Chicago Public Schools Enrollment Decline

Preliminary data indicates that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) enrollment has fallen even more sharply than last year.

According to an analysis by Chalkbeat, which looked at district registration data before the official release on September 15, there’s a noticeable decrease in both English learners and Black students among the enrollments.

Interestingly, CPS has yet to finalize registrations for the 2025-2026 school year.

While the district chose not to comment on these preliminary figures, they did emphasize that the 20th day of school—September 15—will serve as a key marker for enrollment assessments.

It’s worth mentioning that CPS has seen a 4% drop in enrollment since last year, bringing the current total to just over 313,000 students, which is the lowest number recorded so far.

Recent findings reveal that around 150 schools are operating with low enrollment. In fact, reports indicate that 47 schools are running with less than one-third of their capacity. This has led to increased costs and a reduction in available course offerings.

Amid this registration crisis, some school districts are turning to consultants for help in attracting students.

Looking at long-term trends, CPS has lost about 70,000 students over the last decade. The number of students with special needs, however, has seen a rise during this period.

Factors contributing to this decline include lower birth rates, global migration patterns, and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, more families are seeking alternatives to traditional public education, with a noticeable uptick in homeschooling and other educational options.

In fact, since the pandemic, there’s been a discernible shift among parents towards homeschooling, indicating a growing trend away from public schools. Arizona was the first state to implement universal school choice with a substantial funding program aimed at offering parents more educational options.