Dear CPS Families,
We are so excited to welcome our K–12 students back to school one week from today on Monday, August 18, and our pre-k students the following day on Tuesday, August 19!
CPS teachers returned to school today, and will spend the next week planning lessons, getting their classrooms ready, and making sure their students have everything they need to start the school year strong!
We know that temperatures remain hot, but CPS is ready! We have a comprehensive set of extreme heat protocols to help keep everyone cool, and to make sure that students stay safe during the school day and across all after-school activities, including athletics.
As a reminder, all CPS classrooms are equipped with air conditioning, and the CPS facilities team will be working with schools to fix any air conditioning systems that may encounter issues as the school year begins.
Schools will also observe the following protocols in the case of extreme heat:
- Ensure that students remain sufficiently hydrated, encouraging children to bring filled water bottles to school and providing plenty of opportunities to refill them.
- Hold recess indoors and limit physical activity
- Keep rooms cool by drawing shades, keeping doors closed, and turning off overhead lights, computers, and monitors when not required for instruction.
For additional health and safety guidance on coping with extreme heat, families can access this resource from the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
Besides ensuring that everyone stays comfortable, CPS remains committed to providing safe, inclusive, and welcoming educational environments that embrace and celebrate everyone in our diverse school communities, including our immigrant students and our children with disabilities.
Many CPS families have expressed concern and anxiety about immigration policy changes from the new presidential administration. We want to assure you that CPS remains committed to protecting the right of ALL students to have a free public education, regardless of their immigration status or the status of their family members.
As a reminder, CPS:
- DOES NOT ask for our families' immigration status
- WILL NOT coordinate with federal immigration enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- DOES NOT share student records with ICE or any other federal representatives, except in the rare case where there is a court order or consent from the parent/guardian
- WILL NOT allow ICE agents or any other federal representatives access to CPS facilities unless they produce a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge
Families can find more information on the strong protections CPS has in place for staff and students here.
For our students with disabilities, we know that the first day of school can also bring some anxiety. To help ease that concern, the CPS Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) has created this resource to help the families of children with disabilities get ready for a strong start to the school year. Included here is an overview of special education services in CPS, information on navigating the special education process, and details on ways for families to share their feedback as we continue improving the educational experience of our students with disabilities.
Our back-to-school website—cps.edu/b2s—also has a wealth of resources families can use to get ready for a great first day of school. We’ve included several of these below for easy access.
Enjoy these final days of summer! We look forward to seeing all of our students, excited and ready to learn, at the start of next week!
Sincerely,
Chicago Public Schools
Medical Requirements
Please review this document for more information about the medical requirements for CPS students for the upcoming school year. As a reminder:
- Proof of a physical examination is due by October 15, 2025, for students enrolling in CPS for the first time and students who are entering pre-k, kindergarten, sixth grade, and ninth grade.
- Proof of a vision examination is due by October 15, 2025, for students who are entering kindergarten or any student who is entering CPS for the first time at any grade level.
- Proof of immunizations is due at a student’s time of enrollment or no later than October 15, 2025. A full list of the required immunizations can be found in the document above.
- Proof of a dental examination is due by May 15, 2026, for students in kindergarten, second grade, sixth grade, and ninth grade.
This document also includes a QR code to help you find a health center near you, as well as contact information for any health-related questions you have.
Key Dates
All dates for the 2025-26 school year are now available on the CPS calendar. Please review the calendar for all breaks, holidays, Professional Development Days, Parent-Teacher Conference dates, and the start and end dates for the 2025-26 school year.
A reminder that classes begin for all K-12 students on Monday, August 18, with all pre-k students starting school the next day on Tuesday, August 19. You can check your school’s arrival and dismissal times using the CPS School Locator.
Free CTA Rides on August 18
A reminder that all K-12 students, along with an accompanying adult, can ride free on CTA buses and trains on their first day of school - Monday, August 18!
Required Forms
Please carefully review the Student Health and School Forms Booklet, which includes important information on CPS health requirements and services for the 2025-26 school year. It also contains all of the forms that must be submitted by parents to their school, including:
- Student Medical Information
- Request for Emergency and Health Information
- School Messaging Consent Form
- Media Consent Form and Release
- Family Income Information Form
School Meals
CPS serves FREE breakfast and lunch to every student, every day. Check out school menus here.
School Supply Lists
Access the school supply list for your student’s grade here.
Supporting Students’ Mental Health
Along with their academic success, CPS is committed to supporting our students’ mental and emotional health. In that spirit, we began a partnership last school year with Hazel Health to provide free, virtual therapy sessions for all CPS high school students. These services will continue during the 2025-26 school year, with high school students having access to virtual therapy sessions either at home or at school. For more information or to sign up, families should visit getstarted.hazel.co/district/cps.
Celebrate the New CPS Arts Plan at the Ravinia Festival
The Department of Arts Education is inviting CPS staff and families to join us for a free and unforgettable evening to celebrate the launch of the CPS Arts Education Plan 2.0: Cultivating Creativity, the start of the 2025–2026 school year, and the champions of arts education across Chicago Public Schools.
This event will bring together CPS school leaders, educators, district staff, philanthropic supporters, and cultural partners for a night of connection, music, and inspiration while enjoying a performance under the stars at Ravinia.
Concert Information:
- Location: Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL
- Gates open at 5:00 PM
- Concert begins at 7:30 PM
- featuring Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Peter Oundjian
- featuring Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2
Use the promo information below to reserve your ticket by Friday, August 15, 2025
We look forward to honoring your commitment to arts excellence in our schools—and to celebrating what’s possible when creativity leads the way.
Promo Code Information:
- CPS families and staff can gain access to 4 free lawn tickets. Use the Promo code CPSARTSED25.
- Children under 15 and students with a valid ID are admitted free of charge.
To reserve the lawn tickets:
- Click HERE to go to the event page
- Click on Tickets
- Select Lawn (General Admission) and click Buy Tickets
- Enter the promo code CPSARTSED25 and click Go
- Select your ticket quantity
- Click Continue
- Log in or create a new account
CPS Budget Update
The operating budget for the 2025-26 school year will be posted to the CPS budget website later this week, and presented to the Chicago Board of Education for approval at their monthly meeting on August 28. We thank everyone who provided us with such valuable feedback during last month’s engagement events and budget survey. This perspective is helping guide CPS as we finalize a budget that will provide all students with the rigorous, joyful, and equitable education they need to build on their recent academic gains and reach their full potential. We invite the members of our school communities to share additional feedback by participating in one of two budget hearings to be held on Tuesday, August 19. You can find more information on those hearings here.