What We Do
Communities In Schools (CIS) is the leading dropout prevention organization in the nation, and has continued its strong model and significant results by serving at-risk students in Lee County since 2004. CISLC is proud of our integrated student services model that works in collaboration with schools and the broader community to reduce dropout rates and increase student achievement in Lee County.
Communities In Schools changes the dropout equation with Integrated Student Services (ISS). Communities In Schools surrounds students with a community of support to ensure they stay in school. We work inside school systems with superintendents, principals, educators and other personnel, and forge community partnerships that bring resources into schools and help remove barriers to learning. Our model addresses the total student—because students with unmet physical, psychological and social needs cannot learn effectively—and the whole school environment. Our research has shown that this attention to the needs of both the entire school and the individual student is critical to reducing dropout rates and increasing graduation rates. Our unique model positions a “Site Coordinator” inside schools to assess needs and deliver necessary resources. Site Coordinators are consistent, caring adults whose only job is to support students to succeed. These extraordinary and dedicated individuals change lives one day and one student at a time. As a single point of contact, they are uniquely positioned to match the needs of students and families with resources in the community, and to be active participants in the work of teachers and administrators in making their schools places of learning and achievement.
Our holistic, integrated approach relieves the social service burden placed on schools so that teachers are free to teach and students are able to learn.
Through the critical services provided and coordinated by CISLC, the entire culture and environment of the school campus is improved, while the highest risk students receive focused case management services to help ensure their individual success and subsequent graduation from high school. As a result, students provided with the CIS model graduate at a higher rate and proceed to the next grade level more often than the school district average. In the last year, 99 percent of case-managed students were promoted to the next grade.