Communities In Schools of Georgia Reveals Hard Data & Stakeholder Stories Detailing Its Impact on the Problem
Atlanta — In response to growing student poverty, Communities In Schools (CIS) of Georgia – part of the nation’s largest and most effective dropout prevention organization – released a new Impact Report detailing the practical, affordable solutions they’ve been implementing to help low-income students in Georgia stay in school and succeed.
The report, “Changing the Picture of Education in Georgia,” features data explaining how CIS is serving disadvantaged students statewide. The report also contains results of a national survey which found that 88% of U.S. teachers believe student poverty is the #1 barrier to effective learning in the classroom.
“We’re mobilizing resources throughout Georgia to ensure disadvantaged youth have access to the resources they need so they can focus on learning, said Carol Lewis, CIS of Georgia president. “We’re also boosting support services to educators so they can focus on teaching.”
According to a recent report, approximately 700,000 students drop out every year, down from one million. Each of these students will cost taxpayers roughly $292,000 yearly, as they are more likely to need community assistance. Alternatively, the annual cost to provide CIS services to a student is $250, and every dollar invested in CIS returns $11.60 in economic benefit for the community. Moreover, on average, CIS of Georgia programs raise more than $15 for every dollar of state funds.
In addition to the economic benefits, the Impact Report highlights the immeasurable value for students served by CIS – some of whom are featured in the report. The close of the report outlines simple policy measures that would allow state and federal funds to be used for integrative support services like those provided by CIS and would protect taxpayer dollars by ensuring that state and federal funds are reserved for evidence-based solutions.
About Communities In Schools of Georgia
Communities In Schools (CIS) of Georgia is part of the nation’s leading dropout prevention network. The mission of CIS is to surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The role of CIS of Georgia is to provide the network of 31 local affiliates with marketing, advocacy and funding support, training, technical assistance and other business expertise to ensure fidelity to the CIS model for improved student outcomes. Last year local affiliates in the CIS of Georgia network served 121,255 students at 206 school and community-based sites. The network also provided parent engagement supports to 25,819 families. Working closely with school districts and partner organizations, CIS of Georgia connects students and their families to basic and critical educational and community-based resources, tailored to individual needs. Communities sponsoring CIS programs have seen an increase in their school graduation rates, a decrease in violence and disruptions, and an increase in attendance and academic achievement. For more information on the impact report, visit www.cisga.org.