Chicago Board of Education: 2026–27 Calendar, Meetings & Parent Help
Chicago Board of Education information is split across Board and Chicago Public Schools systems for meetings, agendas, public comment, school calendars, GoCPS, Aspen, enrollment, transportation, student records, special education and school-level governance.
This guide brings the high-use tasks together for August 2026 and the 2026–27 school year so families, employees and Chicago residents can find the correct office, deadline, document or meeting without repeatedly searching separate CPS pages.
Four Chicago school dates that matter right now
August 24
First day of school for CPS K–12 students.
August 25
First day for CPS Pre-K students.
August 27
Next regular Chicago Board of Education meeting.
September 9
2027–28 GoCPS applications open at 10:00 a.m.
Current waitlists are still relevant: 2026–27 GoCPS rolling waitlists remain active, so families should check existing applications while also preparing for the next application cycle.
Chicago Board of Education contacts and leadership
Leadership and district assignments are time-sensitive. Verify the current main biographies page before addressing formal correspondence.
Verify current Chicago Board member bios →Board vs CPS department vs Local School Council
| Question or problem | Best first route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Board vote, agenda or policy | Chicago Board of Education | District governance and Board action. |
| GoCPS application or waitlist | GoCPS / Access & Enrollment | Admissions system and selection process. |
| Grades or attendance | School / Aspen | Student-level academic information. |
| School bus or transportation | School / Student Transportation | Eligibility and routing are operational. |
| IEP or disability service | School team / OSD | Special-education procedures apply. |
| Student harassment or serious misconduct | Office of Student Protections | Dedicated protection/investigation route. |
| Principal or school-level budget | Local School Council | LSCs have defined school-level governance duties. |
| Statewide Illinois policy | Illinois State Board of Education | State-level rather than CPS district authority. |
August 27, 2026 Chicago Board of Education meeting
Do not wait until Thursday morning to register as a speaker. The regular meeting speaker window closes the day before the meeting.
Recheck the official Board planning calendar before registering or traveling because a meeting-specific notice controls if a date, time or procedure changes.
Verify the August Board meeting →Chicago Board and Agenda Review meeting dates
| Date | Meeting | Listed time |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 27 | Board Meeting | 10:30 a.m. |
| Sep. 9 | Agenda Review Committee | 10:30 a.m. |
| Sep. 24 | Board Meeting | 10:30 a.m. |
| Oct. 7 | Agenda Review Committee | 10:30 a.m. |
| Oct. 22 | Board Meeting | 10:30 a.m. |
| Dec. 2 | Consolidated November/December Agenda Review | 10:30 a.m. |
| Dec. 17 | Consolidated November/December Board Meeting | 10:30 a.m. |
November is unusual: the published schedule consolidates November and December activity into the December 2 and December 17 meetings instead of listing a normal November pair.
How Chicago Board public comment works
2 minutes
Each registered speaker receives two minutes under the current guidelines.
30 speakers
Up to 30 registered speakers are accommodated in the standard public-participation period.
60 minutes
The standard registered public-participation period is capped at 60 minutes.
100 observers
The current process provides 100 advance observer registration slots.
Use the meeting page because special, emergency or rescheduled meetings can have different registration dates.
Open current Chicago Board meeting resources →Agenda vs Board Actions vs policy vs FOIA
| You want to know… | Best source |
|---|---|
| What is scheduled for consideration? | Meeting agenda and supporting meeting documents. |
| What did the Board formally approve? | Board Actions / Agenda of Actions. |
| What is the current adopted district rule? | Board Policies and Rules database. |
| What happened during discussion? | Meeting video, proceedings and reference material. |
| How do I comment on a proposed policy? | Policy-specific public-comment process when open. |
| I need qualifying public CPS records | FOIA process. |
| I need my child’s transcript or IEP | Student-record route—not FOIA. |
Use the official policy database instead of relying on a search-result snippet or old PDF saved elsewhere.
Search Chicago Board policies and rules →Chicago’s hybrid elected-and-appointed Board
Chicago is in a transition period between its former appointed governance model and a fully elected school board.
Appointed component
The hybrid framework includes 11 mayor-appointed members, including the Board President.
Elected component
Ten members entered through the elected side of the current hybrid structure.
Next transition
The governance model continues moving toward a fully elected Board.
Current roster caution: the Board’s main biographies index currently displays fewer individual entries than the full statutory hybrid-seat count described on the site. Older individual biography pages can also preserve outdated officer titles. For formal outreach, use the live main Bios index rather than inferring a current vacancy or representative from an old page.
CPS Superintendent/CEO Dr. Macquline King
Current leader
Dr. Macquline King is the current Superintendent/CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
Current contract
Her three-year Superintendent/CEO contract became effective July 1, 2026.
Avoid older “interim” wording: search-indexed pages from earlier in 2026 may still reflect the leadership transition.
CPS first day, last day, quarters and school breaks
K–12 first day
Monday, August 24, 2026.
Pre-K first day
Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
K–12 last day
Friday, June 11, 2027.
Attendance days
176 student attendance days across 38 weeks.
Quarter ending dates
| Quarter | End date |
|---|---|
| Quarter 1 | October 23, 2026 |
| Quarter 2 | January 22, 2027 |
| Quarter 3 | April 2, 2027 |
| Quarter 4 | June 11, 2027 |
Progress reports, report cards and conferences
| Date | School event |
|---|---|
| September 24, 2026 | Progress reports distributed. |
| November 2, 2026 | Elementary/high-school parent-teacher conference day; student non-attendance. |
| December 11, 2026 | Progress reports distributed. |
| January 28, 2027 | Quarter 2 report cards distributed. |
| February 26, 2027 | Progress reports distributed. |
| April 12, 2027 | Elementary/high-school parent-teacher conference day; student non-attendance. |
| May 6, 2027 | Progress reports distributed. |
| June 11, 2027 | Quarter 4 report cards / final K–12 student day. |
Major holidays and recess periods
| Date | Calendar event |
|---|---|
| September 7, 2026 | Labor Day. |
| October 12, 2026 | Indigenous Peoples’ Day. |
| November 3, 2026 | General Election observance in lieu of Veterans Day. |
| November 26–27 | Thanksgiving holiday period. |
| December 21–January 1 | Winter Vacation. |
| January 18, 2027 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day. |
| February 15, 2027 | Presidents’ Day. |
| March 22–26, 2027 | Spring Vacation. |
| May 31, 2027 | Memorial Day. |
Emergency days: June 15–17 and June 21–22, 2027 are identified as emergency days to be used if needed. They should not automatically be treated as scheduled student-attendance days.
Graduation planning: the family calendar says high-school graduation ceremonies should be scheduled no earlier than May 28, 2027 and elementary ceremonies no earlier than June 7.
CPS provides the calendar in English/Spanish and additional translated versions, and now also posts planning resources for 2027–28.
Open the official CPS school calendar →Chicago CPS back-to-school checklist
2026–27 GoCPS rolling waitlists
Families with current applications should not assume the admissions cycle ended when initial offers were released.
Offer days
Programs reporting open seats can issue rolling offers every Tuesday and Friday by 10:00 a.m.
High school
High-school rolling waitlists remain active for the 2026–27 cycle.
Elementary
Elementary rolling waitlists also remain active.
Selective Enrollment
Selective Enrollment elementary and high-school waitlists close September 21, 2026.
Other waitlists continue later: the current GoCPS timeline says other elementary and high-school rolling waitlists continue into January 2027.
2027–28 GoCPS application timeline
| Milestone | Date / time |
|---|---|
| Applications open | September 9, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. |
| HSAT registration opens | September 9, 2026 |
| Non-CPS HSAT weekend | October 17–18, 2026 |
| Second non-CPS HSAT weekend | October 24–25, 2026 |
| Applications close | November 13, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. |
| Initial high-school offers | February 12, 2027 |
| Initial elementary offers | March 12, 2027 |
Grades 10–12 transfer exception: students seeking a transfer during grades 10, 11 or 12 generally do not use the standard GoCPS application process. Families should contact the desired high school directly about transfer criteria and seat availability.
Use the live GoCPS portal/timeline because waitlist position, program availability and application dates are time-sensitive.
Check current GoCPS admissions information →Neighborhood school vs application program
Neighborhood school
Use the official CPS school search/locator with the student’s Chicago home address.
GoCPS program
Use GoCPS for eligible magnet, choice, selective and other application-based programs.
Closest does not always mean assigned. Attendance boundaries and program rules—not map distance alone—determine neighborhood assignment or program eligibility.
Start from CPS’s official school finder rather than a real-estate or third-party school-zone site.
Find a Chicago Public School →Chicago enrollment document checklist
Guardian relationship
Bring an accepted record establishing the adult’s relationship or legal authority for the student.
Age / identity
Use an original/certified birth certificate, passport/visa or another CPS-accepted identity/age record.
Adult photo ID
Examples include current passport, Illinois driver’s license/state ID, employee ID or Chicago CityKey.
Two address proofs
CPS normally requires two accepted documents showing the permanent Chicago address.
Health records
Prepare applicable immunization, physical, vision and dental documentation.
Original/certified records
Check the specific CPS category before bringing only a photocopy.
Commonly accepted Chicago address records
No birth certificate on day one? CPS describes an Illinois Missing Children Records Act process that can allow other acceptable age/identity documentation plus the required affidavit, with the applicable documentation supplied within 30 days instead of automatically ending the enrollment attempt.
Review the current official list before visiting because accepted documentation rules can change.
Review CPS enrollment requirements →Important CPS medical deadlines
| Requirement | Commonly affected students | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Immunizations | Students subject to Illinois/CPS requirements | October 15 |
| Physical examination | Pre-K, K/1st, 6th, 9th and first-time Illinois school entrants | October 15 |
| Vision examination | Kindergarten and first-time Illinois school entrants | October 15 |
| Dental examination | Kindergarten, 2nd, 6th and 9th grades | May 15 |
Medical exceptions are individual. Contact the school nurse for exemption, accommodation or medical-plan questions instead of relying solely on this checklist.
What Aspen does—and what families still need from the school
Aspen can include
- Current grades
- Assignments and due dates
- Attendance
- E-Absence
- Teacher communication
- Notifications
- Online payments
- GPA information
- Schedules
- High-school graduation progress
Aspen does not replace
- School announcements
- Elementary cumulative cards
- Official high-school transcripts
- Official progress reports
- Official report cards
Aspen troubleshooting
Start from CPS’s official Parent and Student Portal help page.
Open CPS Aspen support →Yellow bus, Hub Stops, Ventra and transportation requests
New or changed service
Families requesting transportation or a transportation change should complete the current CPS Application for Transportation.
Hub Stop Pilot
The pilot continues, but CPS says 2026–27 Hub Stop service will begin later in the school year rather than at the first day of classes.
CTA Ventra support
Qualifying general-education magnet/Selective Enrollment students can receive Ventra support valued at $35 per month, with a companion pass for one parent/guardian when applicable.
Qualifying does not always guarantee a yellow-bus seat. CPS continues to manage bus-driver capacity, and individual transportation status should be confirmed through the student’s school.
Transportation Financial Incentive Program
CPS also maintains a transportation financial-incentive route for certain students with disabilities when district transportation is not readily available.
Use the current CPS transportation page for service requests, eligibility, Hub Stops and updates.
Check CPS transportation services →CPS breakfast, lunch, menus and allergy support
Breakfast
Free nutritionally balanced breakfast is available to CPS students.
Lunch
Free lunch is available to CPS students.
Snacks
Applicable school programs also receive snack service.
Vegetarian
CPS says vegetarian choices are available daily at breakfast and lunch.
Use CPS Food Services instead of a cached school-menu screenshot.
Open CPS school meals and nutrition →How to request Chicago Public Schools student records
| Situation | Best route |
|---|---|
| Current student | Contact the student’s school/counselor for transcript or relevant student records. |
| Recent high-school graduate/withdrawal | For certain records within five years, CPS directs the former student to the former high school. |
| Older former student | Use CPS Former Student Records. |
| Public district record | Use FOIA when the record is a qualifying public CPS record rather than a private student file. |
Former Student Records practical details
$3 fee
The current former-student process lists a $3 non-refundable fee per record request.
Business days
CPS says to allow roughly 7–10 business days after the request is received, plus mail time.
No walk-in
The Former Student Records office does not offer walk-in request service.
No expedited return
CPS does not provide same-day or expedited former-student record processing.
Do not use FOIA to request your child’s normal private education record. Student records have their own privacy and disclosure process.
Review CPS’s current record instructions before paying or mailing anything.
Open CPS student-record resources →How long can CPS retain student records?
| Record type | Minimum retention described by CPS |
|---|---|
| Permanent student records | At least 82 years after the student’s date of birth. |
| Temporary special-education / immunization records | 27 years after date of birth. |
| High-school temporary records | 27 years after date of birth. |
| Elementary temporary records | 21 years after date of birth. |
CPS IEP and special-education escalation path
Teacher or service provider
Begin with the person closest to the student’s daily instruction or service when appropriate.
Case Manager
Use the Case Manager for IEP implementation, evaluation and service coordination concerns.
Principal / assistant principal
Escalate unresolved school-level implementation concerns.
Special Education Coordinator
Use the school/district special-education support structure when additional intervention is needed.
Office for Students with Disabilities
Contact OSD for district-level special-education assistance and process guidance.
Formal resolution routes: depending on the dispute, families may have access to facilitation, mediation, due process or state complaint procedures. Those are separate from simply speaking during Board public comment.
Use CPS’s current special-education portal for school-specific support, rights and process information.
Open CPS special-education resources →Reporting harassment, discrimination or serious misconduct
The Office of Student Protections provides a dedicated route for serious student-related allegations that should not wait for a future Board meeting.
Office of Student Protections
Handles allegations within its scope involving discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, retaliation, bias-based harm and certain staff-to-student misconduct.
Inspector General
Some adult-to-student or employee misconduct concerns may also involve the CPS OIG reporting route.
Immediate danger: a Board meeting, complaint form or administrative email is not an emergency-response system. Use the appropriate emergency channel if there is an immediate safety threat.
Use CPS’s Office of Student Protections page for current reporting categories and procedures.
Open Office of Student Protections resources →When your Local School Council is more useful than the central Board
School funds
LSCs have responsibilities concerning how school-level funds and resources are allocated.
School improvement
LSCs participate in development and monitoring of the school’s Continuous Improvement Work Plan.
Principal
At applicable CPS schools, LSC responsibilities include evaluating and selecting the contract principal.
Current term: the 2026–28 Local School Council term was inaugurated in summer 2026, and CPS continues to publish information about open seats and council participation.
Use CPS LSC resources to find council information, responsibilities and participation guidance.
Open CPS Local School Council information →Need CPS help in another language or after schooling abroad?
Language access
Families can ask their school for translated school information or interpretation support when available through CPS language-access services.
International newcomer
Students arriving after schooling outside the United States can require specialized enrollment, credit or English-learner support.
Foreign high-school credits
A high-school newcomer with foreign coursework may need a foreign-credential evaluation so prior credits can be reviewed appropriately.
Not sure which CPS department you need? The Parent Support Center is a useful routing option when the problem does not clearly fit Board meetings, admissions, transportation or another department listed above.
Chicago Public Schools approved FY27 budget: $10.11 billion
CPS updated its FY2027 budget page in August after the Board adopted an amendment immediately before approving the final spending plan.
$10.11B
Current Board-approved FY2027 total.
$150M amendment
The Board amendment increased the revised $9.96 billion proposal by $150 million.
$143M
CPS says direct school funding increases by $143 million compared with the prior year.
Funding risk
CPS warns mid-year reductions could be required if assumed external funding is not received.
Ignore earlier $9.88B or $9.96B headlines when describing the final adopted budget. Those numbers reflect earlier stages of the FY27 development process. The current approved total published by CPS is $10.11 billion.
Our separate article focuses specifically on Chicago Board budget documents, figures and process.
Read the Chicago Board of Education budget guide →Use the latest official CPS FY2027 budget page when quoting formal financial figures.
Open official CPS FY2027 budget documents →When you need the Illinois State Board of Education instead
Chicago Board / CPS
Chicago district governance, Board meetings, CPS enrollment, local transportation, school operations and Chicago policies.
Illinois State Board
Statewide education policy, state standards, educator licensure, accountability and Illinois-wide oversight.
Use the separate state-level guide rather than mixing CPS rules with Illinois statewide requirements.
Read the Illinois State Board of Education guide →Chicago CPS troubleshooting guide
🎤 I waited until Board meeting day
Fix: regular-meeting speaker registration normally closes the morning before the meeting.
📅 I saved the 2025–26 calendar
Fix: use the 2026–27 calendar beginning August 24 for K–12.
📝 I thought GoCPS was finished
Fix: current rolling waitlists remain active, while 2027–28 applications open September 9.
🏠 I only have one address proof
Fix: normal first-time CPS enrollment requires two accepted permanent-address records.
📄 My report card is not in Aspen
Fix: Aspen does not replace the school’s official report-card/transcript process.
🚌 My child qualified but has no bus route
Fix: confirm actual school-level status; driver capacity and alternative Ventra/Hub Stop arrangements can matter.
🎓 I need an old transcript today
Fix: Former Student Records has no walk-in or same-day service; current processing guidance says 7–10 business days plus mailing.
♿ My IEP issue remains unresolved
Fix: move through Case Manager, school leadership, SEC and OSD as appropriate.
🛡️ I want to report serious misconduct
Fix: use the Office of Student Protections rather than waiting for Board public comment.
🏘️ My issue is only about one school’s principal
Fix: determine whether the Local School Council has the relevant school-level authority.
💵 I found a $9.96B FY27 budget article
Fix: the current Board-approved FY27 CPS budget is $10.11 billion after the Board amendment.
🏛️ I need a statewide Illinois rule
Fix: use ISBE rather than assuming the Chicago Board controls statewide policy.
Where should you start?
| You need | Start here | Have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Board speaker registration | Board meeting registration | Meeting date + contact information |
| GoCPS waitlist | GoCPS | Student/application information |
| Neighborhood school | CPS School Finder | Exact home address |
| Aspen account | Student’s school | Parent email/contact record |
| Transportation | School / Student Transportation | School, grade, address and applicable IEP/504 information |
| Former transcript | Former Student Records | Former name, DOB, school and attendance years |
| IEP concern | Case Manager / OSD | Specific service or implementation issue |
| Student-protection complaint | OSP | Incident dates, people involved and communications |
| School principal/budget governance | Local School Council | School name and issue |
Chicago Board of Education FAQs
When is the next Chicago Board of Education meeting?
As of August 14, 2026, the next listed regular Board meeting is Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at the CPS Loop Office, 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level Board Room. Check the official planning calendar again before attending.
How long can I speak at a Chicago Board meeting?
The current public-participation guidelines provide two minutes for each registered speaker. The standard registered speaker period accommodates up to 30 speakers within 60 minutes, with a lottery used when more people register than available slots.
When does Chicago Public Schools start in 2026–27?
K–12 students start Monday, August 24, 2026. Pre-K starts Tuesday, August 25. The final K–12 student day is Friday, June 11, 2027.
When are CPS winter and spring breaks in 2026–27?
Winter Vacation is scheduled for December 21, 2026 through January 1, 2027. Spring Vacation is March 22–26, 2027.
Are GoCPS waitlists still open in August 2026?
Yes. Current elementary and high-school rolling waitlists remain active. Programs reporting open seats can issue offers on Tuesdays and Fridays. Selective Enrollment elementary and high-school waitlists are scheduled to close September 21, 2026.
When do 2027–28 GoCPS applications open?
The current schedule says applications open Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. and close Friday, November 13, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
How many address documents are needed for CPS enrollment?
CPS normally requires two accepted documents showing the student’s permanent Chicago address, along with the applicable guardian, student identity/age, adult photo identification and health documentation.
How much does a former CPS student record request cost?
The current Former Student Records process lists a $3 non-refundable fee per record request. CPS says to allow about 7–10 business days after receipt plus mailing time and does not offer walk-in or same-day expedited service.
Who should I contact about an unresolved CPS IEP problem?
Start with the teacher/service provider or Case Manager when appropriate, then school leadership and the Special Education Coordinator. District-level support is available through the Office for Students with Disabilities at 773-553-1800.
What is the approved CPS FY2027 budget?
CPS’s current FY2027 budget page states that the Board-approved FY27 budget totals $10.11 billion after a $150 million amendment to the revised $9.96 billion proposal.
Final Chicago school verification checklist
Recheck current status
Board meetings, GoCPS waitlists, transportation and admissions deadlines can change.
Use the right authority
Choose the Chicago Board, CPS department, school, Local School Council or ISBE based on the actual task.
Protect student data
Do not upload Aspen credentials, student IDs, medical records or IEP documents to an unofficial website.
Audit scope: this guide was refreshed using the current Chicago Board planning calendar, public-participation guidance, Board Bios, meeting/action and policy resources; the verified CPS 2026–27 family calendar; current GoCPS waitlists and 2027–28 application timeline; CPS enrollment requirements; Aspen; transportation; school meals; student records; Office for Students with Disabilities; Office of Student Protections; Local School Councils; newcomer/family support resources and the updated FY2027 approved budget.
Independent-site notice: BoardofEducations.org is an informational guide and is not Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Board of Education, a Local School Council or the Illinois State Board of Education. Current official notices, Board actions, policies, admissions decisions, transportation decisions and student records take priority.