The City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and Chicago City of Learning (CCOL) have launched Code60+: an unprecedented five-week global campaign aimed to engage students, teachers, and parents around the city in computer science activities. Each year, CPS participates in a week-long “Hour of Code” program as part of Computer Science Education Week, where millions of students from more than 180 countries learn the basics of coding. Code60+ will provide five additional weeks of coding opportunities that will be offered in CPS schools and at CCOL partner sites across the city.

Activities are being hosted at schools, in communities, at home and online specifically featuring over 80 online coding activities available at any time. Students at every school across the Chicagoland region are encouraged to code not only for one hour, but multiple throughout the month. Code60+ activities will create awareness around Computer Science, specifically related to coding. Chicago’s Code60+ campaign will utilize a common Code60+ digital badge, issued through Chicago City of Learning, and powered by CPS’ Office of Leadership and Learning, CPS Connects and CS4All, to capture the hours of coding completed by youth and families. As badges are earned, a dynamic city map will indicate the number of “hours” of code engaged in by schools. The Chicago City of Learning’s Code60+ page will provide various online, “unplugged”(coding activities completed without a computer), and in-community coding opportunities for students, parents, and teachers to explore. Students in schools across the city are encouraged to register for the month-long event at chicagocodes.org.