Executive Summary

One out of every six students drops out of school. Odds are great that those students who leave school without a diploma will be students from high-poverty communities and students of color. Dropping out is the last stop on a journey through an education system that does not protect and support kids living with the weight of poverty and trauma. Additionally, 15 million students are chronically absent from school each year. If students are not in school, they are not learning. Communities In Schools (CIS) has a proven solution to tackle these persistent problems. CIS works hand-in-hand with schools to establish an integrated student supports model, surrounding kids and their families with a system of integrated supports and caring adults who keep students on the path to graduation and life success. CIS' whole-school model of integrated students supports has been proven to decrease chronic absenteeism rates; a significant issue impacting not only the 15 million students chronically absent from school each year but all students whose learning is disrupted by these absences. CIS addresses the root causes of absenteeism, ensuring students not only show up for school but that they have the resources, tools and skills necessary to engage fully in their learning. Schools that consistently implement CIS year-over-year show lower absenteeism rates, greater improvement in achievement scores, higher graduation rates, and ultimately, students from CIS schools achieve higher earnings than students not afforded the supports provided by a CIS site coordinator. An investment in CIS is an investment in each student's future success and ultimately, our nation's success.

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Accomplishments

As our economy came to a near halt during the pandemic, many more families were tipped into crisis and the caseloads of Communities In Schools site coordinators multiplied in days, sometimes hours. Our model already reaches students beyond the school walls to ensure they are ready to learn, so we are uniquely equipped to help kids and families during this crisis. CIS launched new school and student assessments for virtual learning and rolled out a nationwide re-engagement platform focused on finding the three million students who never returned to school and helping them plug back into learning. Beyond meeting the social and emotional needs of kids and parents, CIS and our partner, CCSSO, are advocating for policies necessary to advance integrated support for all students in communities impacted by this crisis.