Homeschool benefits: Chicago Public School District 299
Under Board Policy 601.6, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) lets homeschooling families who live in the city request grade-level curriculum materials and textbooks from their neighborhood school, and lets homeschooled students take CPS courses, extracurriculars, athletics, and driver's education. Course and activity requests for next school year are due May 1, and driver's education notice is due April 1.
Who qualifies
Lives in Chicago
The policy covers homeschooled students who live within District 299, the city of Chicago.
Asks the neighborhood school
Request materials and textbooks from your neighborhood school. You do not have to notify CPS that you homeschool, but the district encourages it.
Gets principal and district approval
Course and activity requests go to the neighborhood school principal, then to the Department of Policy and Procedures for final approval.
Pays fees unless waived
If the school provides materials, you pay the related school fees unless you qualify for a waiver under the CPS Policy Regarding Waiver of School Fees.
What you can request
These terms come from CPS Board Policy 601.6, Homeschooling, adopted June 28, 2023.
- Grade-level curriculum materials and textbooks
- School fees unless waived
- CPS courses
- If offered and approved
- Extracurricular activities and athletics
- Approved by May 1 request
- Driver's education
- Notify by April 1
- IJAS Region 2 Science Fair
- Open to homeschoolers
- Special education services
- Under a Service Plan
The CPS Student Science Fair is for enrolled students only, so a homeschooled student enters through the Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS) Region 2 fair instead.
From requesting to taking part
- Any time
Tell your neighborhood school
Notifying the school is optional but encouraged, and it is where you request grade-level materials and textbooks.
- By April 1
Request driver's education
Tell the district school if your teen wants driver's education the next school year.
- By May 1
Submit the participation form
File the Participate in CPS Curricular and Extracurricular Activities or Courses form to be eligible next school year.
- Two weeks before driver's ed
Prove passing grades
Show that your teen passed at least eight courses in the previous two semesters.
- Each year
Send requested documents
CPS asks families to submit the documents posted on its homeschooling website each year and recommends giving the school a copy.
What it includes
Included
- Grade-level curriculum materials and textbooks
- Courses at the neighborhood school, or a nearby school that offers them
- Extracurricular activities and IHSA athletics
- Driver's education
- Special education proportionate share services
Not included
- School fees, unless you get a waiver
- The CPS Student Science Fair
- An individual right to full special education services
Good to know
A nearby school can fill a missing course
Your child may take a course at a nearby neighborhood school that offers it, subject to availability and CPS enrollment rules.
Homeschooled teens can play CPS sports
Interscholastic athletics follow Illinois High School Association (IHSA) bylaws and the CPS Office of Sports Administration eligibility rules.
Eligible children can get IDEA services
An eligible homeschooled child can receive proportionate share services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) through a Service Plan. Email cpsgma-privateschools@cps.edu about Service Plans or privateschoolevals@cps.edu to request an evaluation.
Who to contact about homeschool access
The department manages the homeschooling policy, gives final approval to course and activity requests, and answers homeschool questions.
homeschooling@cps.edu 773-553-1216 Policy 601.6
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Illinois
You do not have to file a homeschool notice.
Illinois sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach language arts, math, biological, physical, and social sciences, fine arts, and physical development and health, in English, at least at public-school level.
- Testing: Illinois does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Illinois does not require homeschool records.
- Teachers: The instructor must be competent; no state teaching certificate is required.
Read the Illinois homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Illinois
Questions parents ask
- Does CPS check our homeschool?
- It may ask. CPS may ask each year for your cooperation to see whether instruction matches public school standards, but families are not required to cooperate.
- Can my child switch to a CPS school later?
- Yes. School administrators decide grade placement, so keep records of the coursework your child completed at home.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Local classes cover the subjects they offer. We teach the remaining subjects, so a local class can stay part of the year without becoming the whole curriculum.
$149/month per child after the trial.
Find benefits for your ZIP code