Official Chicago Board of Education Links for CPS Calendar, Meetings, Office Hours & Public Comment
Use this mobile-friendly guide to reach the correct Chicago Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools pages for school calendars, board meetings, agendas, public comment registration, board office contact, school search, enrollment, transportation, student records, GoCPS, and parent support.
Choose your Chicago school task and open the right official page
Select the task closest to what you need. CPS and the Chicago Board of Education use different official pages for academic calendars, board meetings, public participation, board member office hours, school search, GoCPS, transportation, and records.
๐ CPS calendar & school-year planning
Fast answer: official Chicago school pages parents usually need first
The official Chicago Public Schools website is Open CPS.edu. The official Chicago Board of Education website is Open CPSBOE.org. Use CPS.edu for the district calendar, school search, GoCPS, enrollment, transportation, student records, parent portal, school profiles, services, and department directory. Use CPSBOE.org for board meetings, public comment registration, planning calendar, board bios, committees, policies, office hours with board members, and board contact help.
The Chicago Board of Education address listed on the Board website is 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level, Chicago, IL 60602, with phone 773-553-1600. CPS general information phone is 773-553-1000. Do not mix these two numbers: board meeting questions should go to the Board Office, while general school and CPS service questions often go through CPS departments or the studentโs school.
๐ Need school dates?
Use the CPS District Calendar page for family calendars, staff calendars, holidays, no-school days, and school-year downloads.
๐๏ธ Need board meetings?
Use the Chicago Board of Education meetings page for meeting dates, agenda review, speaker registration, videos, and past actions.
๐ซ Need a school?
Use CPS School Locator, School Profiles, and GoCPS before calling a random office or using an old map.
๐ Need records?
Use Student Records and Transcripts or Former Student Records. Do not send private records through unofficial pages.
Official source check before using any Chicago BOE detail
Publish-ready as of: May 7, 2026. The official CPS District Calendar page, CPS Board Office page, Chicago Board of Education website, Board Meetings page, Planning Calendar, Public Participation Guidelines, Board Bios, Office Hours page, Contact page, School Locator, School Profiles, GoCPS, Apply and Enroll, Student Transportation Services, Student Records and Transcripts, Former Student Records, Department Directory, and CPS Services and Supports pages were checked for this article.
Use this article as a practical navigation guide. Chicago school information can change because of Board action, meeting notices, public agenda postings, school-year calendar revisions, severe weather, GoCPS deadlines, transportation changes, office updates, new leadership decisions, and student-record processing rules.
Chicago Board of Education contact, calendar and meeting facts
These fast facts help families, students, staff, and residents avoid the most common problem: using the wrong CPS or Board page for the task.
๐๏ธ Board website
๐ซ District website
๐ Board address
42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level, Chicago, IL 60602.
โ๏ธ Board phone
773-553-1600.
โ๏ธ CPS general phone
773-553-1000.
๐ School calendar
CPS posts 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028 calendar downloads.
๐๏ธ Meeting rhythm
Agenda Review Committee meetings are generally second Wednesday; Board meetings are generally fourth Thursday, unless noted.
๐๏ธ Public comment
Advance registration windows open before meetings and may use a lottery when demand is high.
Jump to the Chicago school help section you need
Where to get CPS calendar PDFs, staff calendars and live school events
The official Open CPS District Calendar page is the correct place to check school-year calendars. CPS posts family calendar downloads and staff calendar downloads by school year. The page currently includes 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028 school year calendar sections.
Use the calendar page for no-class days, parent-teacher conference dates, holidays, spring break, professional development days, school events, and Board of Education event filters. If your question is school-specific, also open the individual school profile or school website because a campus may post its own events, orientations, graduation events, testing reminders, or family nights.
Do not plan from Google snippets or old downloads. CPS calendars can be adopted, revised, translated, or replaced. Always confirm the school year and language before saving dates, booking travel, arranging childcare, or planning around parent-teacher conferences.
๐ Family calendars
Use official CPS family calendar downloads for student-facing school-year planning.
๐ฉโ๐ซ Staff calendars
Staff calendars can differ from family calendars. Use the correct calendar for the correct audience.
๐ Translated calendars
CPS calendar downloads may be available in multiple languages such as English, Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, and Urdu depending on the year.
โ ๏ธ Recheck before planning
Weather, Board action, emergency closures, and updated calendar files can affect school operations.
How to check Chicago board meeting dates, agendas, videos and notices
The official Open Chicago Board Meetings Page is the main page for upcoming meetings. The Board website says Agenda Review Committee meetings are generally held monthly on the second Wednesday, and Board meetings are generally held monthly on the fourth Thursday, unless otherwise noted.
The official planning calendar lists meetings at the CPS Loop Office, 42 W. Madison Street, Chicago, IL 60602, Garden Level Board Room. As of the checked planning calendar, upcoming examples include May 13, 2026 Agenda Review Committee meeting at 10:30 a.m., May 28, 2026 Board Meeting at 3:30 p.m., June 10, 2026 Agenda Review Committee meeting at 10:30 a.m., June 25, 2026 Board Meeting at 10:30 a.m., July 8, 2026 Agenda Review Committee meeting at 10:30 a.m., and July 23, 2026 Board Meeting at 10:30 a.m.
Meeting pages can include public agenda postings, past meeting videos, actions, proceedings, presentations, public comment instructions, and planning calendar updates. The responsible move is to open the meeting page on the same week you plan to attend because meeting time, location, registration windows, and posted materials may change.
Open the meetings page
Start from the official Board Meetings page, not an old PDF, screenshot, or shared event card.
Check the meeting type
Confirm whether it is a Board Meeting, Agenda Review Committee meeting, public hearing, special meeting, or committee meeting.
Confirm date, time and location
Most listed meetings use the CPS Loop Office at 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level Board Room, but always check the specific posting.
Register before the deadline
Speaker and observer registration windows are strict. Missing the window can mean you cannot speak or attend in person.
Speaker registration, observer registration and written comments
The official public participation rules are not casual. For Agenda Review Committee meetings, advance speaker registration opens the Monday before the meeting at 10:30 a.m. and closes Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Observer registration opens Monday at 10:30 a.m. and closes Tuesday at 5:00 p.m., or when slots are filled unless otherwise noted.
For Board meetings, advance speaker registration opens the Tuesday before the meeting at 10:30 a.m. and closes Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Observer registration opens Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. and closes Wednesday at 5:00 p.m., or when observer slots are filled. Registration can be done online through the Board website or by phone at 773-553-1600.
The Board says a lottery randomly selects a set number of speakers when more people register than available speaker slots. Public participation is limited to no more than 30 speakers for 60 minutes during Agenda Review Committee meetings and Board meetings. Individuals may not speak at back-to-back meetings and more than one meeting per month under the official guidelines.
Written comments may be submitted through the Board website or mailed to 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level. Comments received during the official window are submitted to the Board and posted within the stated posting timeline.
๐๏ธ Board meeting speakers
Register Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to Wednesday 10:30 a.m. before a Board meeting, unless otherwise posted.
๐ Board meeting observers
Register Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to Wednesday 5:00 p.m., or until observer slots are filled.
๐ฒ Lottery process
If more people register than available slots, a lottery randomly selects a set number of speakers.
โ ๏ธ Speaking limits
The Board limits public participation to a set number of speakers and total time. Prepare short comments.
Public comment warning: Do not wait until meeting day. Registration windows can close before the meeting, observer slots can fill, and speaker selection may be handled by lottery.
Chicago Board Office phone, address and when to use it
The CPS Board Office page lists the Board Office at 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level, Chicago, IL 60602, with phone 773-553-1600. The page says the Board Office supports Chicago Board of Education members by increasing capacity to govern CPS, increasing public access and engagement, strengthening transparency of CPS policies, operations, and initiatives, and handling administrative responsibilities of the Board Office.
The Board Office is responsible for administering Board meetings, releasing meeting agendas, registering speakers and attendees, recording meeting proceedings, logging Board actions, hosting Board member office hours, maintaining Board rules and policies, maintaining the CPS archive, processing contracts and legal instruments, and supporting public-facing Board services.
โ Contact Board Office for
Board meetings, public participation, agenda questions, board rules, policies, board actions, office hours, and Board contact direction.
๐ซ Contact CPS or school for
Enrollment, attendance, school-specific concerns, teacher contact, grades, transportation eligibility, student records, meals, and student services.
โ๏ธ Board phone
773-553-1600 for Chicago Board of Education questions and concerns.
โ๏ธ CPS general phone
773-553-1000 for general Chicago Public Schools information.
Board member office hours and one-on-one meeting requests
The Chicago Board website uses โoffice hoursโ to refer to the ability to request time to connect with a Board of Education member one-on-one. This is different from a simple building walk-in schedule. If you are searching โChicago Board of Education office hours,โ do not assume it means every person can walk into the Board Office at any time and speak to a board member.
Use the official Open Board Office Hours Page for board member office-hour access and the official contact page for questions. If your concern is school enrollment, student records, special education, employee verification, HR, payroll, benefits, or school-related support, the Board office hours page points users toward those specific help categories.
Practical tip: If your issue is urgent and student-specific, start with the school, CPS service department, or appropriate CPS help page. Board member office hours are useful for governance, community concerns, and board-level communication, not every same-day school operation issue.
Chicago Board members, hybrid board structure and elected transition
The official Board Bios page says the Chicago Board of Education inducted 20 members into its new hybrid Board on January 15, 2025, creating the largest governing body for a public school system in the United States. It also says an additional appointed member was inducted on February 27, 2025.
The Board consists of 11 members, including the Board President, appointed by the mayor and 10 elected members representing individual districts. The Board will transition to a fully elected governing model in 2027. Until then, current hybrid Board Members volunteer their time and services and serve two-year terms.
The current Board Bios page lists Sean B. Harden as President and Dr. Angel L. Velez as Vice President. It also lists members by districts, including Ed Bannon, Jennifer Custer, Ebony DeBerry, Debby Pope, Norma Rios-Sierra, Carlos A. Rivas Jr., Karen Zaccor, Ellen Rosenfeld, Jitu Brown, Michilla Blaise, Anusha Thotakura, Jessica Biggs, Emma Lozano, Yesenia Lopez, Angel Gutierrez, Cydney Wallace, Therese Boyle, and Dr. Che โRhymefestโ Smith.
๐ค President
Sean B. Harden is listed as Board President on the official Board Bios page.
๐ฅ Vice President
Dr. Angel L. Velez is listed as Vice President.
๐ณ๏ธ Hybrid board
The Board includes mayor-appointed members and elected district members during the transition period.
๐ Fully elected transition
The Board is scheduled to transition to a fully elected governing model in 2027.
Chicago Board committees, advisory groups and public transparency
The Chicago Board website has a committee section for public-facing committee information. The committee page explains that the Board announced the creation of the Special Education Advisory Committee as part of its commitment to increased transparency and public engagement. The committee is meant to listen to and prioritize the needs of the special education community.
The page lists the Special Education Advisory Committee contact email as boeseac@cps.edu. The Board home page also references the Black Student Achievement Committee and Special Education Advisory Committee application process. Committee details can change, so open the official committee page before relying on a meeting date, email, membership list, or public participation process.
โฟ Special Education Advisory Committee
Designed to listen to and prioritize needs of the special education community.
๐ฌ Committee contact
SEAC contact is listed as boeseac@cps.edu on the Board committee page.
๐ Past meetings
Use the committee page for past meeting notes, transcripts, presentations, and planning calendar links when available.
โ ๏ธ Recheck updates
Committee membership, calendars, and advisory processes can change.
Use CPS School Locator and School Profiles before choosing a campus
The official Open CPS School Locator lets users enter a school name or address to find schools. The tool can also search around a userโs current location when location access is allowed. This is useful for families checking neighborhood schools, nearby campuses, and school options.
The official Open CPS School Profiles page says users can explore profiles for more than 600 CPS schools, including programs, admissions, student outcomes, and more. Use profiles before comparing schools because each school can have different programs, eligibility rules, admissions details, grade ranges, contact information, and student support resources.
๐ Search by address
Use the School Locator to search by home address or current location.
๐ซ Search by school name
Use the school name field to find a specific CPS school profile and location.
๐ Compare profiles
Use School Profiles for programs, admissions, outcomes, and school-specific information.
โ ๏ธ Boundaries matter
A nearby school is not always the assigned or available option. Use official CPS tools.
GoCPS applications, school programs and enrollment help
Open GoCPS for exploring and applying to elementary and high school programs across Chicago. The GoCPS page says the CPS School Search tool lets users filter, find, and compare GoCPS programs by location, academic focus, and more. School profile pages include eligibility and selection criteria for programs offered.
The CPS Apply and Enroll page is the right starting point for enrollment and transfer questions. All school-age children who live in Chicago are eligible for enrollment in Chicago Public Schools, but the process can differ depending on grade level, neighborhood school, program type, selective enrollment, charter school, disability accommodations, multilingual support, or transfer situation.
Families should use current-year GoCPS deadlines. Application dates, testing requirements, ranking rules, waitlists, appeals, and offer acceptance windows change by school year. Do not reuse old deadline screenshots.
๐ Explore programs
Use GoCPS School Search for elementary and high school program options.
๐งพ Apply correctly
Use current-year GoCPS instructions for applications, ranking, testing, results, and offers.
โฟ Students with disabilities
Special education and accommodations can affect enrollment support. Use official CPS support contacts.
๐ Multilingual support
CPS provides multilingual and newcomer support resources through official CPS pages.
CPS transportation services, eligibility, hub stops and Ventra help
The official Student Transportation Services department page lists phone 773-553-2860, fax 773-553-2861, and address 42 W. Madison St., Chicago, IL 60602. The department provides safe and efficient school bus transportation for eligible students under federal, state, local, and Chicago Board of Education rules.
CPS transportation eligibility is student-specific. The transportation services page says families should contact the studentโs school to find out about eligibility. For questions or concerns about Hub Stops, Ventra Cards, or general transportation matters, CPS lists Student Transportation at 773-553-2860 or transoptions@cps.edu.
๐ Transportation phone
773-553-2860 for Student Transportation Services.
๐ซ Start with school
For eligibility, contact the studentโs school first.
๐ณ Hub Stops and Ventra
Use Student Transportation contacts for Hub Stops, Ventra Cards, and general transportation questions.
โ ๏ธ Eligibility varies
Do not assume bus service based only on distance or neighborhood. CPS eligibility rules apply.
CPS student records, transcripts and former student requests
Use the official Open Student Records and Transcripts Page for transcript and permanent student record guidance. Former CPS elementary or high school students can also use the Former Student Records office for transcript and record support.
The Office of Former Student Records lists phone 773-535-4110, fax 773-535-4112, email fsrecordsco@cps.edu, and address 3532 W. 47th Place, Chicago, IL 60632. Third-party verification requests may need to be submitted online and paid by credit or debit card through the official process.
Student records involve sensitive information. Do not upload transcripts, DACA records, identification documents, student IDs, or payment information to pages that are not officially linked from CPS.
๐ Former student records
Use CPS Former Student Records for former elementary or high school transcript support.
๐ Current students
Current students should often begin with their school office or counselor for transcript direction.
๐ณ Verification requests
Third-party verification may involve the official online paid request process.
๐ Privacy warning
Never send private student records through unofficial websites or random email addresses.
Parent portal, services, special education, meals and department help
The CPS Services and Supports page groups important family resources such as transportation, school meals and nutrition, special education, crisis support, student records and transcripts, parent engagement, back to school, Aspen Parent and Student Portal, homeschooling, international-newcomer student services, safe haven programs, and weather guidelines.
The Apply and Enroll page lists specialized contacts for students with disabilities, multilingual and multicultural education, and international student services. If your question is specific to a childโs IEP, transportation eligibility, school assignment, language support, or student portal access, start with the studentโs school and the official CPS service page, not the Board meeting page.
๐ฑ Aspen Parent Portal
Use official CPS links for grades, attendance, student information, and portal-related support.
โฟ Special education
Use official CPS Office for Students with Disabilities resources and school-level support.
๐ฝ๏ธ Meals and nutrition
Use CPS services pages for meal and nutrition information instead of unofficial menu copies.
๐ Newcomer support
Use CPS multilingual and newcomer services for students arriving from abroad or multilingual households.
What Chicago school information is free and what may require payment
Most basic Chicago Board of Education and CPS information should be free to view. You should not pay a third-party site to see the CPS school calendar, Board meeting schedule, Board office address, public meeting registration instructions, school locator, school profiles, GoCPS overview, public policies, board bios, board office contact details, or official department directory.
Some actions may involve official fees, accounts, or payment systems. Examples may include third-party record verification, transcript processing, school activity payments, meal payments, lost or replacement items, exam-related processes, tickets, or official paid services. Before paying, confirm that the payment link comes from CPS.edu, CPSBOE.org, or an officially linked vendor page.
โ Usually free to check
Calendar, Board meetings, Board bios, School Locator, School Profiles, public agendas, policies, office address, and official contact pages.
๐ณ May involve payment
Third-party verification, records processing, meal payments, activity costs, tickets, and certain official requests.
๐ซ Avoid unofficial payment traps
Do not pay random websites for public school information that CPS or the Board publishes for free.
Check whether you need CPS, the Chicago Board, or another โCPSโ result
The term โCPSโ can mean many things online. For Chicago schools, use cps.edu for Chicago Public Schools and cpsboe.org for the Chicago Board of Education. Search results can also show Child Protective Services, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cleveland-related pages, private companies, testing tools, or unrelated CPS acronyms.
Before using any calendar, meeting date, phone number, record form, or payment link, check the domain and address. Chicago Board of Education pages should reference 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level, Chicago, IL 60602, and the Board phone 773-553-1600. General CPS district pages usually reference CPS.edu and the general phone 773-553-1000.
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Board of Education
Other CPS meanings
Search results may show child protective services, other school districts, or unrelated companies.
Quick fixes for common Chicago Board of Education search problems
Related Chicago Board and CPS searches covered in this guide
This page uses the focus keyword chicago board of education naturally while covering the real questions families, staff, students, and Chicago residents search.
Map and directions for Chicago Board Office at 42 W. Madison Street
The Chicago Board of Education lists its office at 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level, Chicago, IL 60602. Use this map for general direction planning, but check the official meeting page and registration rules before traveling for a Board meeting.
Meeting reminder: Some meetings require speaker or observer registration before the meeting. Confirm the meeting page before going to 42 W. Madison Street.
Clearly marked official Chicago Board of Education and CPS links
Use these official links first. Each blue button below is an official resource link, so users can quickly understand where to click on mobile.
Open Chicago Board Website
Official Chicago Board of Education website for meetings, board bios, policies, contact, and public participation.
Open CPS Website
Main Chicago Public Schools website for calendar, schools, departments, services, enrollment, and parent tools.
Open CPS District Calendar
Family calendars, staff calendars, school-year downloads, events, and calendar filters.
Open Board Meetings
Upcoming meetings, registration windows, public participation, planning calendar, and past meeting links.
Open Planning Calendar
Board meeting and Agenda Review Committee dates, times, and locations.
Open Participation Guidelines
Speaker registration, observer registration, written comments, lottery rules, and public participation limits.
Open Board Office Page
Board Office phone, address, responsibilities, and related board links.
Open Board Office Hours
Request one-on-one time with a Board of Education member and find related help categories.
Open Board Contact Page
Submit a Board-related comment or question through the official Board contact page.
Open CPS School Locator
Search by address, school name, or location to find CPS schools.
Open School Profiles
Explore more than 600 CPS school profiles, programs, admissions, and outcomes.
Open Transportation Services
Hub Stops, Ventra Cards, eligibility direction, and transportation contact information.
Open Student Records
Transcripts, permanent records, former student records, and verification request information.
Chicago Board of Education questions parents ask most
What is the official Chicago Board of Education website?
The official Chicago Board of Education website is cpsboe.org. Use it for board meetings, planning calendar, public participation, board member bios, policies, committees, office hours, and Board contact help.
What is the official Chicago Public Schools website?
The official Chicago Public Schools website is cps.edu. Use it for the school calendar, school search, GoCPS, school profiles, departments, transportation, student records, parent portal resources, and CPS services.
Where is the Chicago Board of Education office?
The Chicago Board of Education lists its office at 42 W. Madison Street, Garden Level, Chicago, IL 60602.
What is the Chicago Board of Education phone number?
The Chicago Board of Education phone number is 773-553-1600. For general Chicago Public Schools information, CPS lists 773-553-1000.
Where can I find the CPS school calendar?
Use the official CPS District Calendar page at cps.edu/calendar. It includes family calendars, staff calendars, school-year downloads, and event filters.
When are Chicago Board of Education meetings?
The Board website says Agenda Review Committee meetings are generally held monthly on the second Wednesday, and Board meetings are generally held monthly on the fourth Thursday, unless otherwise indicated. Always confirm on the official meetings page.
How do I speak at a Chicago Board of Education meeting?
Use the official public participation guidelines. For Board meetings, speaker registration generally opens Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. before the meeting and closes Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. A lottery may be used when more people register than available speaking slots.
How do I attend a Board meeting as an observer?
Observer registration for Board meetings generally opens Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. before the meeting and closes Wednesday at 5:00 p.m., or when slots are filled. Use the official meetings page.
Where can I request office hours with a board member?
Use the official Chicago Board of Education Office Hours page. It is for requesting one-on-one time with a board member, not a general walk-in building schedule.
Where can I find Chicago Board members?
Use the official Board Bios page on cpsboe.org. It lists the Board President, Vice President, members, districts, and bios.
How do I find my CPS school?
Use the CPS School Locator to search by address or school name. Use CPS School Profiles and GoCPS to compare programs and admissions details.
Where do I apply to CPS schools?
Use GoCPS for elementary and high school program exploration and applications. Neighborhood school enrollment and program applications can have different steps, so use official CPS enrollment pages.
Who do I call about CPS transportation?
CPS Student Transportation Services lists 773-553-2860 for transportation questions. Families should contact the studentโs school for transportation eligibility.
Where do former CPS students request transcripts?
Use the official Student Records and Transcripts page or Former Student Records. The Former Student Records office lists fsrecordsco@cps.edu and phone 773-535-4110.
Is CPSBOE.org the same as CPS.edu?
No. CPSBOE.org is the Chicago Board of Education website for board governance, meetings, members, and public participation. CPS.edu is the main Chicago Public Schools website for district services, school calendars, school search, enrollment, transportation, and parent resources.
Official verification and privacy reminder
This article is an independent guide created to help families, students, staff, former students, residents, and public users find the correct official Chicago Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools resources. It is not the official Chicago Board of Education website and does not replace official CPS announcements, Board meeting notices, public participation rules, school-year calendar files, GoCPS deadlines, school-level notices, transportation determinations, or student-record procedures.
For enrollment, attendance, transportation, school assignments, transcripts, special education, public participation, Board meetings, Board member office hours, or official school decisions, use the relevant official CPS or Board page. Do not submit private student data, health records, payment information, transcripts, or identity documents through unofficial websites.
Best way to use this Chicago Board of Education guide
The fastest route is simple: use CPSBOE.org for Chicago Board of Education meetings, public participation, planning calendar, board bios, committees, policies, contact, and board member office hours. Use CPS.edu for the school calendar, school locator, school profiles, GoCPS, enrollment, transportation, student records, parent support, department directory, and student services.
Before attending a meeting, speaking at a Board meeting, applying to a school, requesting records, checking transportation, or planning around school dates, open the exact official page listed in this guide. Chicago school information changes often, and official pages are the only safe source for final action.