Why Baker

Students having fun at Baker Demonstration School

Our Mission

At Baker, our mission is to champion an exemplary progressive education, which cultivates an intrinsic motivation to learn, values differences, nurtures the whole person, and encourages courageous choices.

We provide a research-based, academically vigorous, innovative program that empowers students to be active participants in their own education, fosters a deep, relevant, and authentic love of learning, that sets every child up for success in high school, university, and an ever-evolving world.

Our Vision

Inspired by our first director, Clara Belle Baker, who worked to ensure children here achieve academic excellence through meaningful and authentic learning experiences, we envision a future in which this model for Progressive Education becomes the standard for all children.

Baker strives to be the most authentic, relevant, and impactful progressive education program in Illinois, serving as many students as possible, modeling leading progressive education practices for other educational institutions, and helping build a more just, peaceful, and democratic world.

Learn more about Progressive Ed

What We Stand For

Inviting Students To Engage

We invite children to take the wheel, harness their innate love of learning and drive the learning process as we guide them as co-learners toward academic goals.

Adapting Instruction To The Childrens' Needs

Our teachers are committed to the challenge of teaching in many different styles, creatively offering a multitude of experiences to help every child deepen their understanding.

Linking Instruction with the Real World

We actively encourage children to develop empathy for one another and for the community and world around them, and to use empathy as a driver to solve real-world problems.

Creating An Inclusive Community

25 zip codes in the Chicagoland area are represented here, and 26% of our students are multilingual. Our community is committed to antiracism and social justice.