The City Connects Process

Each school's City Connects Coordinator follows a three-step student support process: Review, Plan, and Follow Up.

This three-step process is supported by technology which allows for data about student strengths, needs, and interests to be gathered and shared via this dashboard. The data are de-identified and aggregated to protect student and family privacy and is drawn from City Connects schools from the 2022-23 school year; it is expected to be updated annually.

A comprehensive discussion about every child’s strengths, needs, and interests

City Connects Coordinators meet with teachers each year to understand students’ unique strengths, interests, and needs. Coordinators then develop personalized student support plans that build on strengths and interests and meet each child’s needs, in and out of the classroom. The information below shows an aggregate view of data in these categories across the city. All data are from participating City Connects schools in the 2022-23 school year.

Recommendations and partnerships for tailored services and enrichment activities

Once a student’s strengths, needs, and interests are identified, the City Connects Coordinator makes a recommendation to families about a tailored set of services and enrichment activities. A core aspect of the Coordinator’s role is to develop and maintain partnerships with community-based organizations that provide an array of services.

City Connects Coordinators work with teachers and school staff to identify each student’s strengths, needs, and interests. Then the Coordinator makes a recommendation to families about a tailored set of services and enrichment activities, consulting families to create a plan for each individual student and put the plan into action. The following data provide an overview of the types of services that students in City Connects schools received in Indianapolis. All data are from participating City Connects schools in the 2022-23 school year. Only services that 2% or more of students received are included.

Regular communication to evaluate effectiveness of referrals, barriers, and service gaps

Coordinators follow up throughout the school year to adjust the plan for each child, as needed. They may also help problem-solve when challenges arise, such as difficulty accessing some services and enrichment opportunities. The data below are from surveys seeking to identify the most common reasons why students and families could not access services and opportunities that were part of a student’s individualized plan. Data on service gaps indicate the categories of resources that schools wished they had more access to.

Student support has improved because with our [City Connects Coordinator] we are able to identify the root cause of the issue, more students are being seen in small groups for social skills and families are being more supported and getting needs met outside of school.

Indianapolis Principal