The present invention provides compositions and methods for targeting polypeptides to the chloroplasts of higher plants. Compositions include expression cassettes having a nucleotide sequence encoding a chloroplast targeting peptide (CTP) operably linked to a nucleotide sequence of interest, wherein the CTP is derived from Chlamydomonas sp. Plant transformation vectors, plants and plant cells having the CTP sequences are also encompassed, as well as variants and fragments of the CTP sequences. Methods for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using the CTP sequences disclosed herein are also provided.