Teaching & learning
District profile / Illinois
Chicago Public Schools
324,130
Students
2024-25 school year
643
Schools
2024-25 school year
$18,216
Spending per student
FY2020-21 · 8% above the Illinois median
13.8
Students per teacher
2024-25 · Illinois median 13.6
Chicago Public Schools is a public school district based in Chicago, Illinois, serving 324,130 students in 643 schools. By enrollment it ranks #1 of the 376 Illinois districts with 1,000 or more students, making it the largest in the state. Its schools average 504 students each, about the same as the Illinois median of 465. Its superintendent is Dr. Macquline King. It spends about $18,216 per student on day-to-day operations, 8% more than the Illinois median. It has roughly 13.8 students per teacher. We've matched 111 news stories to the district.
How Chicago compares
ChicagoIllinois median, districts with 1,000+ students
Spending and staffing
Where the money comes from$7.45 billion in revenue · FY2020-21
Federal 15%State 33%Local 52%
| Measure | Chicago | Illinois median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $18,216 | $16,815 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $12,088 | $10,013 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $7.48 billion | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $7.45 billion | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 23,532 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 38,414 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 13.8 | 13.6 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 355 | 490 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The Illinois median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Dr. Macquline King
Source: Illinois State Board of Education, Directory of Educational Entities, checked 2026-10-19. Report a change
In the news
111 stories matchedLeadership
Spending in Chicago school board election tops $9 million as election nears
Leadership
Chicago School Board President Forum 2026: 4 takeaways
Leadership
CPS reaches tentative agreement with lunchroom workers union
Leadership
Big money is shaping the Chicago School Board election, what do these donors want?
Leadership
Chicago School Board Election 2026: The race in District 3b, Humboldt Park, Hermosa, Education
Leadership
WVON, VON TV to Host Chicago School Board President Forum Focused on Black and Brown Students
Leadership
Chicago schools watchdog said allegations against school board candidate could not be corroborated
Budget & finance
Special taxing districts’ uncertain future looms over historic school board races
Leadership
15 West: Brown or Williams? What to Know About the District 5A School Board Race
Leadership
Chicago school board elections: Candidates Jessica Biggs, Victor Henderson, Hilario Dominguez speak ahead of Illinois Election Day
Leadership
More than $12.8 million flows in Chicago school board races
Leadership
Here’s How To Vote For Chicago’s School Board, Education
Leadership
Insufficient evidence that Chicago School Board candidate engaged in sexual misconduct, watchdog report finds
Leadership
Cash floods CPS School Board races, with big money groups outraising the Chicago Teachers Union 5 to 1
Leadership
Chicago school board president candidates Victor Henderson, Jessica Biggs, Hilario Dominguez face questions on budget, students
Teaching & learning
Chicago schools watchdog defends Dominguez investigation
Leadership
Opinion: Before you vote for Chicago’s school board, ask candidates these four questions
Leadership
Calls made for new probe against Chicago School Board candidate
Leadership
4 takeaways from Chicago’s school board president candidate forum
Leadership
Chicago Public Schools IG closes probe into school board president candidate Hilario Dominguez
School safety
City of Chicago Delivers New Traffic Safety Improvements Across Chicago Schools
Leadership
Chicago Public Schools OIG closes school board president candidate sexual harassment investigation
Teaching & learning
Investigation wanted into Chicago schools athletics after official pay issues
Leadership
Chicago Public Schools watchdog closes Hilario Dominguez investigation with ‘no actionable finding’ of misconduct
Leadership
Inspector General closes investigation into CPS board presidential candidate
Leadership
Chicago School Board Election 2026: The Race in District 8b, the Loop, Brighton Park, Top Stories
Leadership
Chicago School Board Election 2026: The citywide race for president
Leadership
Exclusive: One-on-one with Chicago school board President Sean Harden
Leadership
Three remaining candidates for Chicago school board president discuss views on school closings, other issues during NW Side forum
Peer districts in Illinois
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Public SchoolsChicago · this district | 324,130 | 643 | $18,216 | 13.8 | #1 |
| School District U-46Elgin | 34,036 | 55 | $16,406 | 14.4 | #2 |
| Rockford School District 205Rockford | 28,467 | 46 | $16,654 | 17.5 | #3 |
| Indian Prairie CUSD 204Aurora | 26,108 | 34 | $15,583 | 14.5 | #4 |
| Plainfield School District 202Plainfield | 24,556 | 31 | $16,146 | 14.5 | #5 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles UnifiedLos Angeles, CA | 408,026 | $18,180 | 19.2 |
| Miami-Dade County Public SchoolsMiami, FL | 333,233 | $11,231 | 19.4 |
| Clark County School DistrictLas Vegas, NV | 306,038 | $10,118 | 18.6 |
| Broward County Public SchoolsFort Lauderdale, FL | 243,553 | $10,362 | 21.7 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-il-chicago-public-schools