Chicago Communities Co-Creating Education

The main outcome is for each community to co-create an Education Plan that addresses the specific educational needs of that community. Additional outcomes include fostering a collaborative environment to support continued education planning among community members after the project concludes. Moreover, it will build socioeconomic diversity by bridging disparities within the community and include CPS as active agents in change.

Chicago Public Schools applied for this grant to partner with community stakeholders, leveraging diverse perspectives to identify educational needs and co-create meaningful solutions. CPS was awarded the FDS grant in 2023 (Fostering Diverse Schools Grants Program).

Communities were identified based on grant requirements, which included historical disinvestment and geographical diversity, amongst other considerations. We also used the CPS Opportunity Index, demographic data, and community interest when considering which communities to work with for this grant. A mixed methods approach was utilized using primarily quantitative data to narrow down disinvested communities followed by a qualitative review of existing characteristics to identify Austin, Roseland, and Washington Park.

*Please note that while these particular communities were identified for this grant, community groups have the autonomy to develop an Education Plan for their schools separate from this grant.

This is a community-led effort from start to finish. Community members have the autonomy to leverage the Education Plan as they choose once it is completed. CPS acknowledges that certain components of the plan will need to align to CPS policies and processes in order to occur.

There are multiple ways to become involved in the CCCE project. These include surveys, town hall meetings, focus groups, and becoming a Stakeholder Advisory Design (SADT) member. Here is how they differ:

• Electronic surveys will be sent to community members to broadly gauge their ideas about education.
• Town hall meetings are larger gatherings of community members who are welcome to join to contribute their ideas and listen to input from others.
• Focus groups are by invitation only, and consist of stakeholders who fit a specific category (e.g., teachers, students, principals, parents, etc.).
• The SADT is a small group of individuals who directly contribute to the Education Plan by guiding community outreach, providing expertise, and offering critical input regarding the Education Plan.

Anyone who resides within the Chicago communities of Austin, Roseland, or Washington Park, attends a CPS or non-CPS school, works, or is part of an organization within the CCCE communities.

The CCCE project funding is set to end in December 2025. The project will continue as long as funding is available to co-create Education Plans or until Education Plans are complete. The number of meetings will be community driven. SADT members will be pioneers in deciding how many meetings are necessary to accomplish the Education Plan before or by the December 2025 deadline.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) was granted funding to hire CCCE project staff along with two stakeholder engagement partners - Fulcrum Education Solutions LLC and Vera Creative, Inc. Community members and Stakeholders from district, charter schools, private Schools as well as local businesses and organizations may contribute to the CCCE project.

Most CCCE participation methods will be virtual, however for inclusive purposes we will have at least one in-person/hybrid event per involvement level (ie. focus group, town hall) unless SADT members decide otherwise.

You can email any questions to ccce@cps.edu, to reach a CCCE team member.