CIS-VA is on a Quest for Equitable Success in Virginia’s Schools

Communities In Schools is committed to addressing inequities in public education that are plaguing our historically marginalized communities.  In Virginia, we have been steadily growing over the last 13 years and currently reach more than 114,000 students each year.  But there are nearly 400,000 who need our help.

The bottom line:  Powered by CIS’s 44-year track record of success, CIS of Virginia knows what works.  Together, we have the power to disrupt an inequitable system and create lasting change that gives all of Virginia’s students opportunity for success.   The model is cost-effective, evidence-driven, and is proven to return $11.60 to the community for every dollar invested.

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The CIS / Title I Connection

Title I-eligible schools and CIS have inherent intersectionality. 

  • Title I schools serve the highest concentration of students facing the inequities CIS exists to navigate.
  • Because these schools are often embedded in low-income neighborhoods and communities, they are unlikely to be resourced sufficiently to meet instructional requirements, let alone the support services that vulnerable students require to be positioned for success.  CIS partners with schools to fill these very gaps. 
  • Title I schools are highly reflective of pockets of disparity in our communities.  Depending on feeder patterns to middle and high schools, the obstacles get even larger as students advance to schools drawing from multiple neighborhoods, and the likelihood of falling behind their more affluent counterparts grows.

Now is the time for a bold vision: Bring CIS to every high-poverty school in Virginia

The COVID-19 pandemic and the nation’s social justice reckoning have made it clear: supporting vulnerable students is not a “nice-to-have,” it is a must-have. Nearly 400,000 students in Virginia currently attend schools in high-poverty communities, and may lack critical support necessary to success. These students need the integrated student supports that CIS has been proving effective for nearly half a century. With ambitious expansion of our reach, we aim to prioritize the highest-need communities, using eligibility for Title I funds as a key indicator (schools eligible for Title I funds have 40% or greater low income students), to empower all students to realize their potential.

CIS presence in Title I schools is the solution to identifying needs early, providing integrated supports and empowering success throughout the student’s school journey.