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Building community support for new
schools
Communities In Schools (CIS) was started
in the 70's by three ambitious young men
(Neil Shorthouse, Bill Milliken and
David Lewis) who saw the need to help
at-risk kids succeed in school and
develop marketable skills. The
organization has grown to become the
largest stay-in school network serving
nearly two million students in 28 states
and 2,000 school systems. CIS realizes
that at-risk students often come to
school with challenges that affect their
ability to learn. The goal of CIS is to
help this targeted population stay in
school, successfully learn and prepare
for life. This is done by identifying
community resources and services, which
already exist, and linking them to
students who need them.
CIS believes that students need five
basics to be successful:
1) a personal, one-on-one relationship
with a caring adult;
2) a safe place to learn and grow;
3) a healthy start and a healthy future;
4) a marketable skill to use upon
graduation; and
5) a chance to give back to peers and
community.
CIS also understands that collaborative
efforts are the most efficient and
cost-effective way to improve the high
school completion rate. CIS must have
the cooperation of and form partnerships
with school districts, local businesses
and community leaders before it will
start a program. There are 45
operational CIS program sites throughout
Georgia with more in the implementation
stage, and many CIS programs focus on
literacy, mentoring and after school
programs.
Communities with CIS programs have seen
an increase in their school completion
rate, a decrease in violence and
disruptions, and an increase in
attendance and academic achievement.
With the help of the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, private foundations
and businesses, CIS was able to develop
its latest initiative, Performance
Learning Centers (PLCs). PLCs are small,
non-traditional high schools geared
toward students who are not succeeding
in the traditional school setting. They
are created through collaborations with
local school districts, businesses and
communities. The PLCs create a business-
like environment and emphasize personal
support and an intense academic program
anchored by an online instructional
system and project-based learning. The
program connects students to community
service learning opportunities, job
shadowing, mentors, internships, and
dual enrollment at local colleges or
technical institutions.
Staff utilizes the five CIS basics to
challenge and empower students to set
and achieve new goals, and parents are
required to have an active role in their
child’s education. There are 15 PLCs in
Georgia with the intent of opening 8
more this coming school year, and
several nationwide (within the CIS
network) in the next couple of years.
To learn more about CIS initiatives and
how to work with existing programs, or
to help bring a CIS program to your
community, contact us at 615 Peachtree
St., Suite 500, Atlanta, GA 30308;
404-888-5784 or visit the website at
www.cisga.org.
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