Chicago eyes dramatically expanding its Sustainable Community Schools program – Chalkbeat Chicago

Summer programs are one upshot of the Sustainable Community Schools, a joint initiative of the Chicago Teachers Union and CPS, in which 20 high-poverty campuses receive up to $500,000 a year. In tandem with local nonprofits, the schools offer additional after-school and other programs, steer families to services in the community, and seek to engage students and parents in school decisions. So far, the overwhelming majority of those 20 campuses have not staved off steep districtwide enrollment losses, and many have been particularly hard hit — even as its proponents hope the model might help stabilize enrollment in the longer term.