(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
Following years and years of declining enrollment, Chicago Public Schools officials believe the number of students currently attending district schools is in line with totals from the same time last year.
Monday marked the 20th day of classes for CPS students in the 2023-24 school year — the point at which annual enrollment is typically calculated. While the district hasn’t yet published this year’s actual enrollment numbers, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said he was “pleased” that preliminary data shows this year’s total is “relatively consistent with last school year.”
“We will offer more analysis and context to our enrollment figures later this month but it appears the District is continuing the trend of seeing more English Learners, more Diverse Learners, and more Students in Temporary Living Situations,” Martinez said in a statement Tuesday. “We are pleased to note that this is the first time in a decade that District enrollment has remained stable and we are honored and privileged to serve each and every student.”
The district believes there any several reasons to explain this year’s “steady enrollment” and plans to conduct a more thorough review over the coming weeks.
District enrollment has consistently fallen year-to-year for more than a decade.
There were 322,106 students enrolled in CPS on the 20th day of classes in the 2022-23 school year. That total is down about 80,000 students from the 2013-14 school year, when CPS enrollment still topped 400,000.
CPS said final 20th day enrollment figures for this school year will be available later this month.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
