Cooke Magnet School has opened its application process for families seeking enrollment for the 2026-2027 academic year. The school, which emphasizes fine arts in its curriculum, is accepting applications online until March 1, 2026. Openings are available for incoming kindergarten students, with limited spots for grades one through five. Eligibility is restricted to students who live within the boundaries of Waukegan Public Schools.
Families are required to complete all sections of the application and verify their contact information. As part of the process, prospective students will take a placement assessment. Details about testing dates and times will be provided in mid-March. Each session will last about 45 minutes and will be scheduled during both school hours and after school.
“Please note that completing this application does not replace student registration. All students must still complete the official registration process through the District or their current school.”
For new students whose home language is not English, parents should contact the Welcome Center at 224-303-3630 to arrange a required language assessment.
Parents with questions can reach out to Cooke Magnet School by phone at 224-303-1700 or via email at [email protected].
Cooke Magnet School is part of Waukegan Community Unit School District 60, which serves Lake County and includes multiple elementary and middle schools as well as Waukegan High School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district’s student population is predominantly Hispanic (79.5 percent), with Black (13.2 percent), White (3.2 percent), and Asian (1.3 percent) representation according to state data (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district employs over a thousand teachers with an average salary of $63,524; most are women, and teacher attendance rates are high (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, per-student spending was $23,429 for a total expenditure of $359 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).
Applications can be submitted online through the school’s website.
