CPS Approves August Start Date for 2021-22 School Year

(WTTW News)(WTTW News)

Chicago Public Schools students will return to classes following their summer break in August, one week earlier than their normal return date, after a revised academic calendar was approved Wednesday.

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The first day of school in the 2021-22 academic year will be Aug. 30, marking a shift away from the normal start date of the Tuesday after Labor Day. The Chicago Board of Education approved the new school calendar during its monthly meeting Wednesday.

The school district said it received nearly 4,000 public comments on the new calendar, which comes after months of remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Chicago Public Schools' 2021-2022 academic calendar. (Chicago Public Schools)Chicago Public Schools' 2021-2022 academic calendar. (Chicago Public Schools)

CPS officials promoted the change Wednesday saying it could help reduce summer learning loss due to a smaller summer break, while allowing more time to “re-energize” during additional time off during existing breaks during the school year.

Aside from the new start date, the 2021-22 calendar does not change any other traditional components of the academic year. The calendar includes 178 student attendance days, 10 professional development days, two parent teacher conference days and eight staff holidays.

Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson[email protected] | (773) 509-5431


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