Bell School receives many inquiries from parents interested in the school. For more information about Bell, please read the detailed descriptions of each of our departments in this section. This page summarizes the admissions requirements for each program.

Tours for prospective parents are available on the first and third Wednesday of each month during the school year, with some exceptions. Please call the office at 773.534.5150 in advance to reserve a spot as space is limited.

Each of the three programs at Bell has different entry requirements and starting grade levels; all programs run through Eighth Grade.

Neighborhood Program

The Neighborhood program begins in Kindergarten. Students must live within the attendance boundaries. To see a map of the boundaries or check whether a particular address is within our attendance district, please use the CPS School Locator website or call the Chicago Public Schools at (773)553-1000. You can also pick up a copy of the attendance district map by visiting the Bell School office.

Children begin kindergarten the year in which they are 5 on September 1. Kindergarten enrollment begins in spring of the prior school year. Please check the website calendar starting in January for the exact date. CPS policy requires parents to provide proof of their child's age, such as a birth certificate, and two proofs of address, such as a current utility bill and a driver's license, in order to enroll.  

Regional Gifted Center

The Regional Gifted Center, known at Bell as the Options program, begins in first grade.  All Regional Gifted Centers in Chicago require testing for admission. Children are selected for entry based on their performance on an aptitude test administered by the Office of Access & Enrollment (OAE). Your child is eligible to apply for first grade for the following school year in the year in which he or she is 5 on September 1.  This is typically his or her kindergarten year.  Fill-in spots in the Options program may be available in second through eighth grade.

Bell normally holds an Open House for parents interested in learning more about the Options Program during the fall. Check the calendar for the exact date(s).

Apply to Bell's Regional Gifted Center using the SEES application from Chicago Public Schools.  The application process is described on the CPS OAE website and you can also download an application there during the application period, usually October through mid-December.  The deadline to apply for the 2012-2013 school year is December 16, 2011.

The application process can be tricky, so please read the following tips for applying to Bell's Gifted Program:

• Select up to a maxiumum of 6 choices in your order of preference.  Testing eligibility for students whose current grade is 4-7 will be based on the student’s 2010-2011 ISAT national percentile rank in reading and math, or on a different nationally normed standardized test (e.g., ITBS, TERRA NOVA, etc.). In order to be eligible for testing, students whose current grade is 4-7 must score at or above the 90th percentile in both reading and math.
• Bell does not have a kindergarten as part of the Regional Gifted Center. We start our program in first grade.
• Apply early in the process.
• Please write as clearly and neatly as possible and include current and reliable contact information. If CPS does not have the correct address or phone numbers, you may not receive important information about testing times and locations.
• Please feel free to contact Ms. Kathleen Sharer at (773) 534-5151, with any additional questions you might have.

 
Deaf Department

The Deaf Department offers a pre-kindergarten program for children who are 3 years old on or before September 1 and have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) indicating a need for the specialized services that Bell offers. If your child is deaf or hard of hearing and you need information about how to obtain an IEP, please contact your neighborhood school. If you are unsure which school is your neighborhood school, please call the Chicago Public Schools at (773)553-1000 or use the CPS School Locator website.