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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 eleven area school districts, Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region is housed on campuses across North Texas 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 students we served in the 2024-25 school year:

  • 83% improved in academics, 57% improved in school attendance, and 75% improved in behavioral issues.
  • 99% of students were promoted to their next grade level
  • 97% of high school seniors graduated from 12th grade
  • 100% of CIS Dallas students remained in school

How We Do It

In the 2024-25 school year, we served 9,005 unduplicated students with individualized case management services.

Here is a sample of our key activities in the 2024-25 school year:*

Student Support

  • 54,973 students participated in schoolwide (Tier 1) services open to all students on CIS Dallas campuses
  • 9,005 students received individualized case management services
  • More than 78,500 direct service hours were provided by Site Coordinators and CIS staff

Volunteer Engagement

  • 161 volunteers participated in on-campus activities

Mental Health Support

  • Students in individual therapy showed the greatest improvement in Adaptive Skills and Internalizing Problems, as measured by the BASC-3
  • CIS Dallas’s Clinical Team provided 5 Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings during the 2024–25 school year

College & Career Readiness

  • 97% of eligible CIS Dallas seniors graduated on time in the 2024–25 school year
  • 95% of surveyed seniors said CIS helped them learn about career options
  • 96% said CIS helped them learn about education options after high school
  • 83% planned to continue their education after graduation
*Updated 4.1.2026
See Our Results