The third-largest school system in the United States, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is led by the seven-member Chicago Board of Education, appointed by the mayor. Arne Duncan is the system's chief executive officer. The Chicago Teachers Union, Local 1 of the American Federation of Teachers, represents more than 37,000 prekindergarten–12th grade teachers and paraprofessionals.
Schools
Chicago Public Schools comprises 613 schools. In 2005, 47.5 percent of the schools were reported making adequate yearly progress under the definitions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Eighty percent of Chicago's schools qualify for Title I funding.
Elementary Schools: 486
- 415 traditional elementary schools
- 42 magnet schools
- 18 middle schools
- 11 special schools
High Schools: 107
- 49 general/technical schools
- 15 small schools
- 14 magnet schools
- 8 achievement academies
- 8 special schools
- 6 vocational schools
- 3 military academies
- 4 alternative schools
Charter Schools: 20
- 12 elementary schools
- 8 high schools
Funding
The operating budget for the 2005 fiscal year totals $4.047 billion, or $8,786 per student.
Funding Sources
Students
Chicago Public Schools served 426,812 students in the 2004–05 school year, approximately 20 percent of all Illinois public school students. Slightly more than 85 percent of students live in low-income households, and 14 percent have limited English language proficiency. The systemwide attendance rate is 92 percent. The high school graduation rate is 70.7 percent.
Student Distribution
Student Ethnicity
Staffing
CPS employed 45,792 people in 2004–05, including 598 principals and 26,719 teachers. The 2003–04 student/teacher ratio was 22.7/1 in elementary schools and 19.6/1 in high schools.
CPS boasts 414 teachers who have earned National Board Certification. The average Chicago teacher earns $62,985 per year and has 13.4 years of teaching experience. Slightly more than half hold advanced degrees. The average administrator salary is $100,715.
