Best schools in Chicago
Education in Chicago
Most of Chicago’s international schools (defined as schools that offer a curriculum other than the American common core and High School Diploma) are private and fairly costly but are easily available. The city has seen an increase in the number of international schools recently, although others are more established.
Some of these schools take children from age 3 all the way up through secondary school. There are a few (usually private) American schools that do this too.
Chicago public elementary schools are neighbourhood schools. To obtain a place, you have to live within the boundary lines drawn up by the city for the school. Visa issues aside, if you do move to within the catchment area of a public school, you are entitled to register your child at the school and it is rare that you will not get a space.
There are several public schools that operate as Academic Centres. These are geared for exceptional students in the seventh and eighth grades. The academic centres follow an accelerated learning programme which can sometimes be two grades above the students’ current grade level. Students qualify based on tests they take in the sixth grade.
The American high (secondary) school system starts age 14, whether you are in a private or public school. In Chicago, there are neighbourhood high schools that work in the same vein as the elementary schools in that they take any student living in their catchment area. There are also the selective enrolment schools.
Some Chicago schools also offer the IB Diploma. Entrance to the public schools is test based, although the cut-off scores are lower than those of the selective enrolment schools. Some elementary schools in Chicago also offer the IB Middle Years Program (MYP). Two schools also offer the relatively new IB Careers Programme as an alternative to the Diploma.
The private schools in Chicago also require applicants to take enrolment tests. For the more prestigious schools, an interview may be required. The final qualification is almost always the American High School Diploma plus Advanced Placement courses; only one school offers the full International Baccalaureate programme from starting school.
Chicago has two Montessori schools that teach up to the age of 14, one of which combines the Montessori approach with an American curriculum and the IB Middle Years Programme.
One somewhat overlooked group of schools in Chicago are the charter schools - privately-run schools that are independent of the Chicago Public Schools system but nevertheless accountable for advancing student achievement. They receive government funding and are like public schools in that they are free, open to all children, and are not selective. Some charter schools have become extremely successful and for families who are considering the public school system, they’re worth a look.
In terms of transport, there are school buses but you will still need to get your child to a stop on the route if it is not close to your house.
Choosing a school in Chicago
If you are planning to return to your home country after a few years or less in Chicago, then staying in the system that your child is used to will be the most logical choice.
Chicago public elementary schools can be a good option for families that are not getting the full expat package offered by bigger companies or more senior jobs. It is free and if you strike the postcode lottery and find a home in the catchment area of some of the more desirable schools, then it is an excellent option. Bear in mind, however, that proximity to good public schools pushes up house prices and the cost of renting. The only exceptions are schools that are ‘magnet’ or ‘gifted’ schools – for some magnet schools, a lottery system is used to allocate spaces; in the gifted schools, children as young as 6 can take the entrance test.
If you are considering one of the selective enrolment schools, be warned competition is fierce. Students have to go through two sets of exams (the NWEA MAP test and the Selective Enrolment School Test) and the requisite scores to get into these schools in recent years has got higher. Compare it to the 11+ exams in the UK - just as tough, possibly tougher. Many children start getting tutored for these exams one, sometimes two, years before the MAP test.
The Midwest is a large bit of America, so if you find yourself in a small town or city in the Midwest that can’t cater to your children’s needs, you could consider boarding schools in the greater Chicago area. Many of these have students from all over the world and are well versed in not only educational needs but pastoral care. The majority are Christian schools with a distinct religious approach.
Special education needs in Chicago
Some private schools provide support for SEN, but always ask which conditions they can cater for and how they support them. If your child attends a Chicago public school, they will definitely get special needs support. There are also private special needs educators who can supplement your child’s learning.
