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About Us

Surrounding students with a community of support since 1972

Communities In Schools of Atlanta is an award-winning dropout prevention organization that was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1972. What began
in the basement of a modest home in the Grant Park community is now the nation’s largest dropout prevention network with a proven track record of positively impacting graduation rates. 

 

Communities In Schools of Atlanta’s mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. 

 

By bringing caring adults into the schools to address children’s unmet needs, we provide the link between educators and the community. The result: teachers are free to teach, and students – many in jeopardy of dropping out – have the opportunity to focus on learning.

Communities In Schools of Atlanta empowered 34,000 students during the 2020-2021 school year, and 2,106 of those students received intensive individualized support. 97% of our caseload students stayed in school, graduated on time, or were promoted. We are currently serving four school districts; Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County, DeKalb County, and Clayton County.

(L-R) Founders, Neil Shorthouse & Bill Milliken, with David Lewis

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

"My visit to your organization and my meeting with you led to the idea to send him (a local Nigerian boy- Elo) back to school and keep him there. We paid for him to take exams into high school in the city. We sent money to his mother to purchase new books and uniforms for him. Then, the decision was made to keep him in school! Monthly we shop for food and groceries that ordinarily he couldn't afford. We also deliver the groceries to him and his mother. One of our team members is assigned to monitor his progress and report to us. We are excited about this child and even more excited knowing that if a CIS is started in Nigeria, many more children like Elo will be reached."

Mrs. Gozie Udemezue 

Founder, Healing Hearts Widows Support Foundation Inc., Nigeria

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