Equity at CPS | Chicago Public Schools

Equity at CPS

To achieve the CPS five-year vision, the district established equity as a core value that drives our commitment to eliminate barriers to success and ensure equitable opportunities for all students. Through a series of equity-driven initiatives centered around eliminating opportunity gaps in education quality, policies, and supports at the individual school and district level, CPS will live out the academic progress commitment in service of our students.

At the heart of the CPS equity-driven initiatives is our belief that every student deserves access to a high-quality education, regardless of their race, zip code, ability, or country of origin.

For us, equity is more than a series of stand-alone initiatives: it is the driving core value which informs every decision we make, from capital improvements to curriculum design.

CPS defines equity as championing the individual cultures, identities, talents, abilities, languages, and interests of each student by ensuring they receive the necessary opportunities and resources to meet their unique needs and aspirations.

Achieving equity across the district requires attention from every member of our staff, schools, and communities. The CPS Office of Equity works hand-in-hand with every district office to ensure each undertaking is pursued with equity as a goal.

To drive progress on equity, the Office of Equity oversees the continually evolving CPS Equity Framework, a source of guidance, tools, evidence-based ideas, and resources for CPS staff, partners, and community members addressing complex equity issues.

The Equity Framework is the result of ongoing, thoughtful partnerships with stakeholders committed to advancing educational equity for all students, including central and network office staff, principals, educators, parents, students, and community partners. To create the Equity Framework, the Office of Equity also reviewed current research, frameworks, and practice on equity and inequity in schools, districts and municipal governing bodies, and we collaborated with the Building Equitable Learning Environment (BELE) Network.