1. To what extent were CPS graduates less likely to enroll in college during the fall of 2020 as compared to past years?
2. To what extent were CPS graduates who were already enrolled in college in spring 2020 less likely to return in fall 2020?
3. How did changes in enrollment and retention vary across race/ethnicity and enrolling colleges?
This brief provides data on the extent to which the patterns in college enrollment and retention for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) graduates changed in 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift to a remote setting for high school and college students during the spring. Despite these challenges, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the enrollment and retention rates of CPS graduates appeared to be smaller than the national rates reported by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), particularly for four-year college outcomes.
Key Findings
- CPS graduates from the class of 2020 were about as likely to enroll in a four-year college as previous cohorts: 41.8 percent in 2019 vs. 40.8 percent in 2020.
- CPS graduates from the class of 2019 were slightly more likely than previous cohorts to remain in four-year colleges between spring and fall 2020: 81.5 percent in 2019 vs. 84.1 percent in 2020.
- CPS graduates from the class of 2020 were less likely to enroll in a two-year college: 20.0 percent in 2019 vs. 16.4 percent in 2020.
- CPS graduates who were enrolled in a two-year college in spring 2020 were less likely than previous cohorts to return to a two-year college in the fall: 66.4 percent in 2019 vs. 61.9 percent in 2020.
