Communities in Schools

The Communities In Schools (CIS) is a national organization working inside public and charter schools full-time building relationships that empower at-risk students to stay in school and achieve in life. Working in 2,300 schools and community-based sites, in the most challenged communities in 25 states and the District of Columbia, Communities In Schools serves 1.5 million young people and their families every year.

Founded in 1977, Communities in Schools is a dropout prevention program, with some 160 independent affiliates serving more than 1.5 million children in 2,300 schools. The essence of its approach, rooted in the Christian principles than inspired founder Bill Milliken—go where the kids are, build trusting relationships with them, and treat the whole person—has remained remarkably consistent over 40 years even as the organization has continued to evolve and adapt. It is a fascinating story that speaks to CIS’s essential identity as a pioneer, innovator, and leader in the movement to help at-risk kids stay in school and achieve in life.

That story began with a crucial lesson from Milliken’s own experience with the street and postal academies: that having impact on a problem of this scale and complexity, especially in inherently conservative public school systems, meant building a sustainable enterprise and running it according to sound management principles.

Over the next 25 years, CIS learned other important lessons: that working in partnership with others was both necessary and preferable; that private sector funding was vital not just to the financial health of the organization but also to its credibility with the schools and communities that CIS sought to engage; and that a nonpartisan approach was critical to their success in an increasingly polarized climate for educational reform. The last 15 years, meanwhile, have witnessed a profound transformation at CIS: from a visionary, mission-driven enterprise led by a charismatic founder-entrepreneur to a mature, professionally managed, data-driven enterprise that uses research and evaluation to influence and innovate.

The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

To unlock the potential of the Communities In Schools network, CIS believes it must:

The Communities In Schools network comprises a national office located in Arlington, Va., 13 state offices and nearly 160 local affiliates. Each CIS office is an independent 501(c) (3) organization, and, at the local level, brokers or provides services that are tailored to the specific needs of the community

The Communities In Schools national office increases public outreach and visibility for the organization; seeks legislative support and procures funding for national, state and local efforts to benefit students and families; support state offices in capacity-building efforts; leads network evaluation activities to identify and promote best practices; and ensures the continuation of the Communities In Schools "movement."

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