPS application process must submit a qualifying letter on or before Friday, December 13, 2024 at 5 p.m.

2

The parent/legal guardian needs to obtain a letter signed by the principal or director of the student’s current school which verifies that the student:

  • Attended the school for both preschool and kindergarten.
  • Was taught in kindergarten by an appropriately certified teacher.
  • Is ready for first grade work.

Note: If the student is interested in Choice/Selective Enrollment schools, this letter must be submitted to the Office of Access and Enrollment at gocps@cps.edu no later than 5 p.m. on December 13, 2024.

3

If the letter meets the requirements of the process, the Office of Access and Enrollment will contact the parent/guardian to select schools they wish to apply to. Note: If there is interest in applying to any Selective Enrollment program, the Office of Access and Enrollment will contact the parent/guardian to schedule a test.

If your child does not satisfy the requirements, or if the qualifying documentation is not provided upon enrollment, any first-grade seat awarded through the GoCPS application process may be forfeited. Your child will not be automatically entitled to receive a kindergarten offer to the program at which a seat was forfeit.

FAQs

Office of Access & Enrollment (OAE)

773-553-2060

gocps@cps.edu

Chicago Public Schools
42 W. Madison St, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60602