Admissions Information
Coonley offers tours (one tour encompassing all of our educational programs) for interested parents. On the third Thursday of each month a tour is available starting at 9:30 a.m. near our main office. Registration is not required. Please check our calendar for specific dates.
Please note: Coonley no longer has a Pre-School program.
Neighborhood Program
Getting your child registered for public school can be an intimidating and difficult process. Or it can be relatively smooth and simple. The trick is being prepared and knowing what's required in the way of documents and forms.
You do not have to wait until Fall. Parents, you can register your child(ren) beginning May 1st for the upcoming school year.
You'll need to bring five pieces of information to the school your child will be attending:
That's it! Pretty simple.
If you're unsure of the school boundaries, check the map below or visit the CPS boundary site at schoollocator.cps.k12.il.us. Follow the directions. Click submit. This will bring up a window where you type in your home address and also indicate the type of school you're looking for, in this case, "elementary". Next, you can click on "Find Your Home School" (your neighborhood Chicago Public School) or "Find Schools in Your Vicinity". Whichever category you select, the next screen will pull up the relevant schools. Click on each school to see the boundary lines and make sure your child is within the boundary of the school you select.
What if you live outside of the school's boundaries? The CPS Open Enrollment Policy allows a student to apply to a school outside the neighborhood when space is available. The policy only applies to schools that have attendance boundaries and each school determines how many Open Enrollment students it can accept.
If there are any problems locating this information or if you have questions, please call the school office 773.534.5140.
Out of Attendance Area Admissions (Siblings Included)
Students seeking admission to Coonley that reside outside of our attendance area must apply using the Options for Knowledge Standard Elementary Application available within the Options for Knowledge Guidebook or online at www.apply.cps.edu . The application is available October 1st through mid December. Please follow submission guidelines provided by the Office of Academic Enhancement. Notifications are sent in the spring prior to the September start of school. More information is available at cpsoae.org.
Regional Gifted Center
The Regional Gifted Center, known at Coonley as the Options program, begins at Kindergarten. All Regional Gifted Centers in Chicago require testing for admission. Children are selected for entry based on their performance on an aptitude test administered by the Office of Academic Enhancement (OAE). Children begin Kindergarten the year in which they are 5 on September 1. Fill-in spots in the Options program may be available in 1stgrade and above.
Apply to Coonley's Regional Gifted Center using the Selective Enrollment Elementary School Application from Chicago Public Schools. The application process is described on the CPS website and you can also download an application there during the application period, usually the beginning of October through mid-December.
All admissions are administered by the Chicago Public Schools Office of Academic Enhancement. More information is available at http://cps.edu/AccessAndEnrollment/Pages/OAE.aspx
Please note: Coonley no longer has a Pre-School program.
Neighborhood Program
Getting your child registered for public school can be an intimidating and difficult process. Or it can be relatively smooth and simple. The trick is being prepared and knowing what's required in the way of documents and forms.
You do not have to wait until Fall. Parents, you can register your child(ren) beginning May 1st for the upcoming school year.
You'll need to bring five pieces of information to the school your child will be attending:
- Proof of child's age (Original Birth Certificate)
- Proof of current address (Utility Bill* and Parent Drivers License or State ID) *No water bills will be accepted
- Proof of a recent physical exam
- Proof of current immunizations
- Proof of dental exam, if applicable
That's it! Pretty simple.
If you're unsure of the school boundaries, check the map below or visit the CPS boundary site at schoollocator.cps.k12.il.us. Follow the directions. Click submit. This will bring up a window where you type in your home address and also indicate the type of school you're looking for, in this case, "elementary". Next, you can click on "Find Your Home School" (your neighborhood Chicago Public School) or "Find Schools in Your Vicinity". Whichever category you select, the next screen will pull up the relevant schools. Click on each school to see the boundary lines and make sure your child is within the boundary of the school you select.
What if you live outside of the school's boundaries? The CPS Open Enrollment Policy allows a student to apply to a school outside the neighborhood when space is available. The policy only applies to schools that have attendance boundaries and each school determines how many Open Enrollment students it can accept.
If there are any problems locating this information or if you have questions, please call the school office 773.534.5140.
Out of Attendance Area Admissions (Siblings Included)
Students seeking admission to Coonley that reside outside of our attendance area must apply using the Options for Knowledge Standard Elementary Application available within the Options for Knowledge Guidebook or online at www.apply.cps.edu . The application is available October 1st through mid December. Please follow submission guidelines provided by the Office of Academic Enhancement. Notifications are sent in the spring prior to the September start of school. More information is available at cpsoae.org.
Regional Gifted Center
The Regional Gifted Center, known at Coonley as the Options program, begins at Kindergarten. All Regional Gifted Centers in Chicago require testing for admission. Children are selected for entry based on their performance on an aptitude test administered by the Office of Academic Enhancement (OAE). Children begin Kindergarten the year in which they are 5 on September 1. Fill-in spots in the Options program may be available in 1stgrade and above.
Apply to Coonley's Regional Gifted Center using the Selective Enrollment Elementary School Application from Chicago Public Schools. The application process is described on the CPS website and you can also download an application there during the application period, usually the beginning of October through mid-December.
All admissions are administered by the Chicago Public Schools Office of Academic Enhancement. More information is available at http://cps.edu/AccessAndEnrollment/Pages/OAE.aspx
