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Overview

Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded locally in 1985. The Communities In Schools intervention is a series of evidence-based best practices within the community school model, placing trained staff on campuses to provide daily intervention to high-need students and families. The four main components of service delivery include academics, behavior/mental health, social services, and attendance. Once these barriers to success are addressed, Communities In Schools is able to re-direct these K–12 children towards improved outcomes in a coordinated, caring, and individualized way.

In partnership with fourteen area school districts, Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region is housed on a total of 130 Elementary, Middle and High School campuses to address the issues that place a child on the Texas Education Agency’s statewide “at-risk” list. These indicators measure a student’s potential academic success based on a series of key points in the child’s history (failed standardized test, failed core subjects, limited English proficiency, etc). Many of these markers are beyond the students’ control (foster care, family crisis, etc), but based on TEA metrics, it places them at a higher risk of dropping out of school, retention, and failure to complete high school in four years.

Our Core Values

We believe that every child needs and deserves:

A one-to-one relationship with a caring adult

A safe place to learn and grow

A healthy start in life

The support needed to become college ready

A chance to give back to peers and community

Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region is challenged with the task of addressing the needs of these children and work to improve their grades, test scores, behavioral issues, attendance, resolve basic needs, conduct home visits, and a myriad of other services to eliminate barriers to success. The daily provision and coordination of these supports are provided by CIS Site Coordinators. With backgrounds including psychology, social work, counseling, education, these individuals connect the dots — matching needs to local resources, in addition to rolling up their sleeves to join the campus staff and faculty in their mission.

We believe that every child deserves the best start in life, regardless of socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, family structure, or academic history.

Why We Do It

Of the more than 10,000 students we served in the 2022-23 school year*:

61% met one or more state criteria to be considered “At-Risk” of dropping out of school.**

  • This is 7% higher than the state rate of 54%. 

45% had either been held back a grade or failed a major academic benchmark in the past year. 

  • i.e., a readiness assessment (PreK-3rd grade), a statewide test (4th-12th grade), or multiple core courses (7th-12th grade)

27% met the state standard for “Limited English Proficiency”

  • This is 6% higher than the state rate of 21%.
*Interim data, last updated 10.30.2023
** From the most recent TAPR data for campuses CISDR served in ’22-’23

How We Do It

In the 2022-23 school year, we served over 10,000 students with over 157,000 direct services. Here is a sample of our key activities in the 2022-23 school year:*

  • Supportive Guidance
    • 3,182 youth participated in an average of 4 supportive guidance groups throughout the year
    • We provided 722 hours of 1:1 mentoring
    • We responded to 416 incidents on campuses; 129 were high-priority/critical incidents
    • 17 youth participated in a psychoeducational group called Young Men of Honor
  • Academic Enhancement and Support
    • We provided 4,303 hours of 1:1 tutoring and homework assistance
  • Health & Human Services
    • We provided students with basic needs, food, and school supply assistance approximately 40,508 times
  • Enrichment Activities 
    • 393 students participated in community service activities
    • 527 students participated in field trips
  • Parent & Family Engagement
    • We communicated with 3,119 parents / caregivers
    • We went on 2,482 home visits
  • College & Career Readiness
    • 2,328 students participated in career and/or post-secondary exploration activities 
*Interim data, last updated 9.14.2023
See Our Results