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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 and one charter school, Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region is housed on  more than 100 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 nearly 10,000 students we served in the 2023-24 school year:

  • 83% improved in academics, 58% improved in school attendance and 79% improved in behavioral issues.
  • 99% of students were promoted to their next grade level
  • 98% of high school seniors graduated from 12th grade
  • 100% of CIS Dallas students remained in school

How We Do It

In the 2023-24 school year, we served nearly 10,000 students with over 130,260 direct services.

Here is a sample of our key activities in the 2023-24 school year:*

  • Supportive Guidance
    • 2,670 youth participated in supportive guidance groups throughout the year
    • We provided 485 hours of 1:1 mentoring
  • Academic Enhancement and Support
    • 1,632 hours of 1:1 tutoring and homework assistance
    • There were 232 Tier II Groups focused on Academic Readiness
  • Health & Human Services
    • We provided students with basic needs, food, and school supply assistance approximately 8,036 times
  • Enrichment Activities 
    • 404 students participated in community service activities
    • 127 students participated in field trips
  • Parent & Family Engagement
    • We communicated with 1,143 parents/caregivers
    • We went on 1,967 home visits
  • College & Career Readiness
    • 1651 students participated in career and/or post-secondary exploration activities 
    • 98% of eligible seniors graduated on time in the 2023-24 school year
*Interim data, last updated 3.3.2025
See Our Results