Who Gets In and Who Gets Left Out of Selective Enrollment Schools?
Right now, thousands of Chicago Public School kids and their families are stressing about where they’re going to high school. That’s because Dec. 15 is the deadline to apply to the district’s selective enrollment schools. There are 11 selective enrollment public high schools in Chicago, some of which are included in lists for the best schools in the country — schools like Whitney Young, Walter Payton, and Gwendolyn Brooks. WBEZ education reporter Sarah Karp walks us through the history of why these schools exist, inequities in enrollment, and the process to get in. Plus, City Cast Chicago newsletter writer Sidney Madden shares her experience of applying to Whitney Young High School ten years ago.
Guests:
Sarah Karp—Education reporter, WBEZ
Sidney Madden—Newsletter writer, City Cast Chicago
Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago
Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Chicago and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Who’s Building Guerrilla Bus Benches in Ukrainian Village? Plus, Fall in the Air
A neighborhood group is building bus benches in Ukrainian Village. But will the city remove the unauthorized infrastructure? Executive pr...

Who’s All Running For Mayor? Plus, Live From Printers Row
Mayor Brandon Johnson has officially announced his campaign for a second term in office. He enters alongside more than a dozen challenger...

City Expands Free Narcan. Plus, Best of Open House Chicago
Chicago’s Department of Public Health has worked diligently in recent years to expand access to free Naloxone/Narcan, the opioid overdose...

Could White Sox Really Leave Bridgeport? Plus, Mexican Independence Celebrations
Over the weekend, White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia released stadium renderings that confirmed the team is considering a move to the...

Big Marsh Celebrates 10 Years. The Oprah Winfrey Show Celebrates 40.
As Big Marsh Park prepares to officially celebrate ten years on the South East side, the park has cut the ribbon on new bike features on...

Loop Restaurants Resurging, Chicago’s Climate Resilience, And Meet Us At Lit Fest
A 2026 study has ranked Chicago as the ‘World’s Most Climate Resilient’ major city. After a summer of torrential storms, tornado warnings...

Mayor Johnson Answers Your Toughest Questions
As Mayor Brandon Johnson prepares to make a big announcement about his “political future” on Sunday, Sept. 13, we visited City Hall for a...

Former Loretto Exec Finally In Court. Plus, Does Chicago Have an Alderman Problem?
Former Loretto Hospital COO Anosh Ahmed was finally in federal court this week, where he pleaded not guilty to defrauding the safety-net...

Washington Park Mass Shooting, Ye & North in Chicago, and Printers Row Lit Quiz
Today we are joined by contributors Jill Hopkins and Leigh Giangreco to discuss the tragic mass shooting in Washington Park over the week...

Why Are Chicago Judges Deporting More Kids? Plus, Sox Parking Scam
An immigration judge in Chicago ordered 6 children to be deported. We break down what children are facing in Chicago immigration courtroo...

