YOUR GUIDE
TO CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS'
ANNUAL REGIONAL ANALYSIS
what is THE
ANNUAL REGIONAL ANALYSIS?
DESCRIPTION
The Annual Regional Analysis (ARA) is a report produced by Chicago Public Schools (CPS) every year to aid in district planning and supports its mission of providing a high-quality school in every neighborhood.
It is a consistent set of information on enrollment, student demographics, school quality, school choice, and program offerings organized by region. It shows improvements over time as well as illuminating areas for district intervention and collective action. The report presents data, but does not make recommendations or action steps, rather serving as an input to community engagement and joint solution development.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The purpose of the ARA is to ensure that both CPS leadership and citywide stakeholders are working from the same set of information—which is a leap forward in terms of communication, collaboration, and transparency. It allows the district and communities to have more substantive and focused dialogue on needs and areas for improvement. It will also inform current district processes for new schools and programs. Importantly, the ARA brings together previously disparate information, creating a comprehensive examination to guide strategic planning by all of those engaged.
WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE MIGHT BE INTERESTED?
We’ve found many different types of people across Chicago are interested in the information that the ARA includes. Below are a few responses we’ve heard.
The underlying analysis is nothing short of remarkable, and it reveals any number of interesting patterns that are both necessary to have in the public discourse and should help shape decision making.—Foundation Board Chair
This data is tremendous. I can’t wait to get the full report.—Community Member
This work will help our city start having deeper and more sophisticated conversations on how to ensure students in every zip code have an amazing school (or more) to choose from.—Education Partner
“I was tremendously impressed with the report and grateful to have the resource. It will be crucial for our strategy moving forward.”
