Preschool

Preschool questions parents ask

Plain answers, with links back to the official CPS pages so you can double-check anything before you rely on it.

• Is CPS preschool free?

  Free full-day preschool for 4-year-olds is the city's stated goal, and most seats for 4s carry no tuition. Some 3-year-old and extended-day options are tuition-based on a sliding scale. Confirm cost with the specific site before you accept.

• Is this the same application as GoCPS?

  No. GoCPS is for kindergarten through 12th grade and runs in one fall window. Preschool has its own Chicago Early Learning application, with an Initial Application Period in the spring and year-round applications after that.

• Are full-day seats available for 3-year-olds?

  At some sites, yes. Most 3-year-old classrooms run a half day, and the sites that offer a full day for 3s are the most in-demand preschool option in the city. Homeroom's CPS data doesn't say which sites those are yet, so confirm day length directly with each program - and tell us if you find one, so other families can see it.

• What's the difference between a school site and a community organization?

  School-based preschool sits inside a CPS elementary school and follows the school calendar. Community-based organizations are independent early learning centers under contract with the city - they often run longer days and more weeks of the year, including summer.

• Does going to preschool at a school guarantee a kindergarten seat there?

  Not automatically. Preschool attendance does not by itself guarantee a kindergarten seat at that school. Your guaranteed kindergarten seat is at your neighborhood school, and any other school still goes through GoCPS.

• When should I apply?

  During the Initial Application Period, April 7 – April 28, 2026, if your child is age-eligible for next school year. Applications in that window are weighed equally and prioritized by family need, with results in mid-May. After it closes you can apply any time of year, but availability gets tighter.

• What if my child has an IEP or is being evaluated?

  Tell the application team and contact your neighborhood school. Children with IEPs are placed through the special education process into blended or instructional classrooms, alongside the regular application.

• Do I need to speak English to apply?

  No. The family hotline at 312-229-1690 supports multiple languages, and bilingual preschool classrooms exist across the city.