As the local school district in Chicago, CPS serves as the city's charter authorizer. Illinois Charter School Law requires 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) oversees charter school authorization and district oversight within CPS.
CPS is one of the nation’s largest school districts and a leading national charter authorizer. It implements all essential practices established by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers critical to fostering high-performing charter schools. I&I oversees a portfolio of 93 charter and contract schools, serving over 47,043 students citywide.
The 2026 Request for Proposals
This RFP seeks proposals from development teams and existing operators who wish to open a charter school. Before an application can be submitted, any team or operator who plans to submit proposals must first meet with the Office of Innovation and Incubation.
The application is available for download. A key timeline of the RFP process is available below.
Prospective RFP applicants must schedule a one-on-one meeting with I&I by March 6, 2026, in order to discuss your proposal, the application process, and to request an Epicenter account for RFP submissions. Applicants are encouraged to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Even those applicants who have applied in years past must schedule a one-on-one meeting before submitting any application materials.
Please contact 773-553-1530 or contact, iandioperations@cps.edu, if you have any questions.
Request For Proposal Process Timeline 2026
Each stage of the proposal submission and evaluation process is included in the timeline below. Please note that dates are subject to change.
| Activity | Date | Information |
|---|---|---|
| RFP Tier I Released | December 19, 2025 | Subsequent Tier’s application materials will be made available to the applicant on a rolling basis. |
| Office Hours with Applicants | February 6 - March 6, 2026 | Before gaining access to the application portal (Epicenter), all prospective applicants are required to schedule a one-on-one meeting with the Office of Innovation & Incubation. During this meeting, we will discuss your proposal and the application process. Please click on the link above and provide at least three dates and times that you are available for the meeting. If you have any questions, feel free to email iandioperations@cps.edu. |
| - Tier I Application Due - Tier II Application materials Released |
March 13, 2026 | - Due by 5 p.m. to Epicenter - Tier II Materials released directly to applicant |
| Applicant Meeting | Late March 2026 | I&I staff will meet individually with lead applicants to discuss their proposal and the RFP process. |
| - Tier II Application Due - Tier III Application materials Released |
May 16, 2026 | - Due by 5 p.m. to Epicenter - Tier III Materials released directly to applicant |
| - Tier III Application Due - Tier IV Application materials Released |
July 24, 2026 | - Due by 5 p.m. to Epicenter - Tier IV Materials released directly to applicant |
| Tier IV Application Due | October 2, 2026 | Due by 5 p.m. to Epicenter |
| Applicant Capacity Interviews | October 2026 | |
| Public Hearing | November 2026 | |
| CPS Board Meeting | December 2026 |