District Overview - Choice

Are High School Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

Percentage of 8th Grade Students Who Applied to High School

Since 2017-18, CPS has utilized the GoCPS platform to allow students to research and apply to all high schools and high school programs. Students are asked to rank in order of preference the schools and programs they are most interested in. Students are still guaranteed a seat in the general education program at their zoned (or assigned) high school and do not have to submit a GoCPS application for that program. For more information about the GoCPS and the high school application process, visit go.cps.edu.

District-wide, 93% of all 8th-grade CPS students applied to high school programs in Round 1 of the GoCPS application process. Pilsen / Little Village, Greater Stockyards, and Greater Midway regions had the greatest application rates while the Bronzeville / South Lakefront region had the least.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Percentage of 8th Grade Students Who Received an Offer from One of Their Top 3 Choices

Of all 8th-grade CPS students that applied to high school programs in Round 1, 87% received an offer from one of their top three choices. The greatest percentage of students that receive an offer from one of their top three choices reside in the Greater Lincoln Park region at 94% compared to 77% of students in the Greater Midway region. This figure does not include selective enrollment high schools as those schools use a different ranking process in GoCPS.

NOTE: This analysis only includes 8th-grade applicants who were enrolled on the 20th day of school in 2022-23. Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Changes to the CPS HS admissions process occurred between SY21 and SY22. As a result, students' ranking decisions and offer results will differ from previous years.

High School Student Choice Over Time

School choice is currently defined as choosing to attend a school that is not a student’s zoned (or assigned) school.

Over the past four years, the percentage of high school students attending a school other than their zoned school (in or out of region) has decreased from 76% to 74% across the district. In the same time frame, the percentage of students attending their zoned school has stayed relatively the same at 25%.

The percentage of high school students attending a school in their home region (zoned or non-zoned) has remained relatively the same at 56%, while the percentage of students attending another school out of region has decreased from 45% to 43% across the district.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student Choice by Race/Ethnicity

School choice patterns tend to vary by race/ethnicity.

District-wide, 17% of high school students identifying as Black attended their zoned school, compared to 30% of high school students identifying as Latinx, 29% of high school students identifying as White, and 24% of high school students identifying as Asian. Students identifying as Black are also the greatest percentage attending a school out of their home region (50%). Students identifying as Latinx have the lowest percentage attending a school out of their home region (39%).

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student Choice by Region

District-wide, more than twice as many high school students (43%) attend school out of their home region compared to elementary students (18%). The Northwest Side region has the greatest percentage of students who attend school in their region (zoned or non-zoned) at 76% and the Greater Stony Island region has the lowest percentage at 37%.

|  District-wide, 43% of high school students attend school out of the region where they live.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Distance Traveled to School

These graphs show the average distance traveled for high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of their region.

High school students travel an average of 3.2 miles to school. 19% of students travel less than 1 mile to school and 41% of students travel 3 miles or more to school.

There is significant variation in distance traveled to school by region. 27% of students residing in the North Lakefront region travel less than 1 mile compared to 9% of students in the Greater Stony Island region.

NOTE: Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute time was calculated using Google Maps travel time estimations using the shorter travel time between walking and public transit. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Time Traveled to School

These graphs show the average commute time for high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of their region.

High school students travel an average of 28 minutes to school. 26% of students travel less than 15 minutes to school and 18% of students travel 45 minutes or more to school.

There is significant variation in time traveled to school by region. 35% of students residing in the Bronzeville / South Lakefront region travel less than 15 minutes compared to 15% of students in the South Side region.

NOTE: Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute time was calculated using Google Maps travel time estimations using the shorter travel time between walking and public transit. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Distance Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

There is some variation in travel distances by race and ethnicity. 23% of high school students identifying as Latinx travel less than 1 mile to school, compared to 14% of high school students identifying as Black. 19% of students identifying as Black travel 6 miles or more, compared to 11% of students identifying as Latinx.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

High School Student's Time Traveled to School by Race/Ethnicity

There is also some variation in travel times by race and ethnicity. 31% of high school students identifying as Latinx travel less than 15 minutes to school, compared to 22% of high school students identifying as Black, 21% of high school students identifying as White, and 21% of high school students identifying as Asian. 22% of students identifying as Black travel 45 minutes or more, compared to 16% of students identifying as Latinx, 16% of students identifying as White, and 18% of students identifying as Asian.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Are Options High School Students Choosing Schools in Their Region?

Options High School Student Choice Over Time

Options high schools serve students who need a new pathway toward high school graduation. CPS schools offer additional supports and services for students who have been out of school and seek to return or who may need opportunities to earn credits in an accelerated program. Some of CPS’ campuses offer additional supports such as counseling and alternative schedules for students who may work during the traditional school day.

Options high schools exist in every region except the Greater Lincoln Park and Far Southwest Side regions. Options high schools do not have attendance zones or admission criteria although many serve only students 16 years and older. Students can choose to attend any Options high school within or outside of their home region. For this reason, Choice patterns tend to differ for Options students compared to elementary and other high school students.

Over the past four years, the percentage of Options high school students attending a school in their region has remained relatively the same at 38%. District-wide, Options high school students attend school out of region at a greater rate than elementary and high school students.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Options High School Student Choice by Region

District-wide, a greater percentage of Options high school students attend school out of region than both high school and elementary students. The Far Southwest Side and Greater Lincoln Park regions both have the greatest percentage of students attending school out of region at 100% because there are no Options high schools in those regions. For regions where an in-region Options high school exists, the Greater Milwaukee Avenue and Pilsen / Little Village regions have the greatest percentage of students attending an in-region Options high school.

NOTE: Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Options High School Students' Distance Traveled to School

This graph shows the average distance traveled for Options high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of the region.

On average, Options high school student in the district travel 3.8 miles to school. The regions with the shortest average commute are Greater Milwaukee Avenue (2.0 miles), Greater Stockyards (2.8 miles), and Pilsen / Little Village (2.8 miles). The regions with the furthest average commute are the North Lakefront (5.0 miles) and Greater Calumet (4.8 miles) regions.

District-wide, 13% of Options high students travel less than 1 mile to school and 49% of students travel 3 miles or more to school.

NOTE: Distance traveled and commute time are calculated based on the student’s home address and the address of their school. Commute time was calculated using Google Maps travel time estimations using the shorter travel time between walking and public transit. The analysis takes into account school start times and chooses routes that minimize travel and wait time. Any wait time before a trip starts is not included but wait times due to transfers are included.

Due to rounding, some charts may not add up to 100%.

Options High School Students' Time Traveled to School

This graph shows the average time traveled for Options high school students who live in each region, regardless of whether they attend school in or out of the region.

On average, Options high school student in the district travel 30 minutes to school. The regions with the shortest average commute time are Greater Milwaukee Avenue (21 minutes), Pilsen / Little Village (24 minutes), and Greater Stockyards (24 minutes). The regions with the longest average commute time are the Far Northwest Side (37 minutes) and Northwest Side (36 minutes) regions.

District-wide, 21% of Options high school students travel less than 15 minutes to school and 18% of students travel 45 minutes or more to school.