CPS Kindergarten · GoCPS Choice

Build a lottery list you feel good about.

Build your GoCPS kindergarten Choice list by what matters to your family. Then, see your estimated chances of an offer with recommendations to increase your chances.

Add schools to see your estimated chances.

0/20 schools on your list

Your family profile

No wrong answers

Built by a Chicago mom to help families navigate the kindergarten lottery with confidence, not stress.

Your home address

Used only on this device to measure distance to each school. A cross-street works too (e.g. Belmont & Sheffield).

Or pick your neighborhood

Your CPS socioeconomic tier

A number from 1 to 4 CPS gives your address, based on neighborhood data. It affects some lotteries (random drawings for open seats). Tiers count only at magnet and selective schools. They count only at the first grade, usually kindergarten.

What's my tier? How do I find it?

CPS gives every Chicago address a tier from 1 to 4. It's based on Census data for your area. This includes income, education, single-parent homes and homeownership. It also includes home language and nearby school scores.

  • Tier 1: areas with the most economic need. Often fewer families apply for these seats.
  • Tier 2: areas with some economic need.
  • Tier 3: middle-income areas.
  • Tier 4: highest-income areas. Often the most families apply for these seats.

At magnet schools, open seats after siblings and close-to-home priority are split evenly across all four tiers. No tier gets more seats. You only compete with families in your own tier.

To find yours, type your home address into the GoCPS School Search. GoCPS is the CPS website where you apply.

Look up my tier on GoCPSHow CPS assigns tiers

This is not the same as Long shot, Fair chance, Good chance or Likely. Those describe each school's chances, not where you live.

Older brother or sister already at a school?

This counts only if they are in kindergarten or above there, and will still be there next year. A sibling in Pre-K does not count.

What matters most?

If we don't have data for a school, it shows "Unknown." Unknown never lowers a school's fit.

Academic results (state rating)

Ratings reflect many things, including who attends, not only teaching.

Close to home

Program type I want

School culture (CPS survey)

Walkable or easy to get to

Before- and after-school care

Bilingual staff or a dual-language program

Support for kids with IEPs or disabilities

Small class sizes

Program types you love