Chicago Public Schools’ Surprising Enrollment Surge: What’s Behind the Growth?

For the second year in a row, CPS experiences an unexpected enrollment increase, but challenges remain

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CHICAGO - In a change from past trends, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) reported a slight but significant boost in student enrollment for the second consecutive year. After years of declining numbers, CPS officials announced Wednesday that enrollment had inched upward by less than 1%, bringing the total number of students to 325,305 as of the 20th day of the current school year. While this increase may seem modest, it offers hope for the district as it battles ongoing challenges.

The official 20th-day count revealed that CPS enrolled 2,054 more students compared to the same time last year, when enrollment stood at 323,251. Though the rise represents a small uptick, it’s a welcome shift after a long stretch of enrollment losses. For over a decade, CPS saw its student population dwindle by about 20%, a trend that mirrored national patterns as many school districts across the country struggled to retain students.

This year’s slight rise continues a trend that began last year, when CPS saw a similar bump. Officials noted that the number of students could still increase as the school year progresses. By May of last year, student enrollment had grown by roughly 7,000 to over 328,000 students, according to preliminary data.

Most of the enrollment growth occurred in early childhood and elementary grades, with the pre-middle school population growing by nearly 2%. However, enrollment in grades six and higher has remained stagnant, with no noticeable increases. The bump in student numbers has been particularly pronounced among Hispanic students, whose enrollment increased by nearly 1.5% compared to last year.

Conversely, Black student enrollment continues to decline, dropping by about 1%. This trend is consistent with Chicago’s broader demographic changes, as the city’s Black population has been shrinking over the past several years.

Notably, the district saw a surge in English language learners, which grew by 11% this year. This rise is likely driven by the arrival of migrant students from Central and South American countries, contributing to the overall increase in Hispanic students. While these new enrollments present an opportunity for CPS to bolster its numbers, they also come with unique challenges, particularly in addressing the language needs of these students.

As CPS welcomes more non-native English speakers, the need for robust bilingual education programs becomes even more urgent. Last year, a joint investigation by Chalkbeat and Block Club Chicago revealed that many schools in majority Black, low-income neighborhoods were ill-prepared to accommodate the influx of migrant students due to a lack of bilingual programs. These students, many of whom were new to the city and the country, often struggled to integrate into the school environment, leaving them feeling disconnected and unable to communicate effectively.

However, CPS officials remain optimistic. Ben Felton, the district’s chief talent officer, pointed out that CPS has added about 2,000 bilingual-certified teachers in the past five years. This increase comes as part of a concerted effort to recruit more bilingual educators by offering early job offers and subsidizing part of the cost for educators pursuing bilingual certification. Felton also mentioned that the district has proposed fully covering the cost of certification in its ongoing negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union, in hopes of further strengthening its pool of bilingual teachers.

Enrollment figures play a critical role in determining the state funding that CPS receives. The more students the district enrolls, the more funding it secures. Previously, CPS used enrollment as a primary factor in its funding formula for individual schools, but this year the district introduced a new model that places more emphasis on the specific needs of schools rather than just the number of students.

The new funding formula has been met with mixed reactions. While some schools—particularly those in underserved areas—have seen a boost in staffing and resources, others, especially those serving more affluent communities, have found their budgets stretched thin, with fewer positions available to fill.

Sara Kempner, CPS’s executive director of enterprise data and analytics, explained the importance of even small changes in enrollment. “It’s not a huge increase,” she said, referring to the roughly 0.3% gain this year, “but every tenth of a percentage point really does add up to a lot of extra money.”

Despite the small uptick, CPS still faces significant challenges. Many schools, particularly on the city’s South and West sides, continue to operate far below capacity. These schools, built to serve hundreds or even thousands of students, are often left with only a fraction of that number. As a result, difficult decisions about school closures and resource allocations may be looming on the horizon.

A New Era for CPS Governance

One major factor that could influence how CPS manages these challenges is the upcoming shift in its school board structure. In November, Chicagoans will vote to elect new members to a partially-elected, partially-appointed school board. Of the 21 board members, Mayor Brandon Johnson will appoint 11, while the remaining 10 will be elected by the public.

Johnson, who has publicly opposed school closures, will have a significant influence on the future of CPS as the district grapples with how to best support under-enrolled schools. Last month, the outgoing school board passed a resolution committing to no school closures until at least 2027, giving the new board some time to explore alternatives. State law currently prevents CPS from closing schools until at least January 2025, the same day the new board is set to take office.

While many candidates running for the school board share Johnson’s anti-closure stance, others believe that the district could benefit from making tough choices. Some argue that smaller class sizes, made possible by lower enrollment, could offer students a more personalized learning experience. Still, others contend that maintaining large, underutilized buildings isn’t the best use of district resources.

Hope for the Future: The STEAM Initiative

Amidst the challenges, CPS continues to push forward with new initiatives aimed at attracting students back to neighborhood schools. One such effort is the introduction of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) programs in several schools in the North Lawndale area, which has been hit hard by declining enrollment in recent years.

CPS CEO Pedro Martinez is optimistic that these programs, backed by years of community advocacy, will help reverse enrollment declines in the area. “When we’re successful, having a high-quality program, what we know from history is that more children will want to come, specifically neighborhood children,” Martinez told reporters during a recent school visit.

Although both Chalmers Elementary and Collins Academy High School—two schools that recently adopted STEAM programs—saw slight enrollment drops this year, there are early signs of growing interest. Collins Academy Principal LaKenya Sharpe reported a 20% increase in student applications following the school’s STEAM designation. Of the 150 freshmen offers extended by the school this year, 90 students enrolled.

As CPS continues its push to reinvigorate neighborhood schools, leaders remain hopeful that innovative programs like STEAM will help the district grow its student base while providing high-quality education for all of Chicago’s children.