Our Partnership Program connects students at 250 schools with programs provided by a strong network of community partners. Programs address a range of student and family needs, including mental health, art and enrichment, health and wellness, academic support, and access to essential resources.
This program is our whole-school approach. We link schools, sometimes unable to meet the full range of student needs, with community organizations that can address those needs with a rich diversity of resources.
This school year, CIS of Chicago is present in 250 Chicago public schools, or 40 percent of the entire school district. We connect more than 2,000 essential programs and services to 80,000 students who would otherwise lack access to them.
These connections have major impact. In a two-year randomized control trial study, our Partnership Program had a statistically significant impact on math and reading proficiency scores (which are leading indicators for high school graduation). These results were validated in 2021 by UChicago’s Education Lab.
Prioritizing Needs
At the beginning of the school year, our School Partnership Specialists meet with school leaders, like principals and guidance counselors, to understand the types of supports their students need. They work together to set eight priorities to address through our partnership connections.
School Partnership Specialists consider the makeup of the school, as well as the school’s mission and initiatives, when setting priorities to guide program connections.
Connecting Programs and Services
Once priorities have been identified, CIS of Chicago School Partnership Specialists collaborate with our Community Partnership Specialists to link a range of support programs and services to the schools. The programming fits into six main categories:
- Academic support
- Arts and culture
- College and career readiness
- Counseling and supportive guidance
- Health and wellness
- Parent and family engagement
All programming is provided at no cost to the schools or students, and the programs address students’ holistic needs. Our community partners include everything from licensed therapists in private practice and dedicated health educators to museums and cultural institutions that make our city great. These organizations can rely on our Community Partnership Specialists to connect them directly with students.
Supporting Our Partners
CIS of Chicago helps school and community partners develop key skills that supports their ability to serve students and collaborate across the city.
School Partner Training and Resources: ACTIVATE
Throughout the year, our Partnership Team offers hands-on support to school partners through meetings and trainings. Past training topics include grant-writing, restorative justice, and mindfulness.
These convenings also help school partners develop skills around communicating effectively with community organizations, evaluating programs and services to gauge impact, and more. In 2024-25, we provided training to 175 school partners.
Community Partner Training and Resources: NAVIGATE
Our Partnership Team also provides training to community partners in curriculum development, classroom management, program evaluation, and more. We know our community partners play an important role in keeping students excited about learning and on track for graduation, so investing in their professional development is key.
NAVIGATE workshops and working groups allow our partners to build skills, learn from each other, and teach us – while working collaboratively to positively impact students. In 2024-25, we provided training to 149 community partners.
If you’d like to learn more about our Partnership Program, contact Sucada Bell, Senior Director of Partnerships, at [email protected] or 312-829-2475 ext. 12.
