CPS Obsessed

This is a work-in-progress about the way CPS works that will hopefully be phrased in normal-person. All information is filtered through my slightly cynical point-of-view about giant bureaucratic organizations.

Here is the info from CPS:

http://www.cps.edu/Contact_CPS/Ask_a_question/Pages/faq.aspx

Q: My child isn’t born yet, do I need to start worrying?

A: Yes and no. Ideally you will rent or purchase a home in a part of Chicago that has a good neighborhood school so you don’t have to agonize about where to send your future child. If you know you’re going to have kids, it really makes sense to research this before you buy a home.

Q: If this is all so difficult, shouldn’t I just move to the suburbs?

A: No. It will slowly make your soul wither. And the taxes are way higher.

Q: How do I know what school my child can attend?

A: Every home is Chicago has one neighborhood elementary school assigned to it. If you live within that school’s boundaries, your child is guaranteed admission at any time. To determine the school boundaries for an address, look here:   http://schoollocator.cps.k12.il.us.  Note the giant disclaimer. This information can change so you should double check in as many ways possible (call the school (twice,) ask parents you see on the playground, call CPS, etc.) Also be aware that 2 sides of a street may be in different school zones. i.e. if Western Ave is a border, the east side is probably in one zone and the west side in another.

You can see a more helpful, paper version of the map in the CPS Elementary and Preschool Directory.  These are usually available at the library for free.  Again, always call to double check before buying/renting a home!

If you get stuck or find conflicting data, try calling CPS’s demographic department at 773-553-3270.

Q: How do I know if my neighborhood school is good?

A: “Good” is a relative assessment. If you like data, test scores can be a decent indicator of academic success. See here: http://www.cps.edu/Schools/Find_a_school/Pages/Findaschool.aspx.  Keep in mind that test scores only reflect those of kids in grades 3-8. Currently in Chicago, lower-income kids test lower than higher-income kids, so a school with a heavy population of low-income 3-8th graders may look low on test scores, but the younger students in Prek-2nd grade may be a different story.   Other ways to find out about schools are on npnparents.org discussion boards and greatschools.net. Take a tour of the school. Hang out at the school playground to talk to people whose kids are enrolled. An active parent or “friends of” group can be a good sign of support and involvement.  There are likely plenty of CPS schools that have a good principal and devoted teachers that just aren’t on people’s radar yet.

Some neighborhood schools have Magnet Cluster status, but that doesn’t mean they are like the other Magnet schools that use a lottery.  Magnet Cluster means the school has a special focus like Fine Arts or Literature.

Q: If my neighborhood school isn’t good (or doesn’t have strong enrollment) can I do anything about that?

A: Yes, if you’re willing to bust your ass.  It’s not as simple as calling CPS and demanding change/resources.  But one of the great changes that has happened in the past few years in CPS is that groups of neighbors have gotten together to help their neighborhood schools flourish.  This includes fundraising, getting on the Local School Council, marketing the school to help attract other families, and working with the school’s principal to offer support and resources and to let them know that a group of local parents will be holding them to high standards.  Getting involved in your neighborhood school can be a great experience – you can really create a sense of community by working together.  And there’s nothing better than having all the kids in the neighborhood go to school together.  It’s worth all the effort but takes a couple high energy yet diplomatic people who can lead the troops.

Q: What is there beyond the neighborhood school?

A: Chicago has Magnet, Charter, Gifted, and Classical programs/schools.  (And something weird called Magnet Clusters but those don’t really count.)

Magnet – These school admit students based on a lottery system.  Students from anywhere in the city can attend.  These schools tend to have higher test scores because they attract families who are willing to send their kid out of the neighborhood for more academic rigor.  The Magnet schools get a few extra resources than the neighborhood schools do (such as full day Kindergarten guaranteed.)  Some magnet schools are very difficult (impossible) to get into because so many kids apply each year.  (Note: For the selection process for Magnet schools for school year 2010/2011 CPS is trying out a new way to balance students.   More spots will be given to in-neighborhood kids and siblings.  See more info here: http://cps.edu/Pages/newadmissionsplan.aspx

Charter – These are little schools that are allowed to operate outside the normal CPS rules, even hiring non-union teachers.  I realize I have no idea how one gets their kid into a charter school or how hard it is to get in.  Have to look into that one…..

Gifted – These are schools or programs within schools that kids have to test into based on logic and reasoning abilities.  Most kids enter in Kindergarten or 1st grade and are then guaranteed a spot until 8th grade.  Classes are taught at 1-2 grade levels above the standard CPS curriculum and the kids are *theoretically* given projects and work that is more in-depth.   Testing is done by the GEAP office.

Classical – These schools are geared to kids who excel in reading and math and the classes are taught at 1-2 grade levels above the CPS curriculum.  Kids test into these program (on a GEAP test that is separate from the Gifted test.)  Kids enter in Kindergarten.  The curriculum is more classical/traditional and Latin is taught.

GEAP info: http://www.cps.edu/Programs/Academic_and_enrichment/GiftedandEnriched/Pages/GiftedandEnriched.aspx

Other Neighborhood Schools - You can send your child to a neighborhood school outside your own by entering the school’s lottery.  Some schools can take a lot of students because they have extra space while others (like Bell) take no students outside the neighborhood.  A few years ago, many of the North side neighborhood schools were taking lottery kids but as enrollment has grown, that options has become less fruitful.

Here is the form to use.  Mail it to each school.

http://www.cps.edu/Spotlight/Pages/Spotlight15.aspx

Q: Is there any other way to get my child into a school?

A: One option is to pick a pre-school based on where you want to stay for elementary.  Many schools let out-of-neighborhood kids stay on so PreK can be a good way to get your foot in the door.  Some have free Pre-School For All, while others have only Tuition-Based Pre-K (such as Alcott.)

Also, principals have a few spots each year that they can use at their discretion.  If you can get to know the principal and show that you are very interested in the school (and getting involved) you may be able to secure a spot.  Magnet schools often use these spaces for sibling of older students and Gifted/Classical schools do not select their own students (this is done through GEAP.)

Q: When do I apply to the schools?

A: For the Options schools (magnet, gifted, classical, other neighborhood schools) you apply during the Fall of the school year BEFORE your child will attend school.  For many people, this is the year your child is age 4 (their 2nd year of Prek.)  Applications are usually due the 3rd week in December (see the CPS site for the exact date.)  So yes, you are forced to think about what school your current 4-year-old might excel in when they are an 8th grader – a concept that can fry a parent’s mind.

The deadline for applying this year was December 18, 2009 for the 2010/2011 school year.   Testing for gifted/classical programs takes place in Nov – Feb.  You must have submitted your application for testing by Dec 18.

Q: How many schools can I apply to?

A: All of them.  There is no limit to the number of magnet or neighborhood schools to which you can apply.  But you DO have to send an application to each magnet/neighborhood school you are interested in.  The gifted/classical schools are selected on one common form that is used when you register for the tests.  You can select up to 6 (combined gifted and classical) and you must rank them in order of preference.

Q: What do I need to do to apply?

A: For the magnet and neighborhood schools, you must send an application to each school (or take it in in person.)  If you have a particular school you like, it’s worth checking (perhaps more than once) that they truly have your application on file and in the CPS lottery system.  People have had bad experiences of finding out too late that their application was lost in the black hole of a school office and there is no, I repeate NO recourse once the deadline has passed.

For the gifted/classical schools you don’t send anything to each school.  You submit the test application form to the GEAP office and they (quite efficiently) handle it all.  There are 2 tests your child can take – Gifted and Classical that measure different skills.  When you select your top 6 schools n the form, they determine which test/s your child will take based on which schools you chose.  In theory, it’s worth selecting at least 1 of each type so your child takes both tests before Kindergarten.  Even if you don’t like the current options, who knows what CPS might open at the last minute?

Q: Can I  just apply to all the schools and tour the ones I get into?

A:  No – it can’t be that easy.  Some of the schools offer very limited or even NO tours after the notification dates.  So you might be offered a spot and need to make a decision in 48 hours but you can’t get a tour in that timeframe.   There is a collossal waste of human time as parents tour tons of schools, only to get a spot in 1 or 2 (or none) of them.  But overall, I am a fan of touring schools if you have time.  I will help you evaluate a school on short notice and also help you assess your neighborhood school.

Q: What are the odds of my child getting into a magnet school via the lottery?

A: It depends on the school, but overall, getting into one specific school you want is pretty slim.  For instance Hawthorne had over 1000 applications for 2 Kindergarten classes (56 spots.)  Many people who get their lottery ranking don’t even get a number – just a “no.”   Naturally, the more magnet schools you apply to, the better your odds of getting into one.  Further, in the current system, there are 2 lotteries per school – one for Caucasian students and one for Minority students (Af-Am, Asian, Hispanic, Other.)  You decide how to identify you child and nobody checks on it from what I hear.  The % of spots for Caucasians is a max of 35% per class.  As a result, if your child is Caucasian, a school like Hawthorne probably has 20 spots possible for your child (10, if you take gender into account.)

Q: What are my child’s odds of getting into a Gifted/Classical school?

A: That totally depends on their test scores.  The GEAP offices ranks the kids (2 lists, Caucasian and non-) by test score and hands out the spots going down the list, based on the preferences you listed.  Kids who score in the 97-99% percentile (meaning they scored better than most of the kids in the country) are typically offered a spot somewhere.  Lower than that, your child may be offered spots as they open up throughout the summer or at the very begining of the school year.

Q: Do siblings get priority in the schools?

A: In neighborhood schools, a sibling in the neighborhood gets in automatically of course.  If the older sibling is out-of-hood, the younger will *usually* be given a spot by the principal, but there is not a total guarantee. Always best to keep up with the principal to see how enrollment is looking.  the have to give priority to the neighborhood kids.

In magnet schools, the principals usually try to get the siblings in, but there have been years where there are a lot of siblings and it can get stressful waiting to see if the younger kids are in.

In gifted/classical schools, there is NO sibling preference at all.  The younger sibling must test in, just like the older one did.  Which is simultaneously fair and inefficient as families with several smart kids may end up with them at different gifted/classical/neighborhood schools.

Q: Can I sign my child up at 2 CPS schools and decide later which one I will send them to?

A: No, you can only be registered at 1 CPS school at a time.  If Magnet school X calls to offer you a spot and you accept, you will be un-enrolled for next year at your current school.  Make sure you plan it out strategically.

Q: Is the gifted/classical testing accurate?

A: From what I’ve read, testing at the preK level can be a crapshoot, depending on your child’s mood that day.  I’ve heard that if a kid tests well, they probably really ARE very smart, but many smart kids won’t test well for a variety of reasons.  So there are many false negatives, but few false positives.   Testing before 1st grade is probably a bit more reliable since kids are less shy and less apt to be having a random meltdown the day of the test.

Q: What is on the Gifted/Classical tests?  How can they test kids so young?

A: That is one of the best-kept secrets in the city (in a city where not much is kept secret any more.)  For some reason the kids don’t talk afterwards and nobody in CPS will divulge any details.  My personal best guess is that the Gifted test is the Sanford-Binet (an IQ test,) but that is just speculation and I can’t find any samples of that test online anywhere.  I imagine that the Classical test is checking pre-reading and math skills since that is the emphasis of the curriculum.