Communities In Schools of Chicago (CIS of Chicago) is a dropout prevention organization that partners with 147 public schools to connect them with over 200 community partners providing no-cost programs in areas like arts, career/college readiness, health, and mental health. CIS embeds staff in 7-10 schools to provide intensive student support. In 2016-17, through these partnerships over 67,000 students, 1,400 parents, and 1,200 staff accessed programs. Evaluations show CIS partnerships increase test scores and are an effective way to prevent dropout.

1. Introduction to Communities In
Schools (CIS) of Chicago

2. Communities In Schools of Chicago
Communities In Schools of Chicago (CIS of Chicago) is a
drop-out prevention organization that works.
The CIS of Chicago Program Team

3. How We Work
Communities In Schools of Chicago helps students stay on the path to
graduation by:
1. Providing partnership support to a total of 147 of Chicago’s public schools:
•CIS of Chicago seeks out quality programs from approximately 200
community partners.
•Partners provide school-based programming in four categories: the arts,
college and career readiness, health, and behavioral and mental health
programs.
•CIS of Chicago helps connect schools and partners through program referrals
and targeted outreach.
2. Embedding Master’s level student supports managers to provide intensive
support to 7-10 of Chicago’s public schools.
•Student Supports Managers (SSMs) work with a group of students most at
risk for dropping out or veering off track academically.
•SSMs connect community partners to school to serve all students.

5. 2016-17 Stats
By connecting our network schools to community partners,
CIS of Chicago ensured that:
•67,000+ students
•1,400+ parents
•1,200 school staff
… received high-quality, no-cost programs in their
schools.

6. What We Do Works
CIS National evaluation:
Our national organization has completed several
independent evaluations on the intensive work, showing
that it is an effective way to prevent high school drop-out.
CIS of Chicago evaluation:
In 2015, we completed a two-year evaluation of our
partnership program with David Figlio of Northwestern
University. The study showed an increase in reading and
math test scores at schools partnering with CIS of Chicago.

7. CIS of Chicago Partnership
Initial Meeting
with CIS staff
Program
referral sent to
schools
School
connection
Ongoing
communication
and support

8. The Perks of Partnership
For schools…
•Increased capacity to provide vital services and enrichment experiences for students
from under-resourced communities.
–In a 2016 survey of principals, 93 percent stated that they were better able to
meet their students’ needs because of their partnership with CIS of Chicago.
•No-cost programming at a time when school budgets are limited.
•Partners are vetted by CIS of Chicago for quality and effectiveness.

9. The Perks of Partnership
For community partners…
•Assistance accessing more schools and more students.
–In a 2017 survey of CIS of Chicago community partners, 80 percent stated
that their partnership with CIS helped them to access more schools and more
students
•Professional development opportunities for community partner staff.
–CIS of Chicago offers six trainings per year, free for all community partners.
These expert-led trainings build skills and knowledge around key topics like
classroom management, curriculum development and program assessment.
–CIS trainings also offer the opportunity to connect and network with other
organizations offering school-based programs.

10. The Perks of Partnership
For community partners (continued)…
•Technical support and trouble-shooting assistance with schools.
–CIS staff are available to help smooth the lines of communication with
schools, when needed.
•Feedback and assistance in increasing the impact and quality of school-based
programs.
–CIS has developed a set of best practices for school-based program called
the Universal Core Competencies. Based on research and the input of
dozens of education experts, CIS uses the Core Competencies to help
community partners improve school-based practices.

11. Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Community Partnership team do?
CIS of Chicago’s Community Partnership Team is responsible for managing partnerships with more
than 200 service providers in four key areas: arts enrichment, college and career readiness, health
and wellness, and behavioral and mental health. Each Community Partnership Specialist recruits,
trains and strategizes with as many as 60 different organizations to maximize their programs’
impact on students and families.
What’s the relationship between Communities In Schools of Chicago and the Chicago Public
Schools?
Communities In Schools of Chicago is a valuable resource for, and partner of, the Chicago Public
Schools, but we are an independent non-profit organization founded locally in 1988, and part of the
Communities In Schools national network. During the 2017-18 academic year our organization is in
formal partnership with 147 CPS schools, and anticipates linking more than 65,000 students to
essential programs and services.
What is the role of school staff in CIS of Chicago partnership work?
Our main contacts at schools are usually the school case manager, counselor or assistant
principal, and we call them the school’s Site Coordinator (SC). SCs are a critical component of CIS
of Chicago partnership, as they access and coordinate needed programs, evaluate the
effectiveness of programs, and report back to CIS of Chicago on school needs and partnership
connections.

12. Frequently Asked Questions
How are schools chosen to be a part of your network?
When we are ready to add additional schools to our network (usually every couple of years), we
send out an application to all public and charter schools in Chicago. Schools that apply are
interviewed and assessed on their need and their willingness to work with community partners. If
you know of schools that would be interested in applying, please contact Director of Program
Bartholomew St. John: bstjohn@cisofchicago.org.
How long does the CIS of Chicago partnership last?
We develop enduring partnerships. Although all partnerships are renewed every 2 years through
our partner agreement, CIS of Chicago partnerships last indefinitely. In fact, some of our longest-
standing school and community partners have worked with CIS of Chicago for almost 20 years!
Why do all of the services you connect to schools have to be offered at no cost?
The no-cost model has been an integral part of our work since the very beginning. CIS of Chicago
primarily works with schools that have a high rate of low-income students, and we know that our
schools’ budgets are stretched thin.

13. The Community Partnership Team
Please contact us:
Robin Koelsch, M.A.
Arts Partnership Specialist
rkoelsch@cisofchicago.org
312.829.2475 ext. 35
Katrina Pavlik, M.Ed.
Senior Community Partnership Specialist
and Health Partnership Specialist
kpavlik@cisofchicago.org
312.829.2475 ext. 29
Karen Roddie, M.A., LSW
Behavioral and Mental Health Specialist, Intern Program Manager
kroddie@cisofchicago.org
312.829.2475 ext. 37
Kai Lokken, M.Ed., J.D.
College and Career Partnership Specialist
klokken@cisofchicago.org
312.829.2475 ext. 48