Community schools are public schools that partner with families and community-based organizations to provide well-rounded educational opportunities and supports for students’ school success. In Illinois, community schools can be found throughout the state and the model continues to gain traction and expand.

On February 28, 2024, ACT Now hosted a webinar to discuss the importance of Community Schools and how this holistic framework is supporting newcomer youth in several communities across Chicagoland. We facilitated a discussion with State Senator Ram Villivalam and State Representative Maura Hirschauer on the importance of community schools. All of these actions were aimed at launching our policy report on the community schools model and how various school districts and community-based organizations are responding to the diverse needs of asylum-seeking youth and families.

To watch the recording of our virtual event, click here. The password is: wPB7aYP&