Almost No 4-Year-Olds Tested for CPS Selective Elementary Schools Live on West, South Sides

Only 1% of 4-year-olds in the poorest, majority Black and Latino ZIP codes in Chicago get tested

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CHICAGO - A recent analysis of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) reveals significant disparities in the testing of four-year-olds for selective elementary schools, with a clear divide between neighborhoods. Data indicates that only 9% of incoming kindergarteners are tested for gifted programs overall, with testing rates particularly low in majority Black and Latino ZIP codes.

The numbers are stark. In the South Side ZIP code encompassing most of West Englewood, only 1% of incoming kindergarteners were tested. Similar figures were observed in the West Side ZIP code covering West Garfield Park, parts of East Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, and North Lawndale.

Conversely, in more affluent and predominantly white neighborhoods, testing rates are significantly higher. For instance, 25% of incoming kindergarteners in the North Side ZIP code, which includes Lincoln Park, underwent testing. In a ZIP code that includes part of the affluent South Loop, nearly half of the children were tested.

The reasons behind these disparities are multifaceted. Melissa Trini Alvarado de Leon, a Chicago resident and parent, shared her personal experience with the testing process. Alvarado de Leon had to persuade her four-year-old son to accompany a stranger for the test. She walked him to the door and reassured him of her presence.

“Just to reinforce that I am still here. I am not leaving,” she recounted. However, her son could not remember the test details afterward, highlighting the challenge of expecting very young children to perform under such conditions.

The test, as defined by CPS, assesses critical thinking skills, reasoning, problem-solving, and mental control—the ability to hold information in short-term memory while performing mental operations. For classical schools, the test also measures reading and writing abilities.

Alvarado de Leon, who grew up in Chicago and was aware of the gifted programs, noted that many immigrant families in her Logan Square neighborhood lack this knowledge. Additionally, cultural differences and discomfort with leaving young children with strangers for testing contribute to the low testing rates in these communities.