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Mission & Values

The First Laboratory School

Lab is a Nursery 3–Grade 12 institution that has stood as the pioneer and vanguard of pedagogical innovation since its founding in 1896.

As the first laboratory school in the country, our legacy is built on a commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional education, shaping the future of learning, and fostering a community where intellectual curiosity thrives.

Our Mission

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools are home to the youngest members of the University of Chicago's academic community. We ignite and nurture an enduring spirit of scholarship, curiosity, creativity, and confidence. We value learning experientially, exhibiting kindness, and honoring diversity.

Our Values

As enshrined in our mission, the Lab community
upholds the following core values: 

 

Ranked the Best Private School in Illinois

2024 Rankings according to Niche, the leading platform
connecting students and families with colleges and schools.

 

Nestled within the rich academic tapestry of the University of Chicago, our schools continue to serve as living laboratories where groundbreaking educational theories are tested and refined.

Our students are not merely recipients of knowledge; they are active participants in their own learning journey. Our distinguished faculty, collaborative ethos, and over a century-old tradition of academic excellence create an environment that challenges conventional norms, nurtures critical thinking, and prepares students to democratically engage in an ever-changing society.

University of Chicago Laboratory Schools Campus

Pillars of Academic Excellence

 

At a Glance

2,216

students in 15 grades

100+

clubs and activities

3

fully functional theaters

105,000

volumes in four libraries

5

gyms plus swimming pool

11

Golden Apple award winning faculty

All children should have access to an education that values their identities and spirits in a way that highlights their learning styles, interests, and gifts they bring to the classroom community. Tracy Aiden
Early Childhood Head Teacher
Progressive Education Network Board Member

Students building a Rube Goldberg maze

What is a progressive education?

Lab's founder is thought to be the most significant educational thinker of his era and is considered by many to be the “father of progressive education.” Dewey advocated for schools to be more like democratic communities. As the nation's first laboratory school, Lab remains an active member of Progressive Education Network (PEN), which believes that the purpose of education transcends preparation for college or career. 

Historical Classroom

Over a Century of Scholarship, Curiosity, Creativity, and Confidence

Dewey's intention was to challenge conventional attitudes about childhood education and to discover “how a school could become a cooperative community.” In such a community, each member had roles, performed tasks, and learned what it meant to be productive citizens. Learning, in other words, was not too different from life.

Learn more about Lab's History

Notable Alumni

The greatest testament to the power of a Laboratory Schools education has always been our graduates. They remind us regularly that the precollegiate life they experienced at the Laboratory Schools contributed to their achievements as adults. Lab alumni have a knack for making a difference in the world as professionals, academicians, artists, educators, researchers, public servants, and more.

Learn about our Alumni of Note

Andrea Ghez ’83
Andrea Ghez ’83

Renowned astrophysicist, Nobel Prize in Physics, Crafoord Prize, and MacArthur "genius" award winner

Hal Higdon ’47
Hal Higdon ’47

Author, running record holder, inductee of Road Runners Club of America Hall of Fame 

Maria Hinojosa '79
Maria Hinojosa '79

Pulitzer Prize-wining journalist, host of Peabody Award-winning show Latino USA, founder and CEO of Futuro Media Group, author

Academics

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Lower School Classroom

Experience

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Lower School Students

Athletics

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Boys basketball ends season at regional semifinals

Arts

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Student artwork