Student Engagement & Supports
Across Chicago, our schools remain focused on delivering high-quality instruction and the essential supports students rely on every day—from mental health services to community-based resources. Sustaining and strengthening this work requires continued investment in the resources and systems that help students stay engaged, connected, and on track.
We work with Chicago Public Schools to provide the supports students need to show up ready to learn—addressing physical, emotional, and environmental needs, and strengthening connections between schools, families, and communities.
Compassion Fund
When students’ basic needs are met, they are better able to engage, attend, and succeed in school. The Compassion Fund provides flexible, rapid support to students, families, and schools facing immediate challenges.
Through the Compassion Fund, partners help provide:
- Direct financial relief for families experiencing sudden hardship
- Hygiene and wellness resources through in-school care closets
- Back-to-school support, including supplies and access to critical services
- Seasonal and community-based support, helping families navigate moments of heightened need
Philanthropic investment ensures schools can respond in real time—meeting urgent needs so challenges outside the classroom don’t become barriers to learning.
Student Engagement & Attendance
Students are more likely to succeed when they feel safe, supported, and connected to their school community. CPS is strengthening a comprehensive approach to student engagement that combines academic, social-emotional, and community-based supports.
- Proactive attendance supports to build consistent attendance habits before absences become chronic
- Wraparound supports for English Learners and newcomer students to support a successful transition into CPS
- Community school partnerships, connecting students and families to afterschool programs, healthcare, and workforce resources
- Social-emotional and behavioral supports, including restorative practices and trauma-informed interventions
Philanthropic investment strengthens the conditions that keep students connected to school—so more students can attend consistently, engage fully, and continue progressing toward graduation.
