Intensive Support

We’re in schools for kids, providing support for the whole school and for students at significant risk of dropping out. This level of support is called our Intensive Program.

This program places a highly trained, Master’s level CIS of Chicago staff member inside of a school building each day, providing intensive supports such as goal setting, skill building, behavior interventions and supportive guidance – for individual students and groups of students. This hands-on, very present, direct support is prioritized for students who are at serious risk of dropping out.

The intensive program is based on a model that has been developed through research and years of practice with our national organization. It’s called an ISS program – or integrated students supports – which really means that we are embedding ourselves within schools, providing community resources and making them available where students already are. We’re bringing the support and the services to the world that kids already exist: school.

... – Celia Lozano, Director of Strategy and Planning.

During the 2016-2017 school year, CIS of Chicago’s intensive program enrolled 311 students into case-managed services at seven schools. Of those students, 15 transferred to other schools before the end of the school year. Of the remaining 296 students, none of the students dropped out, all the seniors graduated, and all but one student in grades kindergarten through 11 were promoted to the next grade.

Additionally, of students with specific goals for the school year, 79 percent met their behavior goals, 79 percent met their academic goals, and 61 percent met their attendance goals.