CPS reports 20th-day enrollment of 304,687 — down 11,537 students from last year
September 25, 2026 | City of Chicago SD 299, School Boards, Illinois
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Chicago Public Schools leaders told the board Thursday that the district's official 20th-day enrollment for the 2026–27 school year is 304,687 students — 11,537 fewer than the prior year.
"Our official 20th day enrollment is 304,687 students, representing a decrease of 11,537 students from last year," Dr. Meline King said as she introduced a district data briefing. Dr. Anise Lewis and Dr. Sarah Kempner framed the decline within long-term national and regional trends, including falling birth rates, reduced international migration, and neighborhood-level shifts in youth population.
Presenters emphasized that multiple forces are at play: census-tract maps showed large youth population declines in gentrifying and displaced neighborhoods on the South and West sides, while some north-side and outer neighborhoods saw increases. At the state level, Illinois enrollment has fallen by roughly 200,000 students (about 10%) since 2017, district staff said.
District analysts noted specific subgroup changes: fewer new English learners and students in temporary living situations joined the district on the 20th day, while the share of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) rose modestly (18.4% on the 20th day). Staff also flagged an ongoing gap between available seats (roughly 45,000) and the district's youth population.
Board members pressed staff for school-level breakout files; staff said the 20th-day files would be posted as downloadable Excel sheets on the district website and that more detailed neighborhood analyses would follow. Officials said the numbers will inform staffing, capital decisions, and outreach, and asked members to expect additional committee briefings this fall.
No policy vote accompanied the presentation; board members followed with questions about housing affordability, the mechanics of leave codes, tracking of students who depart versus those who change residency, and the district's appeals process for staffing adjustments based on the 20th-day data.
"Our official 20th day enrollment is 304,687 students, representing a decrease of 11,537 students from last year," Dr. Meline King said as she introduced a district data briefing. Dr. Anise Lewis and Dr. Sarah Kempner framed the decline within long-term national and regional trends, including falling birth rates, reduced international migration, and neighborhood-level shifts in youth population.
Presenters emphasized that multiple forces are at play: census-tract maps showed large youth population declines in gentrifying and displaced neighborhoods on the South and West sides, while some north-side and outer neighborhoods saw increases. At the state level, Illinois enrollment has fallen by roughly 200,000 students (about 10%) since 2017, district staff said.
District analysts noted specific subgroup changes: fewer new English learners and students in temporary living situations joined the district on the 20th day, while the share of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) rose modestly (18.4% on the 20th day). Staff also flagged an ongoing gap between available seats (roughly 45,000) and the district's youth population.
Board members pressed staff for school-level breakout files; staff said the 20th-day files would be posted as downloadable Excel sheets on the district website and that more detailed neighborhood analyses would follow. Officials said the numbers will inform staffing, capital decisions, and outreach, and asked members to expect additional committee briefings this fall.
No policy vote accompanied the presentation; board members followed with questions about housing affordability, the mechanics of leave codes, tracking of students who depart versus those who change residency, and the district's appeals process for staffing adjustments based on the 20th-day data.
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