Chicago Public Schools urges families to apply for free Pre-K at 370-plus schools

Chicago Public Schools is promoting enrollment for its free Pre-K programs, saying children who will be 3 or 4 years old by Sept. 1 are eligible and that more than 370 elementary schools citywide offer options designed to meet diverse needs.

A Chicago Public Schools official said the district provides dual-language programming and services for students with disabilities and that families can search programs by type, full or half day, and by community area or ZIP code. The official framed the message as an open enrollment push aimed at connecting families with available classrooms.

Parents and educators in the outreach highlighted early-learning gains. One parent said the district’s programs helped her child become more confident: “My son, before attending Pre-K, he was very timid…now seeing this excited, confident 5 year old, it's been amazing.” Another parent stressed finding a school that offered speech therapy: “The importance for us was finding a CPS school that provided speech therapy.”

Educators featured in the message described classroom routines and development. One educator said, “Pre-K is amazing,” and noted staff are focused on both fun and learning. A preschooler featured in the presentation said, “I love my teacher and my friends,” and listed favorite activities such as recess, reading and learning numbers.

The district’s description of program access emphasized supports for dual-language learners and children with disabilities, and framed Pre-K as a citywide resource for families with young children. Officials urged families to apply and to use the district’s search tools to find programs that meet scheduling and language needs.