A new transitional English course, more post-secondary navigators guiding students to enroll in college, and new career-oriented pathways are just some of the equity-focused outcomes from the first year of the Chicago Roadmap, an unprecedented partnership between Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) to support students along a seamless path to and through college on their way to their chosen careers.

To read the full Chicago Roadmap Progress Report, go to: www.chicagoroadmap.org.

The Chicago Roadmap Progress Report 2021 shows how, together, CPS and CCC are transforming their relationship from a successful collaboration to full convergence. This historic alignment between CCC and CPS works to address achievement gaps and to improve communication across systems to better prepare students for success in high school and college. The Roadmap strategies are based on extensive research with a special focus on students at Options schools, diverse learners, young men of color and students at small schools.

“This collaboration between CCC and CPS demonstrates their commitment to closing gaps of inequity within our education system and helps enhance students’ preparedness as they navigate their high school and college careers,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “The Chicago Roadmap Progress Report ensures that students are provided with the much-needed tools to thrive, and thanks to the generous contribution made to the Children First Fund: The Chicago Public School Foundation and the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation and its many donors, our students will reach their full potential and step into a future filled with opportunities for enrichment and success.”

“The vision of the Roadmap is to improve both opportunity and outcomes for students, and it is encouraging to see how much progress has been made in just the first year,”said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “By creating targeted academic initiatives that meet students where they are, and by grounding all of our work in equity, rigor, and collaboration, we are taking significant steps toward solidifying the solid Pre-K – 14 continuum our young people need to pursue and achieve their dreams.”

“Through this unprecedented partnership, we are striving to dramatically and equitably increase student outcomes in college enrollment, degree attainment and employment,” said Juan Salgado, Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago.

Outcomes from the project’s first year include:

  • The launch of 25 working groups of CPS and CCC staff focused on nine game changers for equity strategies aligned to the five domains below:
    • Academic Readiness and Success
    • Access to High Quality Programs
    • Student Advising and Supports
    • Career Exploration, Experience and Readiness
    • Transparency Alignment, and Collaboration
  • The launch of a Transitional English curriculum in 13 high schools, serving 862 students in FY21
  • The expansion of Transitional Math from 500 students in 13 schools to 3,031 students in 50 CPS high schools in FY21, and a twelve percent increase in students passing.
  • The launch of a 15-credit healthcare model pathway for students at eight CPS high schools, which gives access to an early college curriculum open to freshmen, and the completion of three information technology model pathways and an advanced manufacturing pathway to launch in fall 2022.
  • The launch of a pre-apprenticeship program designed to support students’ career exploration
  • The launch of a new virtual dual credit course at 14 CPS high schools
  • An increase in the number of high schools served by City Colleges post-secondary navigators, who support CPS students’ transition to college, and the launch of a new strategy to reduce summer melt, leading to a 17 percentage point increase in college matriculation among students served.

“My school counselor introduced me to the CCC navigator and she was so much help,” said Raquel Rojas, a Harold Washington College first year student. “She helped me out with financial aid, with my books, and she helped me get a free Chromebook too. If it wasn’t for her, I would not be in college.”

“I like this program a lot and if this program wasn’t here, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now,” said Jaime Lopez, a student at Curie High School, who took part in a pre-apprenticeship this summer at Gerber Collision and Glass to further his passion for auto technology.

The Chicago Roadmap is made possible thanks, in part, to generous philanthropic contributions made to the Children First Fund: The Chicago Public Schools Foundation and the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation with special thanks to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bluhm Family Foundation, CME Group Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Joyce Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, and Salesforce Foundation.

About Chicago Public Schools

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) serves 341,000 students in 638 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.

About City Colleges of Chicago

City Colleges of Chicago prepares more than 68,000 students annually with a quality, affordable education leading to transfer, careers, and a path to upward mobility. City Colleges encompasses seven colleges: Richard J. Daley College, Kennedy-King College, Malcolm X College, Olive-Harvey College, Harry S Truman College, Wilbur Wright College and Harold Washington College, five satellite sites: Dawson Technical Institute, South Chicago Learning Center, Arturo Velasquez Institute, Wright-Humboldt Park, and the Westside Learning Center, along with the Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute.