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The Chicago Board of Education unanimously approved a policy Thursday that district officials say will expand who can become eligible to skip a grade or access accelerated coursework.
The policy will go into effect this upcoming school year and will help determine accelerated learning assignments for kids in the 2026-27 school year. Chicago Public Schools officials said the change is meant to expand accelerated coursework or opportunities to more students, noting that most who currently become eligible live on the city’s North Side.
Under the new policy, students in grades 4-6 can be eligible to skip a grade or take accelerated math and reading if their scores on state tests fall among the top 10% of their grade at their schools. Previously, students had to score “exceeding” on state tests to qualify, a score that roughly 4% of fourth and sixth graders and 2% of fifth graders attained last year, according to state data.
While board members didn’t discuss the change at Thursday’s meeting, elected board member Jennifer Custer and appointed board member Debby Pope both praised the changes at a meeting earlier this month to review Thursday’s agenda.
The changes will also eliminate external testing fees. Students who become eligible still need to meet a slew of other requirements, including attaining a certain GPA, scoring high on district exams, and passing additional assessments, in order to be approved to skip a grade or take accelerated math or reading.
District officials estimate that the changes will expand eligibility to 1,500 more students. CPS did not immediately say how many kids were eligible to skip a grade or take an accelerated subject last school year; according to WBEZ, roughly 80 students did so in 2022 and 2023.
The policy changes would also limit “double acceleration,” when parents apply for early entrance to kindergarten and a seat at a selective enrollment school, which already provides accelerated coursework. Now parents would have to choose either one of those options.
Reema Amin is a reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Reema at ramin@chalkbeat.org.
