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District Overview - Choice

Explore this section for information on school choice patterns and student commute distance and time.

District Choice Overview

Number of Schools in the District

 

Elementary Schools

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High Schools

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Options School 

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NOTE: CPS does have some combined elementary and high schools that serve students across elementary and high school grades. Included in the elementary schools count are CPS middle schools which serve a subset of grades K-8. Options high schools serve students who need a new pathway toward high school graduation and many exclusively enroll students aged 16 and older.

School Attendance Boundaries in the District

CPS schools either have an attendance area or are citywide schools. Schools with an attendance area are sometimes called zoned or neighborhood schools. The boundaries of an attendance area are used to determine which home addresses within a given area are assigned to which CPS schools. Citywide schools do not have attendance areas and admit students from anywhere in the city through a lottery or application process.

Students can choose to attend either their zoned school, a citywide school, or another school of their choosing through the GoCPS application process. For information on which attendance areas a home address resides in, use the CPS School Locator at schoolinfo.cps.edu/schoollocator/index.html.

School-level admissions criteria referenced in this report are for students who applied in the application cycle that began in Fall 2023. For more information about the school application process and admissions criteria, visit go.cps.edu.

Choice Patterns in the District

Reside & Attend in Home Region

  

Students that reside and attend school in their home region

Attend Out of Home Region

   

Students that attend school outside their home region

Are Elementary School Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

Elementary School Student Choice Over Time

School choice is currently defined as choosing to attend a school that is not a student’s zoned (or assigned) school.

Over the past four years, the percentage of elementary school students attending a school other than their zoned school (in or out of region) has increased from 43% to 44% across the district. In the same time frame, the percentage of students attending their zoned school has decreased from 58% to 56%.

The percentage of elementary school students attending a school in their home region (zoned or non-zoned) has decreased from 83% to 82%, while the percentage of students attending school out of region has stayed the same at 18%.

Elementary School Student Attendance Type Over Time

 

NOTE: Only K-8 grade students are included in school choice calculations as Pre-K students are not zoned to a school. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Elementary School Student Choice by Race/Ethnicity

School choice patterns tend to vary by race/ethnicity.

District-wide, 62% of elementary school students identifying as Latinx attend their zoned school compared to 45% of elementary school students identifying as Black, 69% of elementary school students identifying as White, and 62% of elementary school students identifying as Asian.

Elementary students identifying as Latinx attend school out of their home region at a rate of 16% compared to 22% of elementary school students identifying as Black, 13% of elementary school students identifying as White, and 19% of elementary school students identifying as Asian.

Students identifying as White or Latinx have the lowest percentage attending school out of their home region at 13% and 16% respectively.

Elementary School Student Attendance Type by Race/Ethnicity

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Elementary School Student Choice by Region

The Greater Lincoln Park, Greater Midway, and Pilsen / Little Village regions have the greatest percentage of students who attend school in their region (zoned or non-zoned) at 90% and 89% and the Near West Side region has the lowest percentage at 66%.

  |  District-wide, 18% of elementary school students attend school out of the region where they live.

Elementary School Student Attendance Type by Region

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Elementary School Student's Distance Traveled to School

These graphs show the median distance traveled for elementary school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of their region.

District-wide, the median distance elementary students travel to school is 0.5 miles. 67% of elementary students travel less than 1 mile to school and 16% of students travel 3 miles or more to school.

Elementary School Students Median Distance Traveled To School By Region

 

There is significant variation in the distance traveled to school by region. 84% of elementary students residing in Pilsen / Little Village travel less than 1 mile to school compared to 51% of students in the Central Area region.

Elementary School Students Distance Traveled to School by Region

 

NOTE: The travel distance and time medians represent the midpoint in each group of data. The midpoint is the point where 50% of students in the region travel shorter than this distance/time and 50% travel longer than this distance/time. Using a median more fairly represents travel data and reduces the influence of extreme values such as students who attend school very far away from their home region.

Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute distance and time was calculated using Google Maps travel estimates and includes a combination of walking and public transit data. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize unnecessary travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Elementary School Student's Time Traveled to School

These graphs show the median commute time for elementary school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of their region.

District-wide, the median time elementary students travel to school is 12 minutes. 61% of students travel less than 15 minutes to school and 7% of students travel 45 minutes or more to school.

Elementary School Students Median Time Traveled to School by Region

 

There is significant variation in the time traveled to school by region. 81% of students residing in Pilsen / Little Village travel less than 15 minutes to school compared to 45% of students in the Central Area region.

Elementary School Students Time Traveled to School by Region

 

NOTE: The travel distance and time medians represent the midpoint in each group of data. The midpoint is the point where 50% of students in the region travel shorter than this distance/time and 50% travel longer than this distance/time. Using a median more fairly represents travel data and reduces the influence of extreme values such as students who attend school very far away from their home region.

Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute distance and time was calculated using Google Maps travel estimates and includes a combination of walking and public transit data. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize unnecessary travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Elementary School Student's Distance Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

There is some variation in travel distances by race and ethnicity.

District-wide, 67% of elementary school students travel less than 1 mile to school. 73% of students identifying as Latinx or White travel less than 1 mile to school compared to 59% of students identifying as Black and 68% of students identifying as Asian.

11% of students identifying as White travel 3 miles or more to school compared to 22% of students identifying as Black, 18% of students identifying as Asian, and 13% of students identifying as Latinx.

Elementary School Students Distance Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Elementary School Student's Time Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

There is also some variation in travel times by race and ethnicity.

District-wide, 61% of elementary school students travel less than 15 minutes to school. 66% of students identifying as Latinx travel less than 15 minutes to school compared to 54% of students identifying as Black, 61% of students identifying as Asian, and 63% of students identifying as White.

10% of students identifying as Black travel more than 45 minutes to school compared to 5% of students identifying as White, 6% of students identifying as Latinx, and 8% of students identifying as Asian.

Elementary School Students Time Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Are High School Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

Percentage of 8th Grade Students Who Applied to High School

Since 2017-18, CPS has utilized the GoCPS platform to allow students to research and apply to all high schools and high school programs. Students are asked to rank in order of preference the schools and programs they are most interested in. Students are still guaranteed a seat in the general education program at their zoned (or assigned) high school and do not have to submit a GoCPS application for that program. For more information about the GoCPS and the high school application process, visit go.cps.edu.

District-wide, 93% of all 8th-grade CPS students applied to high school programs in Round 1 of the GoCPS application process. Pilsen / Little Village, Greater Stockyards, and Greater Midway regions had the greatest application rates while the Far Northwest Side region had the lowest.

Percent of 8th Grade Students Who Applied to High School by Region

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Percentage of 8th Grade Students Who Received an Offer from One of Their Top 3 Choices

Of all 8th-grade CPS students who applied to high school programs in Round 1, 86% received an offer from one of their top three choices. The greatest percentage of students who received an offer from one of their top three choices reside in the Northwest Side and Near West Side regions at 91% compared to 76% of students in the Greater Midway region. This figure does not include selective enrollment high schools as those schools use a different ranking process in GoCPS.

Percent of 8th Grade Students Who Received an Offer from One of Their Top 3 Choices by Region

 

NOTE: This analysis only includes 8th-grade applicants who were enrolled on the 20th day of school in 2023-24. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Between school years 2020-21 and 2021-22, changes were made to the CPS HS admissions process. As a result, students' ranking and offer outcomes will differ overall from previous years' data.

High School Student Choice Over Time

School choice is currently defined as choosing to attend a school that is not a student’s zoned (or assigned) school.

Over the past four years, the percentage of high school students attending a school other than their zoned school (in or out of region) has decreased from 76% to 75% across the district. In the same time frame, the percentage of students attending their zoned school has stayed the same at 25%.

The percentage of high school students attending a school in their home region (zoned or non-zoned) has increased from 56% to 57% while the percentage of students attending another school out of region has decreased from 45% to 43% across the district.

High School Student Attendance Type Over Time

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student Choice by Race/Ethnicity

School choice patterns tend to vary by race/ethnicity.

District-wide, 30% of high school students identifying as Latinx attend their zoned school compared to 17% of high school students identifying as Black, 30% of high school students identifying as White, and 24% of high school students identifying as Asian.

High school students identifying as Latinx attend school out of their home region at a rate of 39% compared to 50% of high school students identifying as Black, 41% of high school students identifying as White, and 47% of high school students identifying as Asian.

Students identifying as Latinx or White have the lowest percentage attending school out of their home region at 39% and 41% respectively.

High School Student Attendance Type by Race/Ethnicity

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student Choice by Region

District-wide, more than twice as many high school students (43%) attend school out of their home region compared to elementary students (18%). The Northwest Side region has the greatest percentage of high school students who attend school in their region (zoned or non-zoned) at 77% and the Greater Stony Island region has the lowest percentage at 36%.

District-wide, 43% of high school students attend school out of the region where they live.

High School Student Attendance Type by Region

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Distance Traveled to School

These graphs show the median distance traveled for high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of their region.

District-wide, the median distance high school students travel to school is 2.7 miles. 21% of students travel less than 1 mile to school and 46% of students travel 3 miles or more to school.

High School Students Median Distance Traveled to School by Region

 

There is significant variation in the distance traveled to school by region. 30% of students residing in the Pilsen / Little Village region travel less than 1 mile compared to 10% of students in the Greater Stony Island region.

High School Students Distance Traveled to School by Region

 

NOTE: The travel distance and time medians represent the midpoint in each group of data. The midpoint is the point where 50% of students in the region travel shorter than this distance/time and 50% travel longer than this distance/time. Using a median more fairly represents travel data and reduces the influence of extreme values such as students who attend school very far away from their home region.

Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute distance and time was calculated using Google Maps travel estimates and includes a combination of walking and public transit data. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize unnecessary travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Time Traveled to School

These graphs show the median commute time for high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of their region.

District-wide, the median time high school students travel to school is 26 minutes. 19% of students travel less than 15 minutes to school and 21% of students travel 45 minutes or more to school.

High School Students Median Time Traveled to School by Region

 

There is significant variation in the time traveled to school by region. 26% of students residing in the Bronzeville / South Lakefront region travel less than 15 minutes compared to 10% of students in the South Side region.

High School Students Time Traveled to School by Region

 

NOTE: The travel distance and time medians represent the midpoint in each group of data. The midpoint is the point where 50% of students in the region travel shorter than this distance/time and 50% travel longer than this distance/time. Using a median more fairly represents travel data and reduces the influence of extreme values such as students who attend school very far away from their home region.

Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute distance and time was calculated using Google Maps travel estimates and includes a combination of walking and public transit data. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize unnecessary travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Distance Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

There is some variation in travel distances by race and ethnicity.

District-wide, 55% of high school school students travel less than 3 miles to school. 61% of students identifying as Latinx travel less than 3 miles to school compared to 47% of students identifying as Black, 48% of students identifying as Asian, and 52% of students identifying as White.

24% of students identifying as Black travel 6 miles or more to school compared to 14% of students identifying as Latinx, 16% of students identifying as White, and 18% of students identifying as Asian.

High School Students Distance Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Time Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

There is also some variation in travel times by race and ethnicity.

District-wide, 57% of high school students travel less than 30 minutes to school. 63% of students identifying as Latinx travel less than 30 minutes to school compared to 50% of students identifying as Asian, 51% of students identifying as Black, and 53% of students identifying as White.

26% of students identifying as Black travel more than 45 minutes to school compared to 18% of students identifying as Latinx, 21% of students identifying as White, and 25% of students identifying as Asian.

High School Students Time Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Are Options High School Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

Options High School Student Choice Over Time

Options high schools serve students who need a new pathway toward high school graduation. CPS schools offer additional supports and services for students who have been out of school and seek to return or who may need opportunities to earn credits in an accelerated program. Some of CPS’ campuses offer additional supports such as counseling and alternative schedules for students who may work during the traditional school day.

Options high schools exist in every region except the Greater Lincoln Park and Far Southwest Side regions. Options high schools do not have attendance zones or admission criteria although many serve only students 16 years and older. Students can choose to attend any Options high school within or outside of their home region. For this reason, Choice patterns tend to differ for Options students compared to elementary and other high school students.

Over the past four years, the percentage of Options high school students attending a school in their region has remained relatively the same at 39%. District-wide, Options high school students attend school out of region at a greater rate than elementary and other high school students.

Options High School Student Attendance Type Over Time

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Options High School Student Choice by Region

District-wide, a greater percentage of Options high school students attend school out of region than both other high school and elementary students. The Far Southwest Side and Greater Lincoln Park regions both have the greatest percentage of students attending school out of region at 100% because there are no Options high schools in those regions. For regions where an in-region Options high school exists, the Greater Milwaukee Avenue and Greater Calumet regions have the greatest percentage of students attending an in-region Options high school.

Options High School Student Attendance Type by Region

 

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Options High School Students' Distance Traveled to School

This graph shows the median distance traveled for Options high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of the region.

District-wide, the median distance Options high school students travel to school is 3.4 miles. The regions with the shortest median commute are Greater Milwaukee Avenue (1.6 miles), Central Area (2.2 miles), and Greater Stockyards (2.4 miles). The regions with the furthest median commute are Bronzeville / South Lakefront (4.9 miles) and Greater Calumet and North Lakefront (4.6 miles).

District-wide, 13% of Options high students travel less than 1 mile to school and 56% of students travel 3 miles or more.

Options High School Students Median Distance Traveled to School by Region

 

Options High School Students Distance Traveled to School by Region

 

NOTE: The travel distance and time medians represent the midpoint in each group of data. The midpoint is the point where 50% of students in the region travel shorter than this distance/time and 50% travel longer than this distance/time. Using a median more fairly represents travel data and reduces the influence of extreme values such as students who attend school very far away from their home region.

Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute distance and time was calculated using Google Maps travel estimates and includes a combination of walking and public transit data. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize unnecessary travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Options High School Students' Time Traveled to School

This graph shows the median time traveled for Options high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of the region.

District-wide, the median distance Options high school students travel to school is 31 minutes. The regions with the shortest median commute time are Greater Milwaukee Avenue (21 minutes), Greater Stockyards (22 minutes), and Pilsen / Little Village (23 minutes). The regions with the longest median commute time are Far Northwest Side and North Lakefront (39 minutes) and Northwest Side and Bronzeville / South Lakefront (38 minutes).

District-wide, 49% of Options high school students travel less than 30 minutes to school and 26% of students travel 45 minutes or more.

Options High School Students Median Time Traveled to School by Region

 

Options High School Students Time Traveled to School by Region

 

NOTE: The travel distance and time medians represent the midpoint in each group of data. The midpoint is the point where 50% of students in the region travel shorter than this distance/time and 50% travel longer than this distance/time. Using a median more fairly represents travel data and reduces the influence of extreme values such as students who attend school very far away from their home region.

Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute distance and time was calculated using Google Maps travel estimates and includes a combination of walking and public transit data. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize unnecessary travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Options High School Students Residing and Enrolling Map and Table

  |  District-wide, 6% of high school students are enrolled in an Options high school.

This map illustrates where 9th-12th Options high school students reside across the district and where Options schools are located.

Map of Options High School Locations and Where Options High School Students Reside and Attend

ARA Choice Footprint Map Of District

NOTE: Share of Options high school students by region is provided to show the proportion of HS students who attend an Options high school compared to all HS students who reside in that region.

Options high school students can attend school in or out of the region except for in the Far Southwest Side and Greater Lincoln Park regions which do not contain Options high schools.

Options high schools do not have attendance zones or admission criteria although many serve only students 16 years and older.

Options High School Students by Region

 

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