Chicago Public Schools Prepares for Aug. 24 Return With Expanded Special Education, Early Learning and Student Support Programs (Chicago, IL) – Chicago Public Schools is preparing to welcome approximately 315,000 students for the 2026-27 school year on Monday, Aug. 24, with district officials highlighting lower teacher vacancies, expanded special education staffing, new multilingual programs and continued investments in school facilities and student support.
Among the educators preparing for the first day are two CPS employees whose careers have taken a new turn. Burnetta Cox, who previously worked as a special education classroom assistant, will welcome her first kindergarten class as a teacher at Paul Revere Elementary School. Edward Gardner, a longtime special education classroom assistant and recent Roosevelt University graduate, will begin his first year as a special education teacher at Burnham Math and Science in South Deering.
CPS says both educators participated in district talent pipeline programs designed to help support employees moving into teaching positions. The district is hiring nearly 1,000 additional teachers and Special Education Classroom Assistants, or SECAs, this school year as part of an effort to align staffing with students’ documented needs.
The district is entering the school year with a 2% overall teacher vacancy rate, down from 4.4% in 2024. Special education teacher vacancies have also fallen sharply, from nearly 6% in 2024 to approximately 2.1%, while SECA vacancies have declined from 7.3% to 2.9%. CPS also reports that 54% of its new teachers are Black or Latinx, up from 51% last year and 33% in 2017.
Mayor Brandon Johnson and CPS CEO and Superintendent Dr. Macquline King are scheduled to visit schools on the first day, beginning at George Leland Elementary STEM Elementary School. Johnson said Chicago families should expect schools to provide welcoming and supportive environments as students begin the new academic year.
The district is also expanding several programs focused on academic preparation and student well-being. Priorities for the coming year include early childhood education, multilingual learning, special education and Whole School Safety initiatives, along with wraparound services addressing academic and socio-emotional needs.
Early learning and language programs expand
CPS offered summer transition programs to help younger students become familiar with school before the first day. Kick Off to Kindergarten and Preview to Pre-K served 2,700 students at more than 90 schools. Kindergarten begins Aug. 24, while pre-kindergarten classes begin Aug. 25.
The district offers free, full-day preschool for all four-year-olds and some free half-day programs for three-year-olds. CPS reports that nearly 98% of its preschools meet the state’s Gold or Silver Circle of Quality standards.
CPS is also expanding its bilingual and multilingual offerings. Three new Dual Language Education programs in Spanish and English will be added, along with three World Language Education programs offering Spanish at William H. Ray Elementary and Beulah Shoesmith Elementary and Mandarin at John A. Walsh Elementary. The additions bring CPS to more than 254 schools offering World Language Education and 46 offering Dual Language Education.
Special education remains a major focus
Special education continues to be one of the district’s largest staffing priorities. Since a new staffing formula was introduced in 2024, CPS says it has added nearly 800 special education teachers, more than 2,700 classroom assistants, more than 120 case managers and more than 100 clinicians.
The district says the staffing model uses current Individualized Education Program data to determine where personnel are needed rather than relying on older staffing patterns. CPS has also established retention pools for special education teachers and SECAs affected by school-level staffing adjustments.
Academics and college preparation
CPS is continuing to emphasize daily attendance and strong instruction in literacy, mathematics and science under its Success 2029 strategic plan. The district says schools will focus on foundational reading skills, targeted academic support and strategic use of technology while strengthening mathematical reasoning and early access to algebra.
College and career preparation will also receive increased attention. Nearly 60% of the district’s 2026 graduates showed evidence of earning early college credits or credentials. CPS plans to expand access to advanced coursework and career credentials and provide families with clearer guidance about academic and career pathways.
Safety, transportation and school improvements
Whole School Safety will begin its broader implementation this school year. The framework emphasizes trauma-informed care, restorative justice, emotional support and trusted relationships rather than relying primarily on traditional school security approaches.
Schools will establish local Whole School Safety committees, assess the causes of safety concerns, create school-specific plans and bring those plans before Local School Councils for feedback and approval.
Transportation remains another major operational challenge. CPS expects to provide yellow bus service to approximately 5% of its students who qualify under state and district guidelines. Amid a nationwide shortage of bus drivers, the district is continuing its Hub Stop Program for eligible general education students, using 17 centralized pickup locations to preserve service while reducing underused routes.
The district also completed 192 capital projects during the summer, including work involving roofing, flooring, safety, solar installations and accessibility improvements. CPS’ fiscal 2027 capital budget totals $600.4 million, against nearly $4 billion in identified critical capital needs.
Additional work included deep-cleaning 47,532 spaces and renovations to 22 athletic facilities, schoolyards and gardens. Students at Beasley Magnet Academic Center will have access to a renovated swimming pool for the first time in six school years, while Sullivan High School is also scheduled to reopen its pool during the new school year.
Meals and community support
CPS will continue providing free school meals while meeting nutrition standards that include whole grains, daily fruits and vegetables and limits on added sugar and salt. The district also provides meals that meet halal and kosher requirements.
Community engagement around school nutrition is expected to expand through the relaunch of the School Food Advisory Council and student tasting events. CPS also plans to increase the number of school share tables and explore ways to reduce single-use plastics.
Through the Children First Fund, the district is working with corporate, philanthropic and community partners to provide items and services such as backpacks, school supplies, hygiene products and school improvements.
With students returning Aug. 24, CPS officials are presenting the new school year as an opportunity to build on recent staffing gains while expanding academic, language, special education, safety and community-support programs across the district.
Chicago Public Schools Prepares for Aug. 24 Return With Expanded Special Education, Early Learning and Student Support Programs
