We believe we can help make the city feel smaller through the generosity of its people.
From tennis shoes to technology, books to band instruments, updated classrooms to new student experiences, here’s where you can directly support our students and schools with the things they need most.
Get Involved
Through giving and partnerships, we’re creating new ways for every Chicagoan to engage in the success of our students and schools.
Current District Programs
Our student’s have been nationally recognized for their academic progress, take a look at many ways CPS is working to bolster and enrich their experience.
644
Schools
361,382
Students
78.3%
Graduation Rate
$1,334,667,296
Scholarship Dollars Earned in 2018
46.6%
STUDENTS GRADUATING WITH EARLY COLLEGE AND CAREER CREDENTIALS IN 2018
Featured Partners
CPS has made great strides but we didn’t get there alone. Here are a few of the many partnerships that contributed to where we are today.
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Northwestern Hospital
CPS Students in the Northwestern Discovery program get hands-on experience in health-related fields from hospital administration to nursing to surgery. CPS students also get advice on how to prepare for a healthcare career and descriptions of what it’s like to work as a healthcare architect, lobbyist, doctor or surgeon.
Mylan Pharmaceuticals
Research has shown that, on average, two students in every classroom suffer from some type of food allergy. Epinephrine is the only effective treatment for the most extreme allergic reactions, but each dose can cost between $50 and $100. Thanks to a donation by Mylan Pharmaceuticals, every CPS school receives free epinephrine auto-injectors.
The Chicago Blackhawks
The First Stride Program introduces students to ice skating and STEM concepts in a fun and active environment. Each week, hundreds of CPS students, many of them lacing up for the first time, travel to MB Ice Arena, the Blackhawks Community Ice Rink, where they spend an hour on the ice and an hour in the classroom learning about the math, physics, and engineering principles within the game of hockey.
Apple and Northwestern
Supported by Apple and Northwestern University, Lane Tech’s Center for Excellence offers a unique teaching and learning hub for teachers across Chicago Public Schools. Using devices and curriculum from Apple, experts from Northwestern work with Chicago teachers to provide a high-level course in coding and app development for both students and teachers.
Baxter International
In 2008, Baxter International joined Linblom Math and Science Academy in creating a new program to support teacher training and student development in health sciences. Over the past eight years, the program has grown to include a fully equipped Innovation Lab, a competitive robotics team, Baxter Box lab Kits, and more. With Baxter’s support, Linblom has become the #11 high school in Illinois, renowned for its STEM programs, and the health sciences program has been adopted by a number of CPS high schools, reaching more than 174,000 students and more than 2,000 teachers.
Exelon and IIT
A program created and supported by Exelon and Illinois Institute of Technology, Opt4STEM provides enriched STEM education to students at the Frederick Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center. To date, the program has provided 290 different STEM activities, including field trips, school energy audits, and participation in the Future Energy Lab event at the Museum of Science and Industry. With Opt4STEM’s help, Von Steuben students have earned a total of 152 college credits and been awarded $524,000 in scholarships.
BMO Harris Bank
Launched in partnership with BMO Harris Bank and an all-star roster of Chicago sports teams, including the Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire, Red Stars, the Jr. NBA, and World Sport Chicago (Sports Can Open Roads to Excellence) is the first public-private partnership in the country to bring entirely free, no-cut sports programs to elementary students. With pro-athlete engagement, citywide championships, free uniforms, and a host of other exciting features, CPS SCORE! has helped increase student participation in after-school sports by nearly 90 percent in just two years.
CPS Alumni Chance the Rapper & SocialWorks
In 2017, one of CPS’s most famous alumni and dogged supporters, Chance the Rapper, donated $2 million to CPS’s Department of Arts Education through his nonprofit foundation, SocialWorks. With a major assist from the Chicago Bulls—another longtime champion of CPS—and a number of other partners, the New Chance Fund for Arts and Literature helped 20 schools build innovative and sustainable performing and visual arts programming. In 2018, SocialWorks doubled down on that commitment, pledging an additional $2 million over three years, this time with the support of Google, to fund new computer science programming at 20 CPS schools.
United Healthcare and Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation
As part of the Team8 Tour in partnership with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, UnitedHealthcare employees volunteered at Austin College and Career Academy to help provide a “healthy school makeover.” Throughout the two-day renovation project funded by UnitedHealthcare, more than 50 volunteers re-painted the school’s weight room, installed new fitness equipment, built a new dance studio, cleaned and organized the gym, and completed a number of other projects aimed at making Austin an even healthier and happier environment for students.
300
Businesses providing work-readiness opportunities for CPS Students
221
Grants and contributions provided in the last year
16,047,988
Dollars raised in the last year
15,500
Corporate volunteer hours contributed in the last year
Recent Updates
I was elated to see so many leaders in the community join us to help the district narrow the opportunity gap for our children. It takes a team to make the dream work, and together we are heading towards an even brighter future. Thank you! #TheBestAreWithCPS @ChiFirstFund
40 years! That's an incredible streak. Thanks for all your support, @CNA_Insurance!
Today, more than 100 philanthropic leaders joined @janicejackson to discuss how we can work together to narrow the opportunity gap for students. Through @ChiFirstFund, we are establishing partnerships to benefit our students in and out of the classroom for years to come.
