Whether a storybook little red schoolhouse, an urban gray cinder block building, or a shiny new structure covered with colorful murals, school is not just a curriculum—it’s a place, one that is a window onto the particular culture of a school. The schools across Chicago represent many variations on this theme—from clean, bright environments where students’ spirits can soar to dingy, rundown structures in sore need of repair.

By clicking on different schools on the map below, you can pick up a Hall Pass to an array of public schools across the Chicago area. Go inside to find out what our area’s learning spaces look like, how they reflect the different funding realities facing our local public schools, and hear what those in that school community think about their learning environment.

We'll be adding schools throughout the year. Please send us an E-mail if you’d like to suggest a school we should profile.