Help more Chicago families choose a school with less stress
SchoolNav is a free structured walkthrough for choosing a CPS school. Most families find us because someone they know mentioned us. This page explains why that matters and the easy ways you can help.
Why your help matters
The free plan is for every family
Some families can pay for a consultant or a tutor, and many cannot. The free plan gives every family the same step-by-step guide, so knowing how CPS works does not depend on money or connections.
A clear plan leads to better choices
When a family knows the steps, the deadlines and the trade-offs, they choose schools on purpose instead of by rumor. A school that fits a child can change how that child feels about learning for years.
Less confusion helps everyone
Calmer parents ask better questions at tours, fill in fewer wrong forms and trust their own judgment more. Schools, neighbors and kids all gain when families decide with clear facts.
What every family gets for free
A family only needs an email address to sign up. The free plan includes:
- A 6-step guide and checklist for your child’s application
- Help for Pre-K, elementary school and high school
- Plain guides and simulators that show how CPS rules work
- School comparisons ranked by what matters to your family
- Tour planning, tour notes and questions to ask
- Shared views for co-parents and for every child
- Parent groups for your current and future schools
The plans page explains each one.
Five easy ways to help
Each one takes a minute or less. Copy any note below as it is, or change the words to sound like you.
Step 1: Tell everyone you know who has a tie to Chicago
Almost everyone in Chicago knows someone who has been through CPS. That is why a mention to anyone, not just parents, helps. Here are some people to think of:
- Parents of young kids, because they will apply soon.
- Parents of older kids, because they know families who are just starting.
- Friends without kids, because they have siblings, coworkers and neighbors who are parents.
- Grandparents, aunts and uncles, because they often help with school decisions.
- Friends who moved away, because they still know people in Chicago.
- Teachers, coaches, tutors, babysitters and child care staff, because parents ask them about schools all the time.
- Your coworkers, because many of them are Chicago parents too.
Step 2: Send a short note
Pick the note that fits the person, then copy it, text it or email it.
An email to someone you know
Hi! I came across a free site that makes choosing a CPS school less confusing. It walks families through the whole process step by step. I told myself I would pass it along, so here it is: https://schoolnav.app. If you know a family going through CPS applications, would you pass it on too?
A text to a parent you know
Thought of you! This free site walks you through CPS applications step by step, so it is a lot less confusing: https://schoolnav.app
A message in a work chat or parents channel
For any Chicago parents here: SchoolNav is a free structured walkthrough for choosing a CPS school, from Pre-K to high school. It keeps your steps in one checklist and lets you compare schools side by side. https://schoolnav.app
A note from someone who moved away
I do not live in Chicago anymore, but I know a lot of you still do. If you or a friend is choosing a CPS school, this free site walks you through it step by step: https://schoolnav.app
Step 3: Post in your groups
Neighborhood Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups, school parent groups and Nextdoor are full of Chicago parents. Check each group’s rules first. Some groups allow one post about a local business each month.
A post in a Facebook, WhatsApp or neighborhood group
Sharing a free site for anyone going through CPS applications: https://schoolnav.app. It walks you through choosing a school step by step, from Pre-K to high school, and every school fact shows where it came from. It is made here in Chicago, and the team reads every idea sent to ideas@schoolnav.app.
The most helpful time to share is when a parent asks a question about CPS. A reply with a link answers their question right away.
A reply when someone in a group asks how CPS works
This free walkthrough lays it all out: https://schoolnav.app/guides/how-the-cps-cycle-works. It explains the steps, the deadlines, and how points and tiers work in plain words.
Step 4: Mention it in person
Parents talk about schools wherever they gather. You could say something like this:
Have you heard of SchoolNav? It is a free site that walks you through the CPS application step by step, so it is a lot less confusing. It is at schoolnav.app.
Good places to mention it:
- Your kids’ sports teams, music lessons and after-school activities
- School pickup and drop-off
- Birthday parties and playdates
- Your book club, card club or running group
- Your place of worship
- Your block club or neighborhood meeting
The sharing page has a code people can scan with their phone camera, so they can take the link with them.
Step 5: Tell us what to build next
Your ideas shape SchoolNav. Write to ideas@schoolnav.app with a step that felt confusing, a fact you wish a school page showed, or a tool you looked for and could not find. The people who build the app read every message.
Thank you for helping. SchoolNav is an independent guide and is not part of CPS.