Supportive Schools

CPS schools integrate social and emotional learning into instruction plans in various ways. This could mean teaching students to overcome frustration with a challenging assignment or empathizing with a character in a story. Some schools choose to adopt a research-based curriculum that explicitly teaches social and emotional skills. 

Individualized Student Support

The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework ensures that schools can provide each student with the appropriate level of instruction and intervention. Using a data-driven, problem-solving process, teachers, counselors, and social workers make important decisions to meet the needs of students from different backgrounds, learning styles, and experiences.

The Office of Social and Emotional Learning (OSEL) also offers group programs to teach young people strategies for managing conflict, handling peer pressure, and coping with life’s stressors—all of which reduces risky behavior and keeps students in school. Ask your school if these programs are available to your student: 

• Saturday Morning ReachOut and Teach (SMART)
• Becoming a Man (BAM)
• Working on Womanhood (WOW)

Student Rights and Responsibilities

In spite of these supports, some students still exhibit challenging behaviors. The CPS Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook includes the Student Code of Conduct (SCC) which guides schools in developing and implementing disciplinary practices that promote a safe, nurturing, and productive learning environment.

The Student Bill of Rights (SBOR) spells out the rights that everyone, including students themselves, should respect. OSEL promotes a restorative approach to discipline in which schools explore the root cause of student behavior and then guide young people to understand how their actions affect others and repair harm done. Since training schools on restorative practices, CPS has seen significant reductions in student suspension and expulsion. 

Supportive Schools Certification

OSEL recognizes schools that have prioritized creating supportive school environments and promoting a positive school culture through the Supportive Schools Certification Process involving teams of staff, students, families, and community members. 

To find out if your child's school is considered a safe and supportive school, see if they have the Supportive School Certification badge on their school progress report. Find your school’s profile page and click on the Reports tab to find the Supportive Schools badge.

Additional Contact Info