Enrollment Requirements & Forms

To confirm your relationship with the child being enrolled, please bring at least one of the following documents:

• Your most recent tax return, showing the child listed as a dependent.
• The child's original birth certificate (Photocopies are not accepted). The enrolling adult's name must be listed on the certificate. 
• A valid court order establishing your legal guardianship or custodianship.
• Documentation of the child's health insurance coverage under your policy.
• Any public aid documents that include the child.
• Other relevant documents that authorize or establish your guardianship.
• For temporary custody, https://www.isbe.net/Documents/85-51_affidavit.pdf

For enrollment, you must present at least one of these original documents to verify the child's identity and age:

• Original or Official Certified Copy of Birth Certificate (Photocopies not accepted. Can serve as proof of age even if the enrolling adult's name is not on it. If your family is unable to provide an original or certified copy of the child’s birth certificate at the time of enrollment, please review the information below on the Missing Children Records Act.)
• US or Foreign Passport or Visa
• State-issued Medical Card (For Pre-Kindergarten enrollment only)
• Court Documents (For Foster Children enrolling in Pre-Kindergarten only)
• Baptismal Record (Not valid for Pre-Kindergarten enrollment)
• Medical Records (Not valid for Pre-Kindergarten enrollment)

Picture Identification: Provide any of the following forms of current photo identification:

• Unexpired US Passport
• Employee ID Card
• Unexpired Illinois Driver's License or State ID Card (with Chicago address)
• Chicago CityKey ID

Permanent Address Verification: Please provide photocopies or digital copies of any two of the following documents. These documents must clearly show a Chicago address and list the name of the person enrolling the child:

• Utility Bill from the last 90 days with service address (gas, electric, landline, water, cable, or internet)
• Deed (showing Chicago property ownership)
• Current Mortgage or Lease Agreement (for a Chicago residence)
• MediPlan/Medicaid Card
• Voter Registration Card (with Chicago address)
• Court Documents
• Illinois Department of Public Aid Card
• Stamped U.S. Post Office Change of Address Form (confirming Chicago residency)
• Illinois State Aid or Social Security Check (mailed to a Chicago address)
• Other Identification Card issued by a federal or state agency or a foreign government consulate (e.g., Matricula Consular)

Important Notes:

• Matching Information: The name and address on all submitted documents must match the name and address of the person registering the child. The photo ID is used to establish identity/guardianship, while separate proof of address documents must establish current residency. The address on the ID does not need to match the current proof of address.
• Utility Bill Definition: A utility bill is a monthly statement that details charges for essential household services.
• Temporary Leases: Addresses verified by temporary leases (under one year) may require re-verification upon expiration.

Within 30 days, please provide either the child's original birth certificate (Photocopies are not accepted) or other acceptable proof of the child’s identity and age with an affidavit (English / Spanish) that explains the inability to provide an original birth certificate. Acceptable documentation includes:

• Passport
• Visa
• Verification of Release
• I-94
• I-385
• United States Department of State Travel Document

• Student Transfer Form: This form can be obtained from your child's current (sending) school to confirm your child's enrollment history and status
• Previous school transcripts or records: Usually sent electronically between CPS schools, which includes grades, attendance, and assessment history. Parents/guardians can also request a copy.
• Immunization and Health Records: Ensure your child is up to date on all required vaccines and has a recent school physical (if required for their grade level).
• Individual Education Planor 504 Plan (if applicable)

• Student Medical Information Form [ English | Spanish ] 
• Illinois Certificate of Child Health Examination [ English ]
• State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination Form [  English | Spanish ]
• Dental Examination Consent Form [ English | Spanish ]
• Vision Exam Consent Form [ English | Spanish ]
• State of Illinois Eye Examination Report Form [ English | Spanish ]

Due by October 15

• Diphtheria, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Tetanus (DTP/Td)
• Inactivated Polio
• Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella (Chicken Pox)
• Haemophilus Influenza, Type B (HIB)
• Conjugate Meningitis (MCV4)

Minimum Health Requirements [ ENGLISH | SPANISH ]

Due October 15, and Required For:

• All Pre-K students (including lead screening)
• Students entering K or 1st, 6th, and 9th grade
• Students entering Illinois schools for the first time

Due October 15th

All Kindergarten students and any child entering a school in the State of Illinois for the first time are required by state law to undergo a vision exam by October 15 of the current school year.

Due by May 15

All Kindergarten, 2nd, 6th, and 9th-grade students must have a dental exam completed by a licensed dentist before May 15 of the current school year.

Students who have been retained either in CPS or outside CPS, will typically be enrolled in the grade following the last grade they successfully completed. In rare cases, age limits may affect placement.

Students who turn 15 while enrolled in 8th grade will remain in 8th grade until the end of the current school year. At the conclusion of the year, they must enroll in high school.

If your child receives special education services or has a disability, the school will follow the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) Procedural Manual on students with disabilities.

Parents of formerly homeschooled students should provide any available documentation or proof of homeschooling. If no records are available, the school may place your child in their age-appropriate grade or administer an assessment to determine the best placement. Students may only be placed up to two grade levels below their age group. The principal makes the final decision on grade placement.