Chicago Public Schools sees increase in enrollment, staffing over past year

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The latest data Chicago Public Schools (CPS) shows that enrollments are higher to start the 2024-2025 school year than they were in the previous year — and so is staffing.

In what they called the 20th-Day Report, CPS said there are more than 325,000 students enrolled in the system. That's about 2,000 more than the 2023-2024 school year.

The biggest gains were in the first through fifth grades, but the report highlights gains in all grades. Enrollments increased for almost all racial and ethnic groups, except for African American students.

When he appeared before the Chicago City Council's Education Committee on Wednesday, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said the system has been working to improve schools in all neighborhoods and hopes to draw families back.

“Our CPS graduates are increasingly leaving with not just a high school diploma, but more than half with early college credentials that will support the success in college and careers,” he said. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have more students than ever graduating with associate degrees as they're finishing high school.”

Martinez also told the committee that the system is attracting new teachers.

“We have one of the highest starting teacher salaries in the country; we have one of the highest average teacher salaries in the country, and because of that, we're seeing the lowest vacancy rate we've ever seen,” he said. “The work is harder today than it's ever been because the needs are so great for our children.”

Over the past five years, CPS has hired some 2,600 new teachers.

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