Chicago Public Schools Office of New School

The Office of New Schools (ONS) in the Chicago Public Schools oversees the application process for starting a new charter, contract, or performance school, as well as some turnaround schools. Once the schools are opened, ONS works with the charter and contract schools, while performance schools are assigned to a CPS area. ONS holds charter and contract schools accountable to the terms of their agreements with the Chicago Board of Education. In the 2010-2011 school year, ONS provides oversight for 91 schools, 82 charter campuses and nine contract schools.