Chicago Public Schools Gears Up for 2026-27 School Year Starting Monday, Aug. 24

CHICAGO – After years of working to make a difference in the lives of Chicago Public Schools’ students as a special education classroom assistant, Burnetta Cox is stepping into a milestone of her own Monday at Paul Revere Elementary School as she welcomes kindergarteners for the very first time in her new role as teacher. Over in South Deering, at Burnham Math and Science, Edward Gardner will hang up his diploma from Roosevelt University – a 20-year dream in the making - and start his first day as a special education teacher.

Cox and Gardner are part of the newest cohort of CPS special education teachers who have benefited from the District’s expansive talent pipeline programs and investment in strengthening services for students with disabilities. Their journeys are only two among the thousands of educators who are preparing to welcome back students Monday, August 24, inspire learning, and set them on the path to success this school year. The District continues to invest significantly in special education, including hiring nearly 1,000 additional teachers and SECAs this school year to strengthen services and ensure staffing is aligned with students’ documented needs as outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans.

“I’m just overwhelmed with joy and ready to meet the challenges ahead of me and knock them out of the park,” said Gardner, also a longtime SECA prior to becoming a teacher. Gardner added that his biggest goal this year is “making sure my students know they’re loved and cared for, while giving them the skills to become independent in life.”

For Cox, her journey to becoming an educator meant balancing her full-time classroom assistant job and night classes while raising two children, but “in the end, it’s all worth it when you see that you can make a difference with students and their families,” she said. “I know when these students walk into my class on Monday, I’m building important relationships, and I can't wait to see the finish line with them at the end of the year to see how much they’ve grown.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will join CPS CEO/Superintendent Dr. Macquline King and other District officials and partners on a series of school visits next week, starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday morning when they will join educators, staff and students at George Leland Elementary STEM Elementary School.

“Every Chicago family should be able to send their child to school knowing they are welcomed, supported and ready to learn,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “As we begin a new school year, we’re proud of the work happening in classrooms across our city and grateful to the educators and school staff who show up every day for our children.”

The new school year will feature expansion of priority programs in early childhood learning, multilingual programs, special education services, as well as whole-school safety initiatives and wraparound resources to meet students' academic and socio-emotional needs.

“The first day of school represents a new beginning filled with possibility for every student and educator,” said CPS Superintendent/CEO Dr. Macquline King. “As classrooms come alive with curiosity, connection, and new experiences, we are reminded of the incredible responsibility and privilege we have to help every child discover their potential and prepare for a bright future.”

Staffing

For the second consecutive year, the District is starting this year with the lowest number of teacher vacancies in recent history, a result of comprehensive and innovative recruitment and retention strategies under the Teach Chicago program. Both Cox and Garner participated in programming that helped them transition from their roles as SECAs to becoming teachers.

“Through Teach Chicago, we have not only brought hundreds of talented educators into our schools, but we’ve also worked to ensure that our teaching force better reflects the diversity of the students we serve,” said Acting Chief Talent Officer Jerry Taylor. “The District’s budget and talent strategies work to put teachers and support personnel where they’re most needed, ensuring that more vacancies are filled in under-resourced areas and our most vulnerable students have access to qualified, licensed teachers who can provide the high-quality education they deserve.”

Just days before the start of school, CPS is standing at an overall two (2%) percent teacher vacancy rate, half the 4.4% rate of 2024. Importantly, special education teacher vacancy rates have been reduced from nearly six percent (6%) in 2024 to approximately 2.1% as we enter the school year, while SECA vacancies have dropped from more than seven percent (7.3%) in 2024 to 2.9% today.

Additionally, CPS continues to make significant progress in improving classroom representation and teacher diversity. The majority of CPS’ new teachers are Black or Latinx, 54 percent overall, up from 51 percent last year and 33 percent in 2017.

Core Instruction: Putting Every Student on a Path to Success

The District remains focused on ensuring every student receives consistently strong, grade-level instruction every day. School teams are charged with using high-quality, culturally responsive curriculum and evidence-based teaching strategies designed to meet the needs of every learner.

“Every student deserves the opportunity to learn at high levels, every day,” said CPS Chief Education Officer Dr. Karime Asaf. “That mission is what guides us as we actively build and refine every part of this District to ensure that instruction is strong, support is timely, and every student has a clear pathway to success.”

CPS leaders are homing in on the practices that matter most to student success: daily attendance, strong core instruction in literacy, math, and science, and access to expanded pathways for college and career prep as students move through middle and high school. Through the District’s strategic plan, Success 2029, school teams will aim to ensure every student develops the skills and confidence needed to become a strong reader. This means providing clear, explicit instruction in foundational reading skills, delivering targeted support to students who need additional help, and using technology strategically to strengthen high-quality teaching. In mathematics, schools will build strong foundational skills early, deepen students’ problem-solving and mathematical reasoning, and continue to provide access to algebra in middle school.

The District will also work to ensure that opportunity expands, not narrows, as students move through school. Nearly 60 percent of 2026 graduates showed evidence that they had earned early college credits or credentials. Schools will increase access to advanced coursework and career credentials, provide students and families with clear, equitable guidance about academic and career options, and strengthen middle school pathways that prepare students for success in college, careers, and beyond.

School Board members will join those visiting schools next week - and throughout the year.

"We're excited to welcome students back on Monday and kick off another school year full of possibility," said Chicago Board of Education President Sean B. Harden. "I want to thank our teachers, principals, and staff for their hard work preparing every school for a strong start. The first day brings fresh energy to every classroom, and it's all about our students stepping into new interests, building friendships, and realizing their full potential. I look forward to having another amazing school year working together, keeping our students safe and supported - that's what makes Chicago great!"

Early Childhood Learning

The District recognizes that learning and academic preparation start well before the first day of class. Over the summer, CPS offered Kick Off to Kindergarten and Preview to Pre-K programs to 2,700 students across 90+ schools. This opportunity provided a chance to learn, grow, and make new friends before school begins on August 24 for Kindergarten and August 25 for Pre-Kindergarten students. Both programs, hosted at select sites across the district, helped students acclimate to their CPS classroom and school prior to the start of the school year. Similar programs are also available at other transition points such as the move to high school.

The District offers free, full-day preschool for all four-year-olds and some free half-day programs for three-year-olds. Nearly 98 percent of CPS preschools meet the state’s Gold and Silver Circle of Quality. All sites meet federal, state, and local education standards.

“Every child deserves a strong beginning, and high-quality early learning lays the foundation for lifelong growth,” said Leslie McKinily, Chief of Early Childhood Education. “By expanding access to exceptional early childhood programs, we’re giving more families the opportunity to help their children build confidence, curiosity, and the skills they need to thrive from their very first day of school.”

Expansion of Multilingual Programs

The District is expanding its Dual Language Education (DLE) and World Language Education (WLE) programs, with its core vision and goals. As part of a four-year commitment to advancing bilingual and biliterate education, this expansion includes three new DLE programs in Spanish/English and three new WLE programs–two in Spanish and one in Mandarin.

These additions bring the District’s total to more than 254 CPS schools offering WLE and 46 offering DLE, further demonstrating the District's dedication to multilingualism through integrated native and second language instruction.

NEW DUAL LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

• Albany Park Multicultural Academy
• Luther Burbank Elementary School
• Irene C. Hernández Middle School

NEW WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAMS

• William H. Ray Elementary School (Spanish)
• Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School (Spanish)
• John A. Walsh Elementary School (Mandarin)

Special Education Services

The District continues reinforcing its commitment to ensuring every student has equitable access to the education, services, and opportunities they need to succeed. The District’s investment in special education relies on a data-driven staffing model that aligns positions with school programming and students' documented needs.

Since implementing the formula in 2024, CPS has added nearly 800 special education teachers, more than 2,700 classroom assistants, more than 120 case managers, and more than 100 clinicians. The formula and collaboration with the District’s Talent team have helped reduce longstanding special education vacancies in under-resourced communities while ensuring there is not an over-allocation of staff in other areas.

"By grounding staffing decisions in current IEP data, we're ensuring resources follow students, not historical staffing patterns, so every school is better equipped to deliver the services students are entitled to receive,” said Josh Long, Chief of the Office for Students with Disabilities. “This is part of our mission to make sure every student has access to the services and support they need to thrive.”

To further strengthen special education services, CPS has established retention pools for special education teachers and Special Education Classroom Assistants (SECAs) affected by recent school-level staffing adjustments. The pools help retain these highly qualified professionals, supporting continuity for students while contributing to a continued decline in vacancies across both roles.

Safety, Transportation, School Meals, and Campus Improvements

While the academic priorities are critical to the District’s core missions, none of it can happen without the work of the District’s Operations team, which includes the departments that oversee safety and security, coordinate transportation, provide free school meals for all CPS students, and ensure ongoing maintenance and campus improvements across 522 campuses and 793 buildings with an average age of 86 years.

During the Summer months, the District finalized 192 capital projects. Those projects included improvements in space utilization, solar projects, roof installations, flooring, safety, and ADA compliance and improvements.

The FY2027 budget for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) includes a capital budget totaling $600.4 million in investments that will focus on priority facilities needs at neighborhood schools, part of nearly $4 billion in identified critical capital needs across the District.

“Our Operations teams remain mindful of all the ways our work supports a clean, welcoming, and safe teaching and learning environment,” said CPS Chief Operating Officer Charles Mayfield. “When we do our job well, we are supporting students’ needs so they can focus on learning, connected with their peers and trusted adults.”

Whole School Safety

Earlier this summer, the District and partner organizations released the Whole School Safety Implementation Guide, the first formal step in institutionalizing Whole School Safety as a model for holistic safety across all District schools. The Whole School Safety framework began to be developed in 2020 when the Board adopted a resolution to reimagine school safety by transitioning away from School Resource Officers (SROs) and refocusing on a culture of safety that ensures students have access to trauma-informed care, restorative justice, emotional support, and trusted relationships to protect and nurture their overall well-being. In 2024, the Board reaffirmed and expanded that commitment by adopting the Whole School Safety Policy, establishing a five-year implementation plan to bring the framework to every CPS school by 2029.

The Whole School Safety Implementation Guide, which starts this school year, walks school communities through a five-step process: establishing a local Whole School Safety Committee; evaluating holistic needs to develop a culture of safety by identifying root causes; developing a school-specific Whole School Safety Plan; presenting the draft to the school’s Local School Council for feedback; and finalizing the plan through a Local School Council vote.

In the months ahead, the Whole School Safety Steering Committee partner organizations will host training and community engagement opportunities to help schools, families, and students put the framework into practice. The guide is designed as a living document for schools and communities to reference as implementation unfolds across the District.

Transportation

CPS continues to work on safely and efficiently transporting the approximately 5% of its 315,000 students who qualify for yellow bus service under state and District guidelines. Moreover, amid a national shortage of bus drivers, the demand for transportation services in the District has increased. This rise in demand corresponds with a growing number of priority demographic groups, particularly students with disabilities and those living in temporary situations.

The District has continued to address the shortage through a variety of initiatives. While prioritizing students with disabilities and those in temporary housing, the District has found ways to extend services to eligible general education students through the Hub Stop Program, which was first launched during the 2024–25 school year. Hub stops, located at 17 central CPS school sites, allow eligible general education students to be picked up and dropped off at a common location, reducing underused routes while preserving access. The program will be offered again this year, starting the first week of school.

CPS school bus routes cover more than 234 square miles, including Chicago and surrounding areas, up to the Indiana and Wisconsin borders. Routing will continue through the first few weeks of school as students are enrolled and identified as eligible for transportation.

Facilities & Capital Planning

During the summer months, the CPS Facilities team deep-cleaned 47,532 spaces, including more than 20,000 classrooms.

Summer capital projects brought 22 renovated athletic facilities, improved schoolyards and gardens, and major building upgrades, including a renovated swimming pool at Beasley Magnet Academic Center in the Washington Park neighborhood where students will have access to swim classes for the first time in six school years. The pool is one of four housed on an elementary school campus in CPS. Additionally, Sullivan High School in Rogers Park will reopen its swimming pool during SY2026-27.

Nutrition

District school meals meet rigorous nutrition standards including offering whole grains, daily fruits and vegetables, and limiting added sugar and salt. District menu options include baked bean and cheese chimichanga, cinnamon French toast, banana chocolate chip bread, and a barbecue chicken leg inspired by Chef David Fuller – a District partner who founded “Eating To Live,” a manufacturing consultancy which specializes in health-conscious comfort food solutions. Additionally, the District provides meals that meet halal and kosher standards.

Community engagement efforts will include this year’s re-launch of the School Food Advisory Council and student tasting events throughout the school year.

Moreover, sustainability efforts will expand by increasing the number of school share tables and exploring ways to reduce single-use plastics.

Children First Fund

Chicago Public Schools continues to partner with corporate, philanthropic, and community organizations to support students' well-being and success. Through Children First Fund (CFF), The CPS Foundation, nearly 25 organizations, and individual donors to the CFF Compassion Fund have invested in our students, teachers, and schools with backpacks, school supplies, hygiene care, space upgrades and beautification, and more, including Cradles to Crayons, Heart of America, KPMG, Nuveen, Baby2Baby, and Capital Group.

Donors can direct giving toward tangible back-to-school essentials like backpacks, supplies, and hygiene items—or choose to provide flexible funding that allows CFF to deliver real-time responses and support for students’ academic, physical, emotional, and environmental needs that impact attendance and engagement throughout the school year. Donors can learn more or get involved as a partner by visiting Children First Fund website or contact contactus@childrenfirstfund.org.