Amidst Closures, CPS to Offer Full-Day Kindergarten

After announcing that more than 120 schools could be closed in the fall, Chicago Public Schools officials are mandating every school offer full-day kindergarten. 

The program will go into effect for the 2013-2014 school year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said in a release.

Illinois law does not mandate kindergarten, but since 2011, CPS has increased its access to the full-day program by 50 percent. Now, about 26,500 out of 30,700 students attend a full day of kindergarten.

“I made universal full-day kindergarten a priority for our schools because frankly our children cannot afford to wait. We must invest our resources in smart ways that provide every student in every school with a full education from the very first moment they walk through our doors,” Byrd-Bennett said. 

The change will cost about $15 million in the CPS budget. Officials say the money comes from cuts in the central office, reducing overtime and tighter facilities management. 

CPS claims a $1 billion budget deficit for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. That—plus a decreasing enrollment—is the reason Byrd-Bennett put together a committee to research school closings. 

Out of the district’s are underutilized—below an 80 percent population target. In February, CPS released an initial list of 129 schools slated for closure. 

The committee’s final report recommended CPS narrow the list down to 80 schools to avoid, “major upheaval,” the Chicago Tribune reported. Prior to this year, no more than 12 schools have ever been closed at one time.

While most of the schools were on the south and west sides of the city, four were in Andersonville and Uptown. North Side schools could receive more students if those buildings close, officials said. 

A final list of school closings is due March 31.

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