Mission & History

Chicago International Charter School (CICS) was founded on the belief that every child has the right to a high quality education. The mission of Chicago International is:

To provide, through innovation and choice, an attractive and rigorous college-preparatory education that meets the needs of today’s students.

We expect the best of every student and, in turn, provide the support each student needs to achieve their best.

This belief and vision set by our founding Board in 1997, has led to Chicago International becoming the largest charter school operator in Illinois and a frontrunner in thought leadership in the school reform movement. We now operate a network of 13 campuses across the city of Chicago serving more than 8,000 students in Pre-K through 12^th grade. In August 2010, CICS will expand to 15 campuses in Chicago and Rockford, IL.

We believe that all young people can achieve, when given the right support. This philosophy has led to significant academic results. We have tremendous momentum coming into 2010. In 2009, eight of nine Chicago International elementary campuses met their math and reading targets.  This means that the average student in those grades were making above-average gains in both subjects, as compared with a national sample. We are proud to say that Chicago International closed the achievement gap completely in 7^th grade reading and math between its students and a nationally representative sample of their peers. More importantly, the midterm assessments of CICS campuses indicate that the gains will be greater this year than they were last year.

Charter schools are privately managed public schools. CICS is therefore publicly funded, tuition-free, and open to all city children, regardless of income or academic ability. Our student body is demographically similar to Chicago’s other public schools; 86% are low-income, 96% are minority, and many are second-language learners and/or have disabilities. As a charter school, however, CICS campuses are funded at a lower rate than traditional Chicago public schools.