CPS Seniors Save More Than $9 Million on College Tuition at City Colleges

Hundreds of Chicago Public Schools seniors will soon graduate from high school having already earned a semester’s worth of college credits for free from City Colleges of Chicago. At the Early College Milestone Celebration at UIC Forum on Tuesday, May 20, the students were celebrated for their achievements and for saving time and money on their college degrees.

Through our Early College program, 138 CPS seniors are earning associate degrees from City Colleges alongside their diplomas, and more than 800 graduates have completed 15 or more college credits with us—or a full semester’s worth of credits. In total, CPS’ Class of 2025 saved $9,082,386 total in tuition costs from City Colleges.

“Participating in the Early College program helped me develop a growth mindset,” said Miguel Diaz, a senior at Lindblom Science Academy who earned his associate degree from City Colleges this spring. “I’ve developed good study habits and organizational skills. I’ve also learned so many different experiences and met different people from 20- to 80-years-old completing their college credits.”

These outcomes are made possible through the Chicago Roadmap, a strategic partnership between City Colleges and CPS, which ensures CPS students can access college-level courses, free of charge, during high school, among other objectives.

“Through the Chicago Roadmap, we are expanding high school students’ access to free college courses, saving them time and money towards their degree,” said Chancellor Juan Salgado. “Together with CPS and our communities, we are building clear pathways to higher education and high-demand careers for Chicago students.”

In addition to City Colleges, CPS students also earned credits through partners that include DeVry University, Chicago State University, Illinois Tech, Loyola University, Northeastern Illinois University, National Louis University, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois Chicago. Read the full press release from Chicago Public Schools below.

To learn more about the Chicago Roadmap, visit chicagoroadmap.org.

Chicago Public Schools Class of 2025 Saves More Than $10 Million in College Tuition Through Early College Credits

Record-breaking 211 students earn associate degrees alongside their high school diplomas

CHICAGO – This spring, as thousands of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) seniors cross graduation stages across the city, many will be taking more than a diploma with them—they will be stepping into their future with a head start on college, a stronger sense of purpose, and meaningful financial savings for their families.

“We are incredibly proud of the Class of 2025 for making history in our early college programs,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “These graduates are not just walking away with high school diplomas—they’re leaving our schools with college credits, real momentum toward their degrees, and thousands of dollars in tuition savings for their families. This is what it looks like when we invest in students and help them thrive beyond graduation.”

This year, 211 seniors have earned both a high school diploma and an associate degree, while more than 1,000 graduates have completed 15 or more transferable college credits. In total, more than 6,600 CPS students from the Class of 2025 earned more than 66,000 early college credits—the highest achievement in CPS history—representing an estimated $10 million in tuition savings for CPS families.

“This remarkable number of CPS students isn’t just finishing high school—they’re accelerating toward their college and career ambitions,” said Chief Education Officer Chkoumbova. “This is what we mean when we talk about high-quality, rigorous public education. These students embody the academic excellence and determination we work to cultivate every single day.”

These milestones underscore CPS’s commitment to expanding access to rigorous, college-level coursework and ensuring every student graduates prepared for college, career, and life.

To honor these accomplishments, CPS Office of College and Career Success leaders joined City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) Chancellor Juan Salgado and DeVry University Dean of Teaching and Learning Dr. Brian Niro – along with school leaders and families – to celebrate scholars from 84 high schools who are getting a powerful head start on postsecondary success. The celebration took place Tuesday at UIC’s Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum.

The Power of Partnership: The Chicago Roadmap 

These outcomes are made possible through the Chicago Roadmap, a strategic partnership first established between CPS and CCC, which ensures CPS students can access college-level courses, free of charge, during high school. The initiative expands equitable access to:

• Dual credit courses taught by qualified CPS teachers at high schools
• Dual enrollment courses taught by CCC faculty at college campuses or online
• High-quality advising, career exploration, and transition supports

In addition to CCC, CPS students also earned credits through partners that include DeVry University, Chicago State University, Illinois Tech, Loyola University, Northeastern Illinois University, National Louis University, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois Chicago.

“Through the Chicago Roadmap, we’re opening more doors for high school students to take free college courses—helping them save time and money on their path to a degree,” said Chancellor Salgado of CCC. “In partnership with CPS and our communities, we’re creating clear, seamless pathways to higher education and in-demand careers for Chicago’s young people.”

Record-Breaking Achievements for the Class for 2025

The Class of 2025 set new records across every Early College milestone:

• More than 1,000 students earned 15 or more college credits, the equivalent of one semester in college, which represents a 21.4 percent increase from 2024.
• A total of 320 students earned 30 credits or more, equivalent to one full year of college, which marks a 47.5 percent increase from 2024.
• 211 graduating seniors earned an associate degree while still in high school, a 46.5 increase from the prior year.
• 80 schools earned milestone recognition for early college achievement, representing a 21.3 percent increase from 2024.

A Running Start For Students

Miguel Diaz, a senior at Lindblom Science Academy, will leave high school with 60 early college credits and an associate degree from City Colleges of Chicago. He will start in the fall at the University of Illinois Chicago, double majoring in political science and urban education.

“Participating in the early college program helped me develop a growth mindset,” Miguel said. “I’ve developed good study habits and organizational skills. I’ve also learned so many different experiences and met different people from 20- to 80-years-old completing their college credits.”

That growth mindset, he said, gets him a headstart on his ambitions to one day become a teacher and, perhaps, even launch a career in politics.

Lina Diaz, Miguel’s mother, beamed when she talked about his accomplishments. As a first-generation family from Mexico, the program has helped give her children opportunities that she never had, she said.

“This has prepared him for the university level so he knows how to handle college classes when he is still in high school,” she said. “I’ve seen a growth in him and he has matured in making choices. It is a proud moment for a parent to see their child graduate with a degree before high school.”

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About Chicago Public Schools (CPS)

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all students, beginning with the District’s free full-day preschool programming for four-year-old scholars and continuing at neighborhood, magnet and selective-enrollment elementary and high schools that provide a rigorous K-12 education with schools that specialize in the fine arts, world language and culture, dual language, STEM,International Baccalaureate (IB), classical programs, and more. The rising District-wide freshmen-on-track and high school graduation rates reflect the hard work of the CPS community, including families, staff, and students across 635 schools. CPS celebrates the diversity of its more than 325,000 students who cite more than 180 home languages. Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu and connect with CPS on Facebook, X,  Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About City Colleges of Chicago

CCC is one of the largest community college systems in Illinois, with more than 3,800 faculty and staff serving 54,000 students annually at seven colleges and five satellite sites. City Colleges’ vision is to be recognized as the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity – empowering all Chicagoans to take part in building a stronger and more just city. Learn more about City Colleges of Chicago at www.ccc.edu.

About the Chicago Roadmap

By providing access to high-quality programs, advising and supports, career exploration, and preparedness, the Chicago Roadmap strives to dramatically and equitably increase student outcomes in college enrollment, college degree attainment, and employment. The Roadmap is made possible thanks in part to generous philanthropic contributions made to the Children First Fund: the Chicago Public Schools Foundation (CFF) and the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation (CCCF). Children First Fund serves as a fiscal sponsor for the Chicago Roadmap and works in close partnership with CCCF to support the advancement of the Chicago Roadmap.