In 2021, Chicago Public Schools will open a twelfth Regional Gifted Center (RGC,) the first on the predominately Black West side. The Morton School of Excellence will develop the program in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.

The 11 existing RGC programs are located throughout the city, but there was a gap in gifted programs on the city’s West Side, a primarily Black area of the city. Now students will have an option to attend an RGC closer to their neighborhood.

Black and Latinx students are underrepresented in gifted programming. The Education Trust published a report in January that described these disparities and made suggestions for improving access to gifted and talented programming for Black and Latinx students.

The school will have a one year incubation period during which it will develop its program. This fall families will be able to apply to the program through Go CPS.

Read more about the school and the campaign to start it on Block Club Chicago.