Chicago Public Schools Expands Access to High-Quality Early Learning and Reports Strong Academic Progress

CHICAGO - Chicago Public Schools (CPS) continues to deliver on its commitment to equity and academic excellence with strong progress across key indicators for students in preschool through second grade, alongside record enrollment in early learning programs. The District has seen enrollment grow by about 4,000 students since 2022 with total enrollment at more than 19,000 Pre-K students as of May 2025. 

“This programming is changing the trajectory of children’s lives,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “Every early investment in our youngest learners is a step toward closing opportunity gaps. I’m proud of the District’s progress and the academic outcomes we’re seeing as a result.”

District leaders Thursday emphasized the academic return on investment during a presentation to the Board of Education. CPS continues to outperform the Council of the Great City Schools average for urban districts in early literacy and math across all grades, with particularly strong results in kindergarten, according to the District’s mid-year data. 

“Our students are showing measurable growth, and our teachers are leading with excellence in classrooms that meet the highest standards,” said Chief of Early Childhood Education Leslie McKinily. “Early learning is the foundation for everything that follows—and in CPS, we’re building that foundation with intentionality, urgency, and quality.”

CPS has built a universal, free full-day preschool system with high-quality programming for four-year-olds in every neighborhood and some free half-day program seats available for three-year-old students.  Programs include blended classrooms, investments in early literacy, and aligned instructional resources designed to help children build confidence as readers and learners from the start.

Pre-K By the Numbers as of May 2025:
More than 19,000 students enrolled

• 71% economically disadvantaged
• 35% English Learners
• 28% with IEPs
• 93% of preschool sites meet the Gold Circle of Quality standard

About 90 percent of CPS preschools meet ExceleRate Illinois' Gold Circle of Quality, with the remaining earning the silver and bronze awards. All sites meet federal, state and local education standards.

As of this week, CPS has extended offers for 66 percent of its full-day and 75 percent of its half-day early childhood seats for the 2025-26 school year, and the CPS preschool application process remains open on the Chicago Early Learning website and portal.  The current year’s demographic data shows  the District’s is reaching its target Pre-K population:

- 84 percent of students meet criteria for being “at risk of academic failure” under the state’s Early Childhood Block Grant

- 71 percent of enrolled Pre-K students come from economically disadvantaged households

- 35 percent are English Learners

- 28 percent have an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Quality and Curriculum in the Early Grades
CPS preschool programs meet all federal, state, and local education standards and are subject to independent evaluation through ExceleRate Illinois. In the most recent cycle:

93 percent of CPS programs earned the Gold Circle of Quality

Remaining programs earned Silver or Bronze designations, confirming strong instructional quality across the board

Nearly all CPS PK-2 classrooms implement high-quality, standards-aligned curriculum with a deep focus on early literacy and math foundational skills . The District’s programming aims to boost academic skills, fuel intellectual curiosity, foster independence, and instill a lifelong love of learning. 

Families Encouraged to Apply
In addition to the Chicago Early Learning website and portal, families can receive personalized support in English and Spanish by calling the Chicago Early Learning Hotline at 312-229-1690.