The To&Through Project’s mission is to close the aspiration-attainment gap with research, data, and resources designed to give every student who aspires to earn a college degree the opportunity and support to do so.

Data and dialogue on what matters most for educational attainment.

Our Mission

The To&Through Project strives to create equitable education outcomes for Chicago Public Schools students by helping educators use data for inquiry and impact.

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Our Approach

  • Data: We analyze and share quantitative and qualitative data on the educational journeys of Chicago Public Schools students
  • Inquiry: We work alongside education stakeholders from across the system to make meaning of data in ways that support and shift practice
  • Impact: We help realize equitable learning experiences, pathways, and outcomes for CPS students from the middle grades through college graduation  

Our Values

Practice Anti-Racism and Equity: We recognize the legacy of racism and work to interrogate our individual and collective biases. We accept the discomfort of conflict and find the courage to interrupt inequitable mindsets, policies, and practices.

Respect All Forms of Expertise: We believe that students, families, and communities are experts in their own experience, and we respect educators as professionals. We share data and tools, not answers.

Have Integrity: We prioritize students over institutions and take responsibility for the impact and consequences of our data. 

Be Creative and Curious: We are learners who prioritize the collection and incorporation of feedback.

Care for Each Other: We value each other as individuals and human beings, and we laugh, when we can.

 

To&Through Equity Stance

For several years, we at the To&Through Project have worked to develop personal and organizational equity stances that seek to make explicit the values, assumptions, and commitments we bring to the work of the To&Through Project. This process has illuminated many of the limitations, biases, and harm inherent in ourselves, our work, and our organization, while at the same time regrounding us in a commitment to creating more equitable education outcomes in Chicago by using data for inquiry and action. We are excited to share our To&Through Equity Stance with you, and commit to continuously reflecting on the ways we are or are not living into our stance in our daily work. 

Read Our Stance Here!

 

Our Team

Hady in front of a white background wearing a grey sweater
Hady Aly
Summer Intern 2023, The To&Through Project
UChicago Consortium on School Research
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Jennifer Ciok's headshot.
Jennifer Ciok
Middle Grades Network Coach, The To&Through Project
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Ashley Leonard
Ashley Leonard
Director of the Middle Grades Network, The To&Through Project
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Vichar Lochan
Summer Intern 2023, The To&Through Project
UChicago Consortium on School Research
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Shelby Mahaffie
Research Analyst II, The To&Through Project
UChicago Consortium on School Research
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Ella Marrero
Research Analyst II, The To&Through Project
UChicago Consortium on School Research
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Dominique McKoy
Deputy Director, The To&Through Project
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UChicago Consortium Jenny Nagaoka
Jenny Nagaoka
Deputy Director, UChicago Consortium on School Research; Senior Advisor to the To&Through Project
UChicago Consortium on School Research
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Alexandra Ritson
Senior Manager, Learning and Engagement, The To&Through Project
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Alex Seeskin
Alex Seeskin
Executive Director, The To&Through Project
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Alexandra Usher
Director of Data and Research, The To&Through Project; Senior Research Analyst,
UChicago Consortium on School Research
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Jessica Guadalupe Vargas
Engagement Analyst, The To&Through Project
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Naomi Wilfred
Middle Grades Network Coach, The To&Through Project
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Our Supporters

The To&Through Project is made possible by the collaboration of many school leaders and community partners throughout Chicago as well as the generous financial support of organizations and individuals. We would like to thank all who have been and continue to be part of our work, and recognize all of our supporters who have contributed to The To&Through Project as well as the members of the To&Through Project’s Advisory Group for their guidance and support.

Crown Family Philanthropies
Finnegan Family Foundation
McDougal Family Foundation
Neubauer Family Foundation
Polk Bros. Foundation
Robert R. McCormick Foundation
Square One Foundation
Vivo Foundation

Our Partners

Chicago Public Schools

Chicago Public Schools’ mission is to provide a high quality public education for every child, in every neighborhood, that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. The To&Through Project works with schools and departments across Chicago Public Schools.

Network for College Success

The UChicago Network for College Success (NCS) works to cultivate postsecondary readiness and success for all students by translating research into practice and supporting high school leaders to organize their schools for improvement and innovation. The To&Through Project works with NCS and its partner schools to inform upcoming research and data, and to co-construct projects on data-use and communication of practice.

Philadelphia Academies Inc.

Philadelphia Academies Inc. (PAI) uses 50 plus years of programming expertise and best practices to support career-connected learning in partner schools across Philadelphia. The To&Through Project partners with PAI in their work to support the 9th Grade Success Network in Philadelphia, a group of schools collaborating on improving support for 9th grade students. 

Revolution Impact

Revolution Impact (RI) advises social sector and educational organizations and leaders to solve growth strategy, data, operational, and organizational challenges. We work closely with RI to build data tools and provide professional learning to improve student attainment in the School District of Philadelphia.

School District of Philadelphia

The School District of Philadelphia seeks to deliver on the civil right of every child in Philadelphia to an excellent public school education and ensure all children graduate from high school ready to succeed, fully engaged as a citizen of our world. The To&Through Project works with the School District of Philadelphia to build data tools and deliver professional learning that support high schools across the district in their efforts to improve freshmen success.

UChicago Consortium on School Research

The UChicago Consortium on School Research conducts research of high technical quality that can inform and assess policy and practice in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The To&Through Project partners with the UChicago Consortium to conduct research and publish data on the educational attainment of CPS students, and to produce materials designed to spotlight key insights from research and data.