Dear CPS Families,
Now that it’s August, summer break for CPS students is officially winding down. As a reminder, K-12 students return to class in two weeks on Monday, August 18. Pre-k students begin their school year the following day on Tuesday, August 19.
If you’re looking for information about the new school year, our back-to-school website—cps.edu/b2s—is a great place to start. We have also compiled resources related to specific topics below.
Looking for something fun to do this week? We encourage you to check out our Back-to-School Bashes on Tuesday, August 5, and Thursday, August 7, as well as the Bud Billiken Parade on Saturday, August 9. Details for all of those events can be found below.
Have a great rest of your summer, and we look forward to welcoming your students back to school later this month!
Sincerely,
Chicago Public Schools
Two Back-to-School Bashes This Week
We invite CPS families to attend one of the District’s upcoming Back-to-School Bashes! These free events include food and entertainment, and students can walk away with a backpack filled with new school supplies! The bashes are also a great opportunity for parents to connect with staff and other families, get answers to questions about the school year, and connect to various services, including health care and vaccines.
The schedule for this week’s Back-to-School Bashes is below:
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Date and Time |
Location |
|---|---|
|
Tuesday, August 5, from 12 to 4 p.m. |
Piotrowski Park (4247 W 31st St on the Southwest Side) |
|
Thursday, August 7, from 12 to 4 p.m. |
Gately Park (810 E 103rd St on the Far South Side) |
Join CPS at the Bud Billiken Parade
Don’t miss out on another Chicago back-to-school tradition—the Bud Billiken Parade. Join us for this community celebration on Saturday, August 9, 2025, and look out for CPS in the parade. We hope to see you there as we mark the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year. Learn more here.
Medical Requirements
Please review this document for more information about the medical requirements for CPS students for the upcoming school year. As a reminder:
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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.
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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.
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Proof of a dental examination is due by May 15, 2026, for students in kindergarten, second grade, sixth grade, and ninth grade.
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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.
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:
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Student Medical Information
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Request for Emergency and Health Information
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School Messaging Consent Form
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Media Consent Form and Release
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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.
Back-to-School Resources for Students with Disabilities
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.
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.
CPS Budget Update
Passing our budget for the 2025-26 school year remains a top priority as we approach the new school year. We thank everyone who has provided us with such valuable feedback through our recent engagement events and budget survey. This perspective is helping guide CPS as we make critical financial decisions for the coming school year. There are no easy answers, but we are working hard to find solutions that will have limited impact on the student experience. We can assure you, though, that the ongoing budget process WILL NOT impact our ability to open schools on time on Monday, August 18 with the resources our students need to start the school year strong. We will continue to keep you updated with the latest developments with regard to our budget for next year.