There are a variety of school choice options available for many of the 3 million children living in Illinois. Families in Illinois can choose from traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, and homeschooling.
If you’re a parent looking for school choice options for your child head to our Illinois State Guide.
National School Choice Week (NSCW) informs, inspires, and empowers parents to discover the K-12 education options available for their children, including traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home schooling.
Every January, tens of thousands of schools, organizations, and individuals plan unique events and activities to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options in their communities.
In 2024, we are partnering with 999 schools and organizations in Illinois to raise awareness of K-12 education options.
Download the School Choice Snapshot for This State
Digital Backpack for Partners
Amplify and enhance your participation in National School Choice Week!
Digital Backpack for Educators
Activity ideas and resources that show your school spirit and help spread the word about your participation.
Digital Backpack for Parents
Find information about school choice in your state, as well as ideas and resources to help you celebrate.
Events
Proclamation
America Shines
All-Star Events
Date | City | Name | Event Description |
Jan 23 | Plainfield | Freedom Learners | For National School Choice Week, Freedom Learners Homeschool Co-op will share information about the power of school choice and national school choice awareness with the people within our community |
Jan 24 | Chicago | Holy Family School | Holy Family School will celebrate National School Choice Week at our Holy Family Chapel. |
Jan 22 | Centralia | Trinity Lutheran School – Centralia | Trinity Lutheran School will be hosting all week National Lutheran School Week. This weeks activities will include dress up days, fun events throughout the week, and a book fair. |
Jan 24 | Peoria | 123 You N Me Preschool | 123 You N Me will have a day to celebrate School Choice with drawing pictures, sharing their favorite thing they like about school, and we will wear our scarves and bracelets. We will enter our indoor playground to sing songs together and take a picture. |
Jan 22 | Chicago | Acero Charter School Roberto Clemente | Will have a parents night meeting, we will also tour parents around the school to view school choice posters and art work |
Jan 22 | Chicago | Acero Schools – Sor Juana Ines de La Cruz | Sor Juana Ines de La Cruz School will be providing scarfs during report card pickup as provided and have a community event at the school. We will also hold an Info session for all charter schools in district to come together for school choice |
Jan 22 | Aurora | Aurora Christian HIgh School | Aurora Christian HIgh School will be celebrating School Choice in the High School with a spirit week with a variety of events for the students in around the campus |
Jan 22 | Aurora | Aurora Christian Schools Elementary School | Aurora Christian Schools Elementary School will be celebrating School Choice in the Elementary School with a spirit week with a variety of events for the students around the school |
Jan 31 | Naperville | Calvary Christian School | Calvary Christian School invites parents, pastors, students, and teachers to share what they love about our school during an assembly. |
Jan 24 | Silvis | Carbon Cliff-Barstow District 36 – Eagle Ridge Elementary School | Eagle Ridge Elementary School will be celebrating National School Choice Week with a coloring contest and pep assembly. Students will be encouraged to do their best coloring and drawing of what they like best about our school. All students will be attending the pep assembly to celebrate our school and what we’re most proud of! |
Feb 8 | Carbondale | Carbondale Middle School | Carbondale Middle School will be celebrating our school with our Multi Cultural Festival following school choice week, we will be celebrating culture, food, music and art from many countries. |
Jan 24 | Chicago | Carlos Fuentes Elementary School | National School Choice Week Celebration! Come celebrate and rejoice on your right to choose! We love our SCHOOL! There will be games and prizes and fun for all! |
Jan 25 | Chicago | Catalyst Charter-Circle Rock Elementary School | Catalyst Schools will celebrate as follows; A dress down day with school gear on 1/25, the Family Advisory Committee will line the sidewalks and greet scholars during morning arrival on 1/26, and we will pass out NSCW swag. On 1/31, we will have an assembly where we will shout out involved parents/families, celebrate the end of the quarter, and celebrate our school community. |
Jan 22 | Chicago | Children of Peace School | Children of Peace School will invite parents to participate in assemblies, and for students to participate in theme days (eg. dress down day, cultural awareness day) throughout the week. |
Jan 21 | Burbank | Frances B Mccord Elementary School | France B. McCord School will be celebrating “Love My School Week.” We will be interviewing our students, teachers, staff, and parents, asking them: “What makes McCord special?. Additionally, we will host daily raffles throughout the week and students will be encouraged to create posters. Additionally, we may host a family game night. |
Jan 22 | Collinsville | Good Shepherd Lutheran School | Good Shepherd Lutheran School has its National Lutheran School’s week from January 21-26. We will be celebrating our school spirit all week with dress-up days, an assembly, Alumni Night, and the Faculty singing at church. |
Jan 17 | Matteson | Grassroots Homeschoolers | Grassroots Homeschoolers will have a game night for families. There will be a combination of active games in the gym and board games for the whole family. We will be having a chili cook off, and providing hot apple cider and hot chocolate. In addition, the children will be setting up displays about “warm fuzzies”, sharing things that make them happy. |
Feb 12 | Naperville | ICN Noor Academy | ICN Noor Academy will celebrate School Choice with a School Spirit Week from Feb. 12-16 |
Jan 26 | Calumet City | Lincoln School District 156 | Lincoln School will participate in school choice week with a school wide grade 1-8 talent show, a class craft/ scavenger hunt, a yellow day dress down and a movie. |
Jan 22 | Columbia | Monroe County Christian School | MCCS will have a traditional spirit week to celebrate NSCW. Special dress days, daily student treats, social media posts, and a door contest are the highlights. In addition, lessons focusing on gratitude for our school will be on display through various mediums: posters, essays, art, etc. |
Jan 22 | Mokena | Noonan Academy | Noonan Academy will be celebrating National School Choice Week by highlighting the freedom that families have in sending their children to Noonan Academy on social media. |
Jan 22 | Chicago | One Hope United | On January 12, 2024, One Hope United will host an information session for families to prep them for School Choice Week and brainstorm activities. During the week of January 21st we will host a march outside their school with their scarves, as well as other fun activities decided on by the families. |
Jan 23 | Matteson | OW Huth School | OW Huth Middle School will have a spirit week and it will cumulate in a family game night and open house. The students will be engaging in all sorts of school based spirit activities. |
Jan 26 | North Chicago | Paul K Kennedy Child Care Center | Paul K Kennedy Child Care Center will celebrate National School Choice week during the last week in January 2024 with a pep rally where students will gather together to celebrate and recognize their school. |
Jan 23 | Des Plaines | Plato Academy | Plato Academy will host discussions with students and have a gathering of students and staff to dance together in celebration of school choice! |
Jan 26 | Chicago | Ravenswood Christian School | Ravenswood Christian School will be celebrating by handing out the yellow scarves and having the classes do posters to put up in the hallways for parents to see. |
Jan 26 | Lynwood | Sandridge Elementary School | Sandridge Elementary School will hold a PBIS school award celebration with MLK remembrance presentation. |
Jan 17 | Peoria | Seapco Academy | Seapco Academy will hold a scarf giveaway at the school. The students will also create a poster based on the theme that will be placed throughout the school. |
Jan 25 | Springfield | St Agnes Elementary School | All Springfield Catholic schools will gather together at an assembly celebrating school choice on January 25. |
Jan 28 | Burbank | St Albert the Great School | During National School Choice Week, St Albert the Great School will celebrate with a family night day at the chicago/wolves game on January 27th and then our school family mass followed by an open house on January 28th. |
Jan 21 | Cicero | St Frances of Rome School | St. Frances of Rome is celebrating National School Choice Week during the week of 1/21/2024. Events will include an arts & crafts night, a First Responder appreciation day, a yellow spirit day with a scarf giveaway, and an open house where prospective families can meet teachers and tour the school. |
Jan 24 | Cicero | The Childrens Center of Cicero and Berwyn | The Childrens Center of Cicero and Berwyn will be celebrating our school with a Family and Child Activity Day, focusing on what we like about our school. |
Jan 26 | Urbana | Thomas Paine Elementary School | Thomas Paine Elementary School will be celebrating school choice week during our monthly PBIS celebration with an assembly and pep rally for students and families |
Jan 22 | Chicago | Trinity Childcare Centers – Deton Brooks Headstart | Trinity Childcare Centers – Deton Brooks Headstart will have many different events going on for our students that are 6 weeks till 5-year-olds. Examples include assembly/pep rally, awards, school tours, and more. |
Jan 22 | Fox River Grove | Wonderland Kids Academy | Wonderland Kids Academy Day Care Center celebrates National School Choice Week the whole week and at the end of the week kids receive their scarfs. We do arts and crafts, games, and other fun activities for kids. During the week, parents can also come and view their students art. |
Jan 21 | Yorkville | Yorkville Christian High School | Yorkville Christian High School will celebrate National School Choice by distributing the free NSCW items to students and making daily announcements about school choice week and the giveaways for students and where they can pick up various items to celebrate their school and the week. |
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