Chicago School Closings Today β Live Status & Delays (Illinois)
Are Chicago schools closed today? Check live status below β updated every 10 minutes.
Live status monitored for Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Township High School District 214, Community Consolidated School District 15, and Evanston/Skokie District 65.
How Chicago Schools Announce Closures
Chicago Public Schools communicates school closures and delays through multiple official channels simultaneously. When a city-wide closure is declared β most commonly due to extreme cold, blizzard conditions, or polar vortex events β CPS posts the announcement on its official website at cps.edu, sends automated push notifications through the CPS mobile app, and triggers mass phone, email, and text alerts to all enrolled families via the district’s parent communication system. The district targets a 5:30 AM announcement deadline so families have time to arrange childcare before the school day begins. For severe overnight storms, CPS may announce closures the evening before.
Unlike many suburban districts that issue a single district-wide status, CPS has the authority to close individual schools while leaving others open β a policy that applies when a specific building has a heating failure, structural issue, or localized hazard rather than a city-wide weather event. In those cases, families should use the CPS school finder tool to check their specific school’s status, rather than relying solely on district-wide announcements. This page monitors both the main CPS feed and individual school alerts to surface those per-school closures as quickly as possible.
Weather Risks That Trigger Chicago School Closings
- Polar vortex and extreme cold: CPS applies a wind chill threshold policy β when forecast wind chills drop below -15Β°F, the district typically closes city-wide to protect students who walk to school or wait at outdoor bus stops. In 2019, a polar vortex event produced wind chills of -50Β°F and forced a multi-day closure.
- Blizzard and heavy snowfall: Accumulations of 6 or more inches overnight, especially combined with high winds, frequently trigger delays or full closures. Chicago’s flat urban grid means snow drifts quickly and plowing can lag behind in residential neighborhoods where students walk.
- Lake-effect snow: Lake Michigan generates intense, localized snow bands that can dump several inches per hour on the South and West sides of the city with little warning. These events are particularly unpredictable and can develop after an initial “all clear” announcement from the district.
- Ice storms and freezing rain: Glazed sidewalks and bus stops are among the most dangerous conditions for pedestrian students. Even a thin coating of freezing rain can cause widespread delays, as CPS must confirm that walking routes and transit stops are passable before clearing schools to open.
- Wind chill warnings and advisories: The National Weather Service issues Wind Chill Warnings when conditions are life-threatening. CPS monitors these closely and will issue at minimum a delayed start β and often a full closure β whenever a warning is active during morning arrival hours.
- Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes: Spring and early summer bring severe storm risk to the Chicago metro. Tornado watches and warnings can trigger early dismissals or shelter-in-place orders, while damaging straight-line winds can cause building damage that necessitates emergency school closures.
- Dense fog: Thick morning fog over Lake Michigan can reduce visibility to near zero along the lakefront and in low-lying neighborhoods. While less common than winter hazards, dense fog advisories can cause delays for school bus routes on the Lake Shore corridor.
- Building infrastructure failures: Chicago’s aging school building stock is vulnerable to boiler failures during extreme cold snaps. When a school loses heat and interior temperatures drop below safe levels, CPS will close that individual building and reassign students to a neighboring school β sometimes with as little as two hours’ notice.
Frequently Asked Questions β Chicago School Closings
How early does Chicago Public Schools announce school closures?
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) targets a 5:30 AM announcement for city-wide closures and delays so that families can make childcare and commute arrangements before the school day starts. For severe overnight storms or polar vortex events where the outcome is clear the evening before, CPS may post the closure announcement as early as 9:00β10:00 PM the prior night. The district communicates closures through cps.edu, the CPS mobile app, and automated phone, email, and text alerts to enrolled families. Individual school closures β for building-level issues like heating failures β are posted separately via the CPS school finder and may be announced with shorter notice.
What wind chill temperature causes CPS to close schools?
Chicago Public Schools generally closes city-wide when forecast wind chills are expected to reach -15Β°F or colder during morning arrival and dismissal hours. The district’s cold day policy focuses on wind chill β not air temperature alone β because students who walk to school or wait at outdoor CTA and bus stops face genuine frostbite risk at those temperatures. The threshold can shift slightly depending on forecast timing, neighborhood conditions, and available shelter near bus stops. During a polar vortex with wind chills at -30Β°F or below, multi-day closures are likely.
Can CPS close individual schools instead of the whole district?
Yes. Chicago Public Schools regularly closes individual schools due to building-specific issues β boiler failures, roof damage, flooding, pest control, or other facility emergencies β while the rest of the district remains open. These per-school closures are posted on the CPS school finder at cps.edu/schools/find-a-school/ and are announced via the school’s own parent communication channels. This page monitors both district-wide and individual-school closure feeds to surface per-school closures as quickly as possible alongside the broader district status.
Which Chicago TV stations report CPS school closings?
NBC 5 Chicago (WMAQ), ABC 7 Chicago (WLS), CBS 2 Chicago (WBBM), WGN-TV, and FOX 32 Chicago are the primary local TV stations that report CPS and suburban Cook County school closings. Each station maintains a dedicated school closings page updated in real time during weather events. This page monitors all major Chicago-area station feeds alongside the official CPS website and RSS sources, so you receive the fastest available detection without having to check multiple sources yourself.
Do Chicago suburbs close schools at the same time as CPS?
Not necessarily. Suburban Cook County districts such as D214 (Township High School District 214), D15 (Community Consolidated School District 15), and D65 (Evanston/Skokie District 65) make independent closure decisions based on their own student population, busing routes, and local conditions. Suburban districts often have more students who ride buses to school, so road conditions weigh more heavily than wind chill alone. It is common for CPS to close while some suburbs remain open β or for a specific suburb to close due to a localized storm band while the rest of the region stays on schedule. This page tracks each district independently so you always see an accurate status for your specific school system.
How often is this Chicago school closings page updated?
This page runs automatic status checks every 15 minutes under normal conditions, and every 5 minutes during active weather alerts such as blizzard warnings, winter storm warnings, or wind chill warnings for Cook County. Data is pulled from the official CPS website, local TV station closure feeds, and the National Weather Service. You can also tap the “Refresh now” button at any time to force an immediate check. During polar vortex and major lake-effect snow events, the refresh cadence increases automatically so you always have the most current information available.
Chicago Public Schools β School Roster
The following schools are part of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and are monitored on this page for closure and delay status.
High Schools
- Curie Metropolitan High School
- Dunbar Vocational Career Academy
- Dyett High School for the Arts
- Fenger High School
- Harlan Community High School
- Harper High School
- Hyde Park Academy
- Julian High School
- Kennedy High School
- King College Prep High School
- Lane Tech College Prep High School
- Lincoln Park High School
- Manley Career Academy High School
- Marshall Metropolitan High School
- Morgan Park High School
- North-Grand High School
- Orr Academy High School
- Phillips Academy High School
- Prosser Career Academy
- Robeson High School
- Schurz High School
- Simeon Career Academy
- South Shore International College Prep
- Solorio Academy High School
- Uplift Community High School
- Westinghouse College Prep
- Whitney Young Magnet High School
- Woodson South High School
Middle Schools
- Alcott College Prep
- Chalmers Elementary School (6-8)
- Chicago Virtual Charter School
- Devry Early College Academy
- Hope Academy
- KIPP Ascend Middle School
- Mansueto High School (7-8)
- McNair Elementary School (6-8)
- Ogden International School (6-8)
- Owen Scholastic Academy (6-8)
- Robeson High School 7-8
- Sullivan High School 7-8
- Von Humboldt Elementary (6-8)
Elementary Schools
- Abbott Elementary
- Agassiz Elementary School
- Alcott Elementary School
- Audubon Elementary School
- Beasley Academic Center
- Beidler Elementary School
- Bell Elementary School
- Blaine Elementary School
- Burr Elementary School
- Caldwell Elementary School
- Carnegie Elementary School
- Carroll Elementary School
- Chicago Collegiate Charter School
- Chicagoland Jewish High School
- Clinton Elementary School
- Coonley Elementary School
- Devereaux Elementary School
- Disney II Magnet School
- Douglas Elementary School
- Drake Elementary School
- Dvorak Elementary School
- Edison Regional Gifted Center
- Emmett Elementary School
- Evers Elementary School
- Fiske Elementary School
- Franklin Elementary School
- Gresham Elementary School
- Hamilton Elementary School
- Haugan Elementary School
- Healy Elementary School
- Henderson Elementary School
- Hernandez Elementary School
- Hope Academy Elementary
- Hurley Elementary School
- Jahn Elementary School
- Jensen Elementary School
- Jordan Community Elementary School
- Kanoon Magnet Elementary School
- Kilmer Elementary School
- Kinzie Elementary School
- Lakeview Elementary School
- LaSalle Language Academy
- Lewis Elementary School
- Lincoln Elementary School
- Louisa May Alcott Elementary
- Ludwig Van Beethoven Elementary
- Manning Elementary School
- Mark Sheridan Math & Science Academy
- Marsh Elementary School
- McAuliffe Elementary School
- McCorkle Elementary School
- McPherson Elementary School
- Mitchell Elementary School
- Moos Elementary School
- Morrill Elementary School
- Morton School of Excellence
- Murphy Elementary School
- National Teachers Academy
- Near North Montessori School
- Nixon Elementary School
- Norwood Park Elementary School
- O’Toole Elementary School
- Orozco Community Academy
- Osmond Elementary School
- Palmer Elementary School
- Parkman Elementary School
- Pasteur Elementary School
- Peterson Elementary School
- Pickard Elementary School
- Plato Learning Academy
- Price Elementary School
- Pritzker Elementary School
- Ravenswood Elementary School
- Ray Elementary School
- Richmond Elementary School
- Ridge Elementary School
- Riis Elementary School
- Robeson Elementary
- Rogers Park Elementary School
- Roosevelt Elementary School
- Ruggles Elementary School
- Sayre Language Academy
- Schmid Elementary School
- Scott Joplin Elementary School
- Shakespeare Elementary School
- Smyth Elementary School
Township High School District 214 β School Roster
High Schools
- Buffalo Grove High School
- Elk Grove High School
- Forest View Educational Center
- John Hersey High School
- Prospect High School
- Rolling Meadows High School
- Wheeling High School
Community Consolidated School District 15 β School Roster
Elementary Schools
- Algonquin Middle School
- Carl Sandburg Middle School
- Central Road Elementary
- Chapel Hill Elementary
- Gray M. Sanborn Elementary
- Hunting Ridge Elementary
- Lake Louise Elementary
- Lincoln Prairie Elementary
- Marion Jordan Elementary
- Plum Grove Junior High
- River Trails Middle School
- Sycamore Hills Elementary
- Thomas Jefferson Elementary
- Virginia Lake Elementary
- Walter R. Sundling Junior High
- William Fremd High School (feeder)
- Winston Park Elementary
Evanston/Skokie District 65 β School Roster
Middle Schools
- Chute Middle School
- Haven Middle School
- King Arts & Science Academy
Elementary Schools
- Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies
- Dawes Elementary
- Dewey Elementary
- Ecology/Environment/Community School
- Ellen Mitchell Elementary
- Foster Elementary
- Hecktman Elementary
- Hillard Thomas Elementary
- Lincolnwood Elementary
- Orrington Elementary
- Park School
- Pope Elementary
- Rice Elementary
- Roycemore School
- Timber Ridge Elementary
- Washington Elementary
- Willard Elementary
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