Five-Year Comprehensive Evaluation Ranks Communities In Schools as the Most Effective Dropout Prevention Organization in America

Atlanta, GA – Atlanta is the birthplace of Communities In Schools (CIS), which began serving young people in 1972. What started in Atlanta is now the largest community-based dropout prevention organization in the country, reaching close to 2.3 million young people and their families in 27 states with 108 affiliate offices. Currently, affiliate CIS of Atlanta provides direct support at 74 schools in Atlanta and DeKalb County, including 24 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, 31 high schools and 3 nontraditional schools, with combined enrollments of more than 46,000 students. Program Coordinators and Graduation Coaches identify students in each school who are most at risk of dropping out and recruit community support, for both academic and nonacademic services, to keep them in school and on track for graduation.

To measure the effectiveness of the CIS model, ICF International, a social science evaluation firm, recently conducted a five-year comprehensive evaluation on the impact of the CIS program and its impact on the national dropout rate.

ICF concluded that Communities In Schools' model resulted in the strongest reduction in dropout rates of any existing fully scaled dropout prevention program that has been evaluated. Communities In Schools is 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.  Analyses indicate that the more fully and carefully the model is implemented, the stronger the effects.   

“This comprehensive, multi-level multi-method study has provided important information about the effectiveness of the Communities In Schools approach, and I am pleased that Communities In Schools is using the findings to make their model consistent and strong across hundreds of sites,” commented Kristin Moore, Ph.D., senior scholar, Child Trends, and member, Communities In Schools National Evaluation Advisory Committee.

In comparing the results to over 1,600 studies screened by the Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse, ICF concluded that the Communities In Schools model is associated with the strongest reduction in dropout rates among all existing fully scaled dropout prevention programs in the United States.  Specific findings included:

• Communities In Schools’ positive effect on both dropout rates and graduation rates is unique among dropout prevention programs;
• The higher the level of fidelity to the Communities In Schools model, the greater the effects, which validates the power of the model;
• Positive effects accrued to schools across states, settings (urban, suburban, rural), grade levels and ethnicities; and
• The Austin randomized controlled trial, which demonstrated a reduction in student dropout rates that was nearly three times the What Works Clearinghouse’s threshold for “substantively important” effects.

The results from the evaluation are already being translated into improved service delivery by Communities In Schools local affiliates. CIS of Atlanta maintains focus on six key goals that are critical to students’ success in school: improving on-time attendance; improving student behavior; Increasing parent involvement; providing support for struggling families to meet basic needs; promoting career and academic enrichment; bringing in more community volunteers, services and resources. Patricia Pflum, CIS of Atlanta’s Executive Director said “For over thirty-eight years CIS has maintained its position on reducing high school drop out rates. This study proves we have stayed on course and offer beneficial support to students, families and local school systems.” 

“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. We have an obligation to the young people we serve and to the field we lead to continue to grow the body of evidence that informs our work,” said Daniel Cardinali, president of Communities In Schools.   
 
A copy of the final evaluation report can be found on the CIS National website at: www.commmunitiesinschools.org.
 

Communities In Schools (CIS) of Atlanta has been surrounding students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life since 1972. Through partnerships with Atlanta Public Schools, Project GRAD and DeKalb County Schools, CIS of Atlanta is impacting more than 46,000 students at 74 partner schools during the 2010-2011 school year. CIS of Atlanta’s award-winning dropout prevention programs focus on improving student attendance and behavior, increasing parental involvement and ensuring that families have access to important resources. For more information about CIS of Atlanta, please visit www.cisatlanta.org.

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