Additional services are scheduled begin at the start of the 2023-2024 school year 

Atlanta, Georgia — Communities in Schools of Georgia (GISGA), the state’s leading drop-out prevention program, has been awarded funding to focus on the expansion of CISGA’s integrated student supports model into 13 new schools, across Georgia.   

This award was made possible through a nationwide $165 million Ballmer funding plan designed to catalyze local public and private investment sources through a 1:1 match requirement over the first three years and commitments to sustain the work long-term.    

This investment enables CISGA in partnership with school districts and local schools, to provide critical coordinated resources to students through a trained professional who can help connect them to supports and services needed to succeed in school.       

With this new funding, CISGA now provides fully case-managed support for approximately 890 more students and school-wide support for approximately 7,700 more students through newly hired site coordinators and program managers. These expanded services were launched in Marietta/Cobb, Newton, Troup, and Dougherty counties.  

Expanded support and resources have rolled out to new and existing partners at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.  

Leyla Compani, Communities in Schools of Georgia Chief Philanthropy Officer, shared, “The funding award by Ballmer investments to Communities in School of Georgia is already making huge strides in the state. We are deeply grateful for their investment in our program. This invaluable support will allow us to transform the futures of more children, allowing them to stay in school and succeed in life.” 

In the 2022-2023 school year, Communities in Schools of Georgia provided 84,000 students with school-wide preventions supports, and another 6,200 high-risk for dropout students with targeted intervention supports in 70 schools across the state. With the increased presence of Communities In Schools, nationwide, Title I schools are directly impacted through our proven ISS model. This results in positive outcomes of student success, increased attendance and engagement and more students graduating from high school. 

For more information, please visit www.cisga.org or contact Katherine Seymour, Partnerships Director: kseymour@cisga.org