Children’s First Fund, the Chicago Public Schools Foundation
$100,000 in support of the Chicago Public Schools Social Studies Blueprint Project.

Traditionally, within the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the social studies curriculum (including economics education) has been decentralized with decision-making at the school-level. This situation led to inconsistencies in meeting Illinois Learning Standards for the Social Sciences. CPS will bring coherence to the social studies curriculum, consistent with previous CPS district-wide efforts to provide curriculum guidance and leadership in language arts and math/science.

CPS believes that the most effective way to address the inconsistencies and lay out a support system for a curriculum with high standards is to develop a district-wide curriculum and structure for social studies through a six month planning process and a phased-in, three-year implementation process.

CPS believes it can dramatically increase capacity and results by better involving local partners in the work. Organizations such as Junior Achievement, The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Illinois Council on Economic Education, among others, provide useful programs for teachers and students.

Mouse, Inc.
$150,000 over two years in support of the expansion of TechCrew in the Chicago Public Schools

MOUSE is a nonprofit organization that creates technology-based opportunities that motivate underserved students to succeed in today’s information society. Its signature program, MOUSE Squad is a student-driven technical support help desk program that addresses the technology needs of middle and high schools. It prepares and supports teams of teachers and students to establish and sustain technical support help desks in their schools. In FY08, its 9th year, MOUSE operated in 162 schools —67 in New York City, 48 in Chicago, and 47 in Northern California.

Since 2004, in partnership with the CPS, MOUSE has leveraged the MOUSE Squad program to provide technical training, professional development, curriculum, and IT educational and career development resources to participating TechCrew schools. Currently, a total of 47 high schools and elementary schools are successfully running TechCrew, with 350 students who provide on-site technical support for close to 40,000 students and 3,000 faculty members throughout CPS. With CME Group Foundation support, MOUSE will work with CPS to expand the program to 30 additional schools over two years and to develop additional curricular materials, products and resources that supplement current MOUSE Squad offerings.

CPS has realized significant benefits from the TechCrew program. With 96% of technical issues being addressed by TechCrew rather than relying on outside vendors, CPS estimates saving over $380,000 during the last two years.