Gifted, Classical, Magnet Schools, How Does All of This Stuff Work?

I have been through it all on this subject so here it goes:

1. There are two different tests for classical and gifted schools. The classical schools test measures what your child knows/how academically advanced they are (math, reading and language arts). The gifted test measures how they think (analogies, patterns, etc.). My daughter scored 97th percentile last year on the classical test and did not get in. That is because she was competing for one of ten spots at Decatur, so they probably only took kids at the 99th percentile, or scores in the top 1%. So, to answer your question, these schools are very selective - it's really hard to get in. Things have changed this year. CPS has dropped the consent decree, which used to require that two-thirds of the kids they accepted were of any ethnicity. This year, 50% of the kids they accept are top scorers, regardless of ethnicity. The other 50% is divided into four groups using socio-economic criteria based on the census tract in which you live. They will take the top scorers within those four groups. Had my daughter taken the test this year, she would have been competing for one of 18 spots (a slight help). If you get lucky, you might enter in a year where they take two kindergarten classes instead of one, so that would also double your chances.
2. This year they have changed admissions criteria for magnet schools and I believe they are giving preference to siblings. Theoretically, at gifted schools, they give preference to siblings in the neighborhood program (many of the gifted schools have neighborhood programs in the same school), but they take neighborhood kids first. If the classes fill up with kids from the neighborhood, you are out of luck.
3. Living within district does not improve the odds of getting into a gifted program. For instance, if you live in the Coonley school district (Coonley is a regional gifted center with a neighborhood school under the same roof), your child would still have to test into the gifted program, and you are competing against kids from all over the city. However, you would be guaranteed a spot in the neighborhood program. If you are talking about a magnet school like Hawthorne (unlike gifted schools, admission to magnet schools are not test-related), I believe they have changed admissions criteria so that a certain percent of kids are from the neighborhood. This does not guarantee you a spot, but improves your odds.

Hope that helps. It's really complicated and took me several months to figure it all out. Good Luck!

You have a lot of research ahead of you. Check out Greatschools.com for test scores and parent reviews of schools. CPS publishes this huge book with all of the schools and district maps. There's a synopsis on each school including what kind it is, hours, etc. There are five basic kinds of schools in the CPS system. Neighborhood, which means anyone living within the boundaries can go. There are many excellent neighborhood schools like Alcott and South Loop, but a lot of the neighborhood schools aren't so hot. There are magnate clusters, which mean they'll take out-of-district kids through a lottery, but neighborhood kids are always accepted. Magnate is lottery only. Gifted and classical are through testing. However, beware that CPS's idea of a "gifted" curriculum is to work a grade level ahead, and not necessarily as much enrichment as you might imagine. It just depends on the school. I suggest you start asking other parents what schools they've liked, heard were good, etc. Then do a little research, and if they look good to you, go on a tour. Some schools have tours year round, but some schools, like LaSalle, only have one tour per year. You're actually starting at a good time, since if you want to pre-k your daughter at one of these schools, you have to sign her up when she's 2. I just did my millionth school tour yesterday. You'll also want to check out a few private schools as well, since entrance can still be stiff for them, though not as competative as CPS. You might be talking 5 applications per slot versus 600. I understand now why people with kids move to the suburbs with their good, easy-to-get-into public schools, but we're city folk raising an urban baby. Happy trails!

You might find that the schools either won't let you take a tour yet, or strongly discourage you from obtaining information since your child is so young. I agree that one of the best ways to get information is to talk to other parents perhaps when your little one attends nursery school. Many nursery schools in the area liaise with grade schools when it comes time for applications, and provide great assistance to parents going through the process for the first time.

The other option is to call the schools you're interested in and ask if they have parent representatives you could talk to. My kids's school has a whole committee of parents who answer questions from prospective applicants, but it's not a CPS school.

Hi M.,
Check out the CPS website and you will get the information there.

All the Best!

regarding no. 3,research your particular school, if they're neighborhood quota is full up, they won't accept neighborhood children