Planning Rationale
Middle schools typically include students from the 6th to 8th grade. Middle schools can accommodate a departmental model teaching which offers students more independence and prepares them for the high school environment. Although the typical CPS school facilities are K - 8 and 9-12, there have been occasions where middle school solutions are implemented.
A middle school solution may offer additional capacity for an existing elementary school while maintaining the same leadership and culture. Alternatively, an independent middle school can accommodate students from more than one elementary school and allow for age appropriate instructional spaces.
The Department of Planning and Data Management (Demographics), along with district leadership will provide guidance and make recommendations for the implementation of middle schools. A dedicated middle school should provide all of the program spaces needed to function autonomously. When designing these facilities, the AOR shall incorporate flexible design solutions that could enable a middle school or high school to be converted to an elementary school should the need arise.