Summer Bridge and Summer Acceleration

CPS summer school supplements school year instruction to keep elementary school students on track to enter high school. By June 1st, schools notify parents if their student must attend Summer Bridge or Summer Acceleration, along with providing dates, site locations, and transportation details.

Students who have modified promotion criteria on their IEPs and have met the criteria are not required to attend summer school.

If you have questions about whether your student is required to attend summer school, contact your student’s school.

Summer Bridge

Students in grades 3rd, 6th, and 8th who do not meet the minimum promotion criteria are required to attend Summer Bridge.

The Summer Bridge program is located at select sites and provides customized, intensive instruction to meet students' individual needs in reading and mathematics using an online curriculum. At the conclusion of the program, students who successfully meet promotion criteria will advance to the next grade.

Summer Bridge is a full-day program that runs for five weeks and meets Monday through Friday.

View the CPS Calendar for specific summer school dates.

Summer Bridge Parent Appeal to Promotion Determination

JULY 31, 2023 - AUGUST 7, 2023: ASSIST FAMILIES FILING APPEALS TO PROMOTION DETERMINATIONS

If you wish to appeal your child’s promotion determination and have documentation demonstrating why policy requirements for your child’s academic performance and/or attendance record should be waived, contact your Home School Principal.

The Summer Bridge Appeal submission period has ended. We will be accepting responses for this form from July 31st to August 7th.

Parents have five calendar days following the receipt of the promotion determination notice to submit an appeal in writing. To file an appeal complete the following steps.

1. Print and complete the Parent Appeal of Promotion Determination, also included in the Appendix.
2. Provide any additional evidence such as the final June 
3. and Summer Bridge report cards, IEP, a doctor’s statement, parent notes, obituaries, or letters of support with documented evidence from teachers or principals that would justify waiving the requirements outlined in the Elementary School Promotion Policy.
• Keep parent notes for excused absences on file. Notes written after July 27th and not entered in the CPS system of student record (by the Summer Bridge Host school) will not be accepted.
4. Email the appeal and attachments no later than August 7th to the Summer Assistance Team, Department of Instructional Supports at summerbridge@cps.edu. Do NOT email the document(s) multiple times as this will cause a delay in processing.
5. The Appeals committee may require principals to submit additional documentation to support or refute a parent appeal. Be prepared to provide documentation proving the parents received the following:
• The School/Parent Guide to the Elementary School Promotion Policy
• The Promotion Notification Letter in (End of Traditional School Year)
• The Promotion Determination Letter (End of Summer Bridge)
• Phone log documenting attempted engagement of student(s).

The Office of Teaching and Learning has ten business days from the date the appeal is received to review the student’s records of academic achievement and attendance and respond to the parent’s appeal. A copy of the Appeal Determination will be faxed or scanned and emailed to the Home school principal and mailed to the home address provided on the appeal form.

Summer Acceleration

Students who will be 15 years old on or before September 1 of the following school year and who do not meet 8th grade promotion criteria are required to attend Summer Acceleration.

Summer Acceleration prepares students to be successful in high school by providing supports in these areas:

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Social/Emotional Learning

Students will be eligible to receive an 8th-grade diploma and to participate in an eighth grade graduation ceremony if they successfully meet the Summer Acceleration program requirements.

View the CPS Calendar for specific dates.