Communities In Schools of Washington News

Washington, DC – Communities In Schools, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life, today released the results of a five-year comprehensive longitudinal evaluation, conducted by one of the nation’s foremost social science evaluation firms.

After five years of detailed evaluation underwritten by The Atlantic Philanthropies—comparing the results to over 1,600 studies screened by the Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse—the evaluation concluded that the Communities In Schools model resulted in the strongest reduction in dropout rates of any existing fully scaled dropout prevention program that has been evaluated; that Communities In Schools is unique in having an effect on both reducing dropout rates and increasing graduation rates; and that the Communities In Schools model is effective across states, school settings, grade levels and student ethnicities. Also, analyses indicate that the more fully and carefully the model is implemented, the stronger the effects.

“The Communities In Schools model is a powerful tool to help turn around low performing schools. In partnership with teachers, principals and superintendents, Communities In Schools is achieving impressive results in some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of our country,” said Dan Domenech, executive director, American Association of School Administrators.

The results from the evaluation are already being translated into improved service delivery by Communities In Schools local affiliates. Based on the mid-point results from the Implementation Study and the Quasi-Experimental Study, Communities In Schools codified a set of program and business standards that the research revealed had the greatest effect on student improvement, and then drove those practices back into the network through an accreditation process. Approximately 108 affiliates have been accredited or are in the process, with all affiliates on track for accreditation by 2015.

“The research findings have fueled an even greater sense of urgency within our network – a commitment that we need to bring the strongest, most evidence-based and rigorously evaluated practices to the young people we serve, and that we need to do it immediately,” said Daniel Cardinali, president of Communities In Schools.

The final evaluation report is available at: http://www.communitiesinschools.org/about/publications/

Statement by Communities In Schools National President Daniel Cardinali

Arlington, Va. – Communities In Schools applauds President Obama for reaffirming in the State of the Union address that every child deserves a chance to succeed. The President called out the nation’s dropout rate as a barrier to our prosperity and security. We agree. In communities across the country we are partnering with local elected officials, school superintendents, principals and teachers to reform failing schools, and close the achievement gap.

While the American economy struggles to recover from the recession, state and local governments, the primary funders of education, are particularly challenged. As government at all levels looks to make cutbacks, we must preserve funding for the programs that serve young people at risk of not graduating. We strongly support President Obama’s pledge to “not make cuts on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens.”

Tonight the President said of Americans, “We do big things.” In 3400 schools nationwide, working with 1.3 million young people and their families, Communities In Schools does big things – helping kids at risk achieve in school and succeed in life.

We are grateful for the President’s continued leadership on closing the achievement gap, and proud to be the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization and the only one proven to both decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates.

January is National Mentor Month. In a show of support, Communities In Schools of Kent, along with other local CIS affiliates, have teamed up with the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team to offer discounted tickets for their game on January 30. The Thunderbirds will be taking on the Everett Silvertips at 5:00 PM, at the ShoWare Center in Kent.

Thunderbirds players Travis Toomey, Michael Salmon, and Luke Lockart serve as mentors with Communities In Schools of Kent in the Kent School District. As mentors, each of these young men is paired up with a student to meet regularly throughout the school year. Communities In Schools mentors work with students to instill the confidence to succeed, to encourage the belief that education creates opportunity, and to set an expectation for success.

To buy tickets for the game, place your order online at http://tickets.seattlethunderbirds.com/. Click the “buy tickets” button for the January 30 game. Choose your seat, click apply discount, type in “mentor,” and change your ticket price from $22 to $18. Finalize the checkout process, and enjoy a great game in support of National Mentor Month!

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. Communities In Schools of Seattle (CISS) has achieved National Accreditation by demonstrating compliance with all Communities In Schools Total Quality System (TQS) standards.

“We are proud to have achieved our accreditation with Communities In Schools because we know this high set of standards will help us provide better services to our students,” said Shira Rosen, Executive Director. Communities In Schools of Seattle is among the earliest to receive its national accreditation out of nearly 200 affiliates that comprise the Communities In Schools network in 25 states and the District of Columbia. The TQS standards define expectations for effective non-profit business practices and for implementing the Communities In Schools model of integrated student support services at school sites.

Communities In Schools of Seattle works within schools to provide intensive one-on-one support to students and families facing crisis situations. CISS delivers effective programs that: improve student achievement through both school-wide services and sustained, individualized interventions for the 10% of students most at-risk of dropping out; enrich the school experience through academic enrichment programs and experiences that supplement classroom learning; and meet basic needs through supportive services that alleviate the strains of poverty and other challenges that impact students. CISS currently provides services at Rainier Beach High School, Aki Kurose Middle School, Denny International Middle School and Graham Hill Elementary School.

Excerpted from Communities in Schools of Peninsula Press Release

VAUGHN, WASHINGTON – Communities In Schools of Peninsula (CISP) has achieved National Accreditation by demonstrating compliance with all Communities In Schools Total Quality System (TQS) standards.

“We are proud to have achieved our accreditation as it underlies the value of falling in compliance with the high set of standards put in place by Communities In Schools ,” said Colleen Speer, CISP Executive Director. Communities In Schools of Peninsula is among the first to receive its national accreditation among the nearly 200 local affiliates that comprise the Communities In Schools network in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

The TQS standards define expectations for effective non-profit business practices and for implementing the Communities In Schools model of integrated student support services at school sites. The site standards are based on a five-year, longitudinal national evaluation conducted by an independent, outside evaluator that documented the impact of the Communities In Schools model. The evaluation revealed that schools implementing the Communities In Schools model with high fidelity had higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and performed better than comparison schools in increasing the percentage of students meeting or exceeding math and reading proficiency in 4th and 8th grades, a crucial predictor of high school graduation.

Communities In Schools developed the Total Quality System to establish clear operational guidelines that ensure uniform quality and improved outcomes for all students being served by Communities In Schools affiliates. The TQS system is part of an organization wide commitment to evidence-based practice and the highest standards of accountability.

“What am I nervous about…? What I’m nervous about is not doing enough” Thi-Le, a new site coordinator with Communities In Schools of Seattle, seemed to express the feel of the room. In an age where education and the dropout rate has entered the national spotlight, people are looking for the “superman” to save students in need and at risk. And we were in a room full of them.

Site coordinators are Communities In Schools’ answer to the country’s call for education superheros, providing one-to-one support to the kids who need it, when they need it most. And on this day over 30 site coordinators from throughout the Washington network gathered for a day of training. For some it was their first day in the job, and they were here to learn techniques and hear stories. For those already in their job, this was a chance to share years of experience with the new recruits as they embark on a job riddled with both challenges and personal tests.

Over the course of the day it became apparent that motivation would not be an issue for the new superheros. Many are excited for the chance to help out a community in which they grew up, and they saw this job as an opportunity to jump in and start making an impact. They look forward to the relationships they’ll be forming with those students in need of a “superman” to help guide them to the graduation stage. Will they do enough? They’re sure going to try.

Check out the video below to hear from some of the new site coordinators themselves as they talk about entering their new jobs: