Chicago released new data Friday showing that the district continued to lose students, but the rates of decline have slowed this fall compared to last.
But on the ground, numbers look different school by school, with elementary schools tending to see more growth as the number of 4-year-old preschoolers and kindergarteners inched up slightly. Overall, Chicago counted 1,421 more 4-year-olds and about 110 more kindergarteners compared to last fall, while other grades tended to see drops.
Some 22 high schools, meanwhile, now have enrollments that have fallen below 270, though whether a school is considered “underenrolled” varies widely by building capacity. (Chalkbeat excluded alternative schools and high schools exclusively for students with disabilities from that count, since they tend to be smaller by design.)
To dive deeper into other district-wide numbers, such as charters and preschool enrollment, click here.
At the school level, per-student funding determines how many teachers a principal can hire, whether or not there are librarians and arts teachers, and how many programs are offered.
Last spring, district leaders announced a $31 million round of grants for a total of 219 underenrolled schools. These schools received additional funding — schools that saw enrollment declines of 10% or more received a minimum of $100,000. And an additional $100,000 went to nine high schools with enrollment declines of 20% or greater.
Use our searchable database to see whether your school gained students, lost them, or stayed about the same.
Chicago also released school ratings Friday. Click here to see how your school fared.