Welcome

CIS is a private, nonprofit organization that connects resources from public and private sectors with at-risk students. We utilize the power of partnerships to serve students, schools and communities.

Too many young people are failing in our public schools today - and Florida has one of the highest dropout rates and lowest literacy rates in the nation. Schools alone cannot solve the complex and diverse problems faced by today's youth.

Our Mission

Our mission is to champion the connection of needed community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, graduate, and prepare for life.

First Lady Michelle Obama Visits Communities In Schools

Yesterday First Lady Michelle Obama visited a Communities In Schools after-school reading program in Washington, D.C. The visit was a delightful surprise for 30 wide-eyed third-graders who read stories and asked questions of the first lady who told them they can help the president by working hard and never quitting. "When something gets hard, because it will be - there will be plenty of things that will be hard for you all; there are things that are hard for me," said the first lady, "Will you promise me that you will not quit?"

Alison Hertz, the CIS on-site coordinator for the school, gave Mrs. Obama a tour of the program and discussed how early intervention can have a profound impact on a child's willingness to engage, and can set an attitude that carries well into middle and high school.

Before visiting the students, the first lady met with the national Communities In Schools Board of Directors who discussed the need for more coordination and integration of support services into our schools - that schools alone are not equipped to teach students who are not prepared to learn. View Full Story »

  Good Neighbors at State Farm Award
  $250,000 Grant to Communities In
  Schools of Florida

Photo (L to R): CIS Board Members Cindi Marsiglio (Wal-Mart), Dominic Calabro (Florida TaxWatch), Chair Frank Messersmith (FSM Associates), John Burns (State Farm), and Lois Gracey (CISFL).

Three-Year Partnership to Replicate Communities In Schools in Underserved Communities

Tallahassee, FL - Communities In Schools (CIS), Florida's leading stay-in-school organization, is proud to announce the award of a $250,000 grant from State Farm to support its work to reduce the state's dropout rate. "The high school dropout rate has become a national epidemic - as many as one out of three students nationally are not graduating each year. In Florida, without support, as many as 1 million currently-enrolled students are in jeopardy of not graduating with their peers. With the monumental task facing educators today, schools simply cannot meet all the needs of the students alone. The public, private, and nonprofit sectors must increase our collaborative efforts to ensure that Florida's graduation rate improves. Corporations like State Farm, who have an eye on the future, are making a real difference as we work together to meet the needs of our most vulnerable population - our children," said CIS State Director Lois Gracey.

"This generous grant of $250,000 from State Farm is to replicate the Communities In Schools model. We are very excited about the possibility of serving many more students with both prevention and intervention services. This grant is a great kick-off to our 20th Anniversary of being Florida's premiere dropout prevention program", said Frank Messersmith of FSM Associates, CIS of Florida's Chair. View Full Story »