About
Every student deserves an equitable opportunity to succeed in school and fulfill their potential. And yet, in America, nearly 13 million children live in poverty and face significant barriers to earning a high school diploma. Students from low-income communities are twice as likely to drop out of school, and children of color are often disproportionately impacted by this reality.
Whether it’s hunger, homelessness, emotional trauma, or a lack of access to basic medical care, students shouldn’t have to face these challenges alone. At Communities In Schools, we amplify the power of each student’s potential through an evidence-based model rooted in caring relationships.
Working with more than 1.6 million kids in more than 2500 schools in 26 states and the District of Columbia, our model is designed to address the impact of poverty from every angle. We build lasting community relationships—with businesses, volunteers, agencies, healthcare providers, and educators—to help students stay focused today, so they can go further tomorrow.
Communities In Schools Impact
Expansion
Governor Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice understand the significant impact Communities In Schools (CIS) can make in the lives of students and are committed to build upon the program’s success in West Virginia.
Leveraging already existing CIS programming, the expansion through the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) was initiated.
Expansion Timeline
- 2004 – Greenbrier County became a Communities In Schools Affiliate
- 2018-19 – Berkeley, McDowell, and Wyoming
- 2019-20 – Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Hardy, Lincoln, Pendleton, and Raleigh
- January 2020 – Braxton, Lewis, and Taylor
- 2020-21 – Brooke, Jackson, Kanawha, Mercer, Mingo, Pocahontas, Upshur, and Wayne
- 2021-22 – Grant, Gilmer, Hampshire, Morgan, Preston, Ritchie, Summers, and Tyler
- 2022-23 – Logan, Marshall, Monroe, Ohio, Randolph
- January 2023 – Webster, Harrison
- 2023-24 – Barbour, Boone, Doddridge, Hancock, Jefferson, Marion, Mason, Mineral, Monongalia, Nicholas, Pleasants, Putnam, Roane, Tucker, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood
