Major Initiatives

After- School All-Stars (ASAS)

After School All-Stars Chicago is a nationally recognized after-school program that engages K-8^th grade Chicago Public School students in structured academic, enrichment, and independent learning activities.  The national After-School All-Stars organization (www.afterschoolallstars.org) emphasizes the need for 5^th-8^th grade participation in after-school, and priority is given to that age group.  The program is offered for a minimum 4 hours each week, 20 weeks per year.  Over 187 schools participate, serving over 30,000 students.

CPS Community Schools Initiative


With 150 community schools, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is home to the largest community schools initiative in the nation. To date, these schools have formed over 400 partnerships with non-profit organizations across the city. Not only are students attending their traditional classes at these schools, but parents are receiving job training courses, families are able to access medical and dental care on site and children have the option to take music and art lessons. These public schools have been transformed into the centers of their communities, with campuses open mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends and into the summer.

Each CPS Community School:

• Partners with at least one non-profit organization (NPO) with a minimum of three years experience implementing after school programs and/or a demonstrated track record of providing successful educational and related activities that enhance academic performance and positive youth development of CPS students.

• Hires a full-time resource/site coordinator at the local level to oversee programs, help identify and engage additional resource providers, performs necessary administrative duties, coordinates with the NPO partner and Advisory Group, and supervise student and/or community workers. The coordinator is also the critical communication bridge between all community school stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, school personnel and leadership, external partners, and community members.

• Establishes an advisory committee that includes teachers, parents, the school principal, community members, a representative from the NPO partner and other key school and community stakeholders. The primary responsibility of the advisory group is to oversee program planning, guidance and promotion. Led by the Advisory Group, each CPS Community School conducts a needs assessment or asset mapping to determine the types of programs and services that are needed and identify resources that currently exist.

• Ensures that all out-of-school time programs relate to and support the school’s academic program. Whether a school is running a culinary course, creating a school newspaper, or offering an arts integration activity, the programs intentionally include both academic and social outcomes for a minimum of 75 students.

Community schools offer a minimum of 12 hours per week of after school activities, including parent programming, health and social services. Most CPS Community Schools have programming until 5 pm or 6 pm, and many have Saturday and summer program offerings. 

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Keep Kids Learning (KKL)

Keep Kids Learning is a comprehensive summer school program that provides 2^nd-12^th grade students the opportunity for academic, recreation and social enrichment.  The program will enable those schools offering mandatory summer school to enrich and expand their offerings into the afternoon period, as well as expand services to those students not mandated to attend summer school.  Schools also employ teaching fellows (college students majoring in education) to specifically support this program and keep their libraries open to enhance student learning. The program is currently offered in 20 elementary schools and 2 high schools, serving more than 3,200 students.

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Tuition-Based After-School (TBAS)

Tuition-based after-school programming provides a “one-stop shop” for parents, offering daycare until at least 6:00pm and the opportunity to enroll their children in enriching activities such as dance, music, and foreign language instruction on-site at the school instead of going elsewhere in the community for these classes.  There are 14 schools in the initiative, serving over 600 students. 

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