✶ 8th Grade Geography Hub ✶

The Grid System & The School Board Puzzle

The Greatest Grid in the World

If you get lost in Chicago, you only have yourself to blame. In 1909, Daniel Burnham laid out the city on a perfect grid system. State and Madison is the absolute center (0,0). Every 8 blocks you travel is exactly one mile. The logic is flawless.

But while finding an address is incredibly easy, finding out who represents you just got incredibly complicated. Chicago recently transitioned to an elected school board, meaning the city map was chopped up into jigsaw pieces. If you don't know where you are on the map, you don't know who is making decisions about your school.

📍 Point Zero: State & Madison

🗺️ Find Your District: The Map Directory

We've compiled the best tools on the internet to help you figure out what district you actually live in. Choose your preferred map below:

The Official CPS Map Go straight to the source. The official district boundary map from the Board of Ed. Illinois Policy Map An interactive, data-rich map built by the state's leading policy think tank. The Developer Map A clean, fast, custom-built geographic tool for finding local boundaries. The Mapz Loop View A beautiful, highly-detailed street map centered right on State and Madison. Printable Map A printable version of the district boundaries. (Note: This is a work in progress.) Google Maps View the standard Google Maps layout. (Note: This is a work in progress.)

The Grid Reality Check Simulator

Before you go looking for your school board district, let's make sure you actually live in Chicago. Enter your street number and direction!

Downtown (0) City Limits

REQUIRED GEOGRAPHY DISCLOSURE:

Built by the 8th Grade Java Class Group 3.

Notice: The Grid Reality Check Simulator relies on hardcoded JavaScript logic written by middle schoolers. If it says you are swimming in Lake Michigan but you are actually sitting in your living room, please look out a window to confirm before panicking. For actual district boundaries, use the buttons above.