Preschool
Community programs vs. school-based pre-K
Roughly half of Chicago's publicly funded preschool seats sit outside CPS buildings, in community-based organizations under contract with the city. Same application, very different daily rhythm - and for working families the difference usually matters more than the label.
How they compare
Length of day
- At a CPS school
- Usually the school day, often ending mid-afternoon
- At a community organization
- Often longer, with early drop-off and later pick-up
Calendar
- At a CPS school
- Follows the CPS school year, closed over summer
- At a community organization
- Many run year-round, including summer
Setting
- At a CPS school
- Inside an elementary school, with older kids in the building
- At a community organization
- A standalone early learning center, all little kids
Family services
- At a CPS school
- School supports and, at some sites, Head Start services
- At a community organization
- Head Start sites add health screenings, home visiting, and family programming
Path to kindergarten
- At a CPS school
- Your child is already in the building, though a K seat isn't automatic
- At a community organization
- You'll apply for kindergarten separately through GoCPS
Community sites aren't in Homeroom yet
Our preschool search currently covers CPS schools with a pre-K program. Community-based organizations are next. Until then, use the official CPS list, and tell us about a center your family knows so we can add it first.
Official list of community-based organizations