Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has reported a slight increase in student enrollment for the second consecutive year, with 325,305 students enrolled as of the 20th day of school, up from 323,251 last year—representing less than a 1% increase. Most of this growth occurred in grades before middle school, with a nearly 2% rise, while grades 6 and up remained flat. Notably, Hispanic student enrollment rose by nearly 1.5%, while Black student enrollment declined by about 1%. The number of English language learners increased by 11%, partly due to an influx of migrant students from Central and South America. This demographic shift poses challenges for schools, especially in terms of providing adequate bilingual programs. CPS has made efforts to enhance bilingual teacher staffing, with about 2,000 more certified educators compared to five years ago, and is negotiating to fully cover the cost of bilingual certification for teachers.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/10/16/cps-enrolls-slightly-more-students
