Letter From Our Leaders
Dear friends and supporters,
The 2024-25 school year brought challenges for students and schools, and it also brought opportunities for Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago to deploy our proven programs and support student success.
When change and uncertainty surrounded public education, CIS of Chicago continued showing up. When students and families looked for extra support, CIS of Chicago leaned in. When schools and community organizations were stretched thin, CIS of Chicago helped bridge the gap. Our team was present, ensuring that students and partners had what they needed to thrive.
We connected 239 Chicago public schools, more than a third of schools in the district, with essential programs and resources. And then we supported individual students at 39 of our 239 schools with the tools they needed to stay in school, on the path to graduation. Our unique approach for supporting schools and students had real and lasting impact.
At Westcott Elementary on the South Side, CIS has been a steady and consistent partner for more than two decades. The principal there, Ms. Monique Dockery, shared one example of how CIS’ programs made a tremendous difference for her students in 2024-25.
During spring break, a Westcott family was impacted by a house fire, and Principal Dockery quickly called Mr. Hughes, our CIS team member embedded in the school building. She knew that Mr. Hughes could help connect the family with the resources and support they needed.
Mr. Hughes linked the family with CIS community partners for clothes and grief and counseling services, and he was there for the affected students when they returned to class. Through one-on-one sessions, Mr. Hughes helped the students recalibrate their academic, attendance, and behavioral expectations and reinforce their resolve in the face of crisis.
The resources and support he provided at Westcott and the relationships he cultivated are representative of CIS of Chicago’s work across the city. In the 2024-25 school year, our team served more than 83,000 students at 239 schools, our widest reach in our organization’s 37-year history.
Thanks to our dedicated team of professionals – and your continued investment in our mission and vision – our programs helped students stay in school and gain lifelong skills.
Jane Mentzinger, Chief Executive Officer
Mark Brady, Immediate Past Board Chair
Jim Welch, Current Board Chair
THE CURRENT EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE AND THE NEED FOR CIS
In the 2024-25 school year, public education was a fixture in the headlines.
At the federal level, the Department of Education began an unprecedented dismantling, which affected the disbursement of grants, research, and support previously received by the district.
At the local level, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) experienced massive operational changes, including an immense budget deficit, the departure of Superintendent Martinez, and the first steps in a shift to an elected school board, with 10 elected members and 11 members appointed by the mayor.
As the federal and local education landscape experienced challenges, so too did Chicago public-school students.
Academic achievement
According to the 2024 Illinois Report Card, fewer than one-in-three CPS 3rd-8th graders could read at grade level, and fewer than one-in-five could do math at grade level. While these figures had improved from 2023 and outpaced student performance in similar districts, disparities still persisted.
In math, 11.4% of low-income students, 13.2% of Hispanic students, and 9.3% of Black students in 3rd-8th grade met proficiency. In reading, 23% of low-income students, 25.5% of Hispanic students, and 22.6% of Black students in 3rd-8th grade met proficiency.
The Class of 2025 did achieve a four-year graduation rate of 82.6%, reflecting the steady upward trajectory of CPS graduation rates over the past two decades.
Chronic absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism continued to remain a challenge for Chicago students in 2024-25, with nearly 40% of students missing 10% or more of school. This issue affected different student populations disproportionately, with 45.6% of Black students, 40.8% of Latinx students, and 44.1% of low-income students chronically absent.
Youth mental health crisis
The state of youth mental health remained worrisome in 2024-25. According to Chicago’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 40% of Chicago high school students reported feeling persistently sad and hopeless, an increase in 6 percentage points from 2013, and nationwide, nearly 20% of children and young people ages 3-17 reported having a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder.
Community violence
While homicides and non-fatal shootings decreased in 2024, aggravated assaults rose to its highest level in two decades. In addition, disparities persisted for those experiencing community violence. The University of Chicago Crime Lab’s found that Black residents were 22 times more likely to be killed compared with White residents, and neighborhoods with the highest homicide rates had 68 times more homicides than those with the lowest rates.
These challenges affected Chicago students and their families, as well as the teachers, school leaders, support staff, and community organizations serving youth.
CIS of Chicago responded, in real time, to the pressing needs of students and schools. Our intervention model ensured that young people had the resources they needed to make it to school on time, stay on track academically, support their well-being, and feel a sense of safety and belonging in their school.
We were engaged in our community, partnering with community organizations, business leaders, and civic leaders to respond to these challenges through a coordinated approach and provide solutions with demonstrated results.
Our Two Core Programs
Partnership Program
The Partnership Program is CIS of Chicago’s whole-school approach where we connect Chicago public schools with essential programs and resources provided by our network of more than 220 community organizations.
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
In 2024-25, CIS’ partner schools identified key areas where interventions were needed. The top five priority areas were:
Anti-bullying/cultural responsiveness education
Fundamental needs
Arts and culture field trips
Career awareness
Social-emotional learning
Here were some ways the Partnership Program met school priorities:
- High school students participated in an interactive field trip downtown at the Chicago Architecture Center. They explored the concept of community, discussed what makes a well-rounded neighborhood, and then worked in groups to design their own communities. The experience connected directly with what they were learning in the classroom.
- Eighth graders visited ComEd for an Inspiring Futures field trip. They toured ComEd facilities, learned more about career pathways at the utility company, and met with employees for an activity focused on their short-term and long-term goals.
- Elementary students on the South Side had a visit from Plant Chicago, an organization that provides community-driven, hands-on programs to help people live more sustainably. Plant Chicago’s program taught students about native pollinators, like the bee, and had them examine different parts of the bumblebee using microscopes.
- High school students received an informative presentation on vaping and e-cigarettes through the Respiratory Health Association. The program met one of the school’s top priorities for supporting students’ healthy choices and was available in English and Spanish.
In 2024-25, the Partnership Program connected 239 Chicago public schools with 2,895 programs and services provided by 220 community organizations. In addition, the team furnished 19,920 families with items like backpacks, school supplies, and hygiene products that supported students’ essential needs.
Our Two Core Programs
Intensive Program
The Intensive Program is CIS of Chicago’s individual-student approach. In this program, we embed a CIS team member in each of our Intensive schools to provide direct support to students who need it most.
INTENSIVE PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
In the 2024-25 school year, CIS’ Intensive Program provided 1,561 students at 39 of our 239 partner schools with guidance, goal-setting, and tailored interventions.
Here were some ways the Intensive Program supported individual students:
- CIS Student Supports Manager Ms. Bethany Cooper-Nelson provided eleventh grader Carmelia with the individualized support she needed to improve her attendance. WBEZ shared Carmelia’s and Ms. Cooper-Nelson’s story in May 2025. “Cooper-Nelson chats with Carmelia about their shared love of the graphic romance novel series ‘Heartstopper.’ She also hands out snacks and helps Carmelia stay organized and turn in assignments. But more than that, Cooper-Nelson sees Carmelia daily, holding her accountable and making sure she knows she matters.” Read the full article here.
- CIS Student Supports Manager Ms. Juanita Herrera provided tailored support to eighth grader Vario. With her help, Vario graduated eighth grade with improved grades and behavior. Ms. Herrera recognized the progress he made by nominating him for a CIS of Chicago Tenacity Award. “Vario is resilient,” Ms. Herrera said. “He is motivated to work on himself and willing to take accountability for his actions. When asking other staff who have known Vario for all these years, they all tell me the growth they have also seen in him.”
- CIS Student Supports Manager Mr. Jacob Adams led a seventh-grade boys’ group where students gained social and emotional learning skills. In one team building activity, Mr. Adams had the students work together to flip over a tarp while everyone was standing on it. After completing the challenge, the students were extremely proud of the way they worked together to accomplish their goal. Activities like these are one of the strategies that our team uses to build community and connection in groups.
Supporting Our Communities
In 2024-25, CIS of Chicago stayed present in our community, deepening our support and finding new ways to amplify the work of school and community partners.
By The Numbers (2024-25)
0
Chicago students supported through the Partnership and Intensive Programs
0
families furnished with essential needs items
0
community programs and services were connected to schools
0
school partners (39 of 239 were Intensive Program sites)
0
community partners
0
Intensive Program sites
0
students case-managed daily at school
0
%
of case-managed students graduated or were promoted to the next grade
Recognizing Our Students and Partners
CIS of Chicago celebrates our young people and the partners who help bring our work to life with two annual awards: the Spirit of Giving Award and the Carnahan Family Tenacity Awards.
Investors in Our Work
CIS of Chicago partnered with corporations, foundations, community organizations, and dedicated individuals to ensure that students had access to the resources and opportunities they needed to succeed. We are thankful to our supporters for their commitment to learning more about the current challenges our students and schools face and for their continued support. Their presence matters – and is critical as our team looks to deepen our impact over the course of the next decade.
“The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation believes every student deserves the opportunity to thrive in safe, supportive environments that foster learning and growth. Through our partnership with Communities In Schools of Chicago, we are proud to support critical resources that help tens of thousands of students overcome barriers to learning and pursue success both inside and outside the classroom. Their work aligns deeply with our commitment to equitable opportunity and community-centered change.”
–Kim Van Horn, Chief Executive Officer, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
“For more than seven years, I have had the privilege of serving on CIS of Chicago’s Board of Directors and witnessing the organization’s tremendous impact on students and commitment to community partnership. I am also proud that the Ares Charitable Foundation’s partnership with CIS of Chicago helps the organization reach more students and close the gap between education and employment through career training and exposure. The impact of programming like this helps put young people on a path to economic mobility and prosperity, and I am proud to support the organization’s work and advance their mission.”
–Brian Moncrief, Partner, Ares Management Corporation
Board of Directors (2024-25)
Our Board of Directors provides high-level strategy, oversight, and accountability to ensure the organization fulfills its mission for sustainable impact. We are grateful to the following board members for their service during the 2024-25 school year.
| NAME | POSITION | ORGANIZATION |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Brady (Board Chair) | Retired Partner, Investment Banking | William Blair & Company, LLC |
| Jim Welch (Board Vice Chair) | Co-CEO | Nexgen Packaging LLC |
| Michelle Brown (Board Treasurer) | Senior Vice President of Operations and Customer Excellence | Encore |
| Brian Moncrief (Board Secretary) | Managing Director, Credit Group | Ares Management Corporation |
| Dr. Sherron J. Bibbie | Retired Principal | Chicago Public Schools |
| Don Bielinski | Managing Partner | SMB Interim Management LLC |
| Craig A. Bondy | Founder and CEO | Bondy Capital LLC |
| Mary Capasso | EVP, COO, and General Counsel | PPM America, Inc. |
| Janel Daley | Vice President, Business Development | Protera |
| Miranda Davis | Medical Management Specialist | BCBS-IL |
| Josh Gray | Managing Director, Private Equity Endeavor | Vista Equity Partners |
| Jonathan Guryan | Lawyer Taylor Professor of Education and Social Policy | Northwestern University |
| Ryan D. Harris | Partner | Kirkland & Ellis LLP |
| John M. Hawn | Retired, Former Director of Operations | YUM! Brands, Inc. |
| Ralph R. Leslie | EVP, CFO, & COO | The Pew Charitable Trusts |
| Robin L. Letchinger | President | Brown & Brown IG, LLC |
| Bradley H. Meyers | Managing Director | GCM Grosvenor |
| Marisa Murillo | Shareholder | Greenberg Traurig LLP |
| Jim Parsons | Retired President | The Brinson Foundation |
| Adrian Perkins | SVP | Prospect Park |
| Matt Spiegel | EVP, Tru Audience Growth Strategy | TransUnion |
| Doug Warshauer | Retired Founder | Kessler Warshauer Ventures |
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