CIS (Communities In Schools) of Chicago
CIS (Communities In Schools) of Chicago is a company.
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Key people at CIS (Communities In Schools) of Chicago.
CIS (Communities In Schools) of Chicago is a company.
Key people at CIS (Communities In Schools) of Chicago.
Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago is a nonprofit organization, not a company or investment firm, dedicated to dropout prevention and student success in Chicago Public Schools.[1][3][4] Its mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life, through two core programs: the Partnership Program, which connects schools with community resources like mental health, arts enrichment, and academic support, and the Intensive Program, which provides individualized support via school-based Student Support Managers.[3][4][5] In the 2024-25 school year, CIS served over 80,000 K-12 students across 250 schools, addressing barriers such as poverty, violence, mental health issues, and learning loss at no cost to schools.[3][4]
This model, proven through research and evaluations (including a 2019-2022 University of Chicago study), improves attendance, grades, behavior, and graduation rates by integrating holistic services.[1][3][5]
CIS of Chicago launched in 1988 when Chicago business leaders united to combat youth dropout rates by linking community organizations, hospitals, and universities with public schools via the Partnership Program.[1][4] As an affiliate of the national Communities In Schools, Inc.—the largest dropout prevention organization—it began focusing on resource coordination to fill gaps in school services.[1][7]
In 2009, it expanded with the Intensive Program, embedding clinicians in schools for direct, one-on-one support targeting at-risk students' academics, behavior, and social-emotional needs.[4][5] This evolution reflects growing challenges like post-pandemic learning loss and mental health crises, scaling from initial partnerships to impacting 250 schools today.[3][4]
CIS of Chicago operates outside the tech sector, focusing on education equity and dropout prevention amid national trends in community schools and social-emotional learning (SEL).[1][2] It aligns with Chicago Public Schools' Community Schools Initiative—one of the largest in the U.S.—which integrates non-academic supports to counter underachievement, earning national awards for excellence.[2] Timing is critical post-pandemic, as youth mental health crises and learning loss intensify; CIS counters these by scaling evidence-based interventions, influencing ecosystems through partnerships with 50+ nonprofits and research collaborations like the University of Chicago Education Lab.[2][3][5]
While not tech-driven, its model could intersect with edtech trends (e.g., data-driven needs assessments or virtual resource platforms), amplifying impact in underserved communities and contributing to broader goals of educated citizens and neighborhood strengthening.[2][4]
CIS of Chicago is poised to expand amid rising demands for student supports, potentially growing beyond 250 schools as Chicago tackles persistent inequities.[3][4] Trends like increased SEL funding, community school scaling, and post-pandemic recovery will shape its path, with opportunities to integrate tech for broader reach (e.g., digital resource matching).[3][5] Its influence may evolve by setting standards for nonprofit-school partnerships, ensuring more students graduate ready for success—reinforcing its core mission as Chicago's youth challenges persist.[1][3]
Key people at CIS (Communities In Schools) of Chicago.
