Northwest Side - Choice

Where are Elementary Students Choosing to Attend Outside the Region?

This map illustrates the current choice footprint of K-8th graders residing in the Northwest Side region but attending a school out of the region.

The North Lakefront, Greater Lincoln Park, Far Northwest Side, and Greater Milwaukee Avenue regions are enrolling the greatest overall number of elementary students who reside in the Northwest Side region but attend school out of the region.

                                 Elementary School Choice Footprint Map

Are High School Students Choosing Schools in the Region?

Percentage of 8th Grade Students in the Region 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 high school and do not have to submit a GoCPS application for that program. For more information about GoCPS and the high school application process, visit go.cps.edu.

In the Northwest Side region, 95% (2,359) of 8th-grade students applied to a variety of high school programs in Round 1 of the GoCPS application process.

Percentage of Students in the Region Who Received an Offer from One of Their Top 3 Choices

Of the 8th-grade students residing in the Northwest Side region who applied in Round 1, 91% received an offer to one of their top 3 choices of high school programs. This figure does not include selective enrollment high schools as those schools use a different ranking process in GoCPS.

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, in this region, the percent of high school students attending a school other than their zoned school (in or out of the region) has decreased from 71% to 68%. In the same time frame, the percentage of students attending their zoned school has increased from 30% to 32%.

High school students attending a school in the Northwest Side region (zoned or non-zoned) has increased from 74% to 77%, while students attending another school out of the region has decreased from 27% to 23%.

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

High School Students Who Attend School Out of Region by Race/Ethnicity

Of the 10,162 high students who live in the region, 23% (2,324 students) attend school outside of the region. In the region, 26% of students who identify as Latinx attend school outside of their home region compared to 22% of students who identify as White and 15% of students who identify as Asian.

High School Students Who Attend a Non-Zoned School In Region

Of the 10,162 high students residing in the region, 45% (4,601 students) attend another school in the region that is not their zoned school. Of those students, 38% attend Selective Enrollment schools with the remainder attending Magnet, other zoned schools, Charter/Contract, or other citywide schools in the region.

High School Students Who Attend a Non-Zoned School Out of Region

Of the 10,162 high students residing in the region, 23% (2,324 students) attend another school out of the region. Of those students, 38% attend other zoned schools with the remainder attending Charter/Contract, Selective Enrollment, Magnet, Military, or other citywide schools out of the region.

High School Student's Distance and Time Traveled to School

Of the 10,162 high students residing in the region, 72% travel less than 3 miles for school and 7% travel 6 miles or more. 70% of students travel less than 30 minutes and 11% travel 45 minutes or more.

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%.

Where are High School Students Choosing to Attend Outside the Region?

Choice Footprint Map

This map illustrates the current choice footprint of 9th-12th graders residing in the Northwest Side region but attending a school out of the region.

The Far Northwest Side and North Lakefront regions are enrolling the greatest overall number of high school students who reside in the Northwest Side region but attend school out of the region.

                                 High School Choice Footprint Map

Are Options High School Students Choosing Schools in the 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 percent of Northwest Side region Options high school students attending a school in the region has increased from 23% to 29%. In the Northwest Side region, Options high school students attend school out of the region at a greater rate than elementary students and at a greater rate than other high school students.

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

Options High School Student's Distance Traveled to School

The median travel distance for Options high school students residing in the region is 4.2 miles to school, which is 0.8 miles more than the district median. Of the 292 Options high school students in the region, 26% travel less than 3 miles and 33% travel 6 miles or more.

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 Student's Time Traveled to School

The median travel time for Options high school students residing in the region is 38 minutes, which is 7 minutes more than the district median. Of the 292 Option high school students in the region, 28% travel less than 30 minutes and 28% travel 45 minutes or more.

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%.

Where are Options High School Students Choosing to Attend Outside the Region?

Choice Footprint Map and Table

This map illustrates the current choice footprint of 9th-12th Options high school students residing in the Northwest Side region. The table shares enrollment data on Options high schools students across all regions.

The Far Northwest Side, North Lakefront, and Greater Milwaukee Avenue regions are enrolling the greatest overall number of Options high school students who reside in the Northwest Side region but attend school out of the region.