Our Shared Principles: The Five Basics

For nearly 50 years, our work has been guided by the Five Basic Principles—a foundational set of principles developed by Bill Milliken that reflect what every young person needs and deserves to thrive: a caring adult, a safe place, a healthy start, a marketable skill, and a chance to give back.

These principles have been brought to life across four key systems—schools, families, communities, and organizations—ensuring that every student is surrounded by the relationships, environments, and opportunities they need to thrive.

Venn diagram of schools, families, communities, and CIS organizations overlapping students in the middle

What are the Five Basic Principles?

Together with our mission and integrated student supports model, the Five Basic Principles guide our work, keep students at the center, and define our collective purpose—unlocking potential and creating pathways to a brighter future.

1. A Caring Adult

A caring adult is essential for everyone to experience success. CIS builds systems of support that connect students and families with trusted adults across schools, families, organizations, and communities. The goal is to make caring relationships consistent and accessible for everyone so that students can succeed.

2. A Safe Place

A safe place goes beyond physical security to include emotional, cultural and psychological safety. CIS fosters this through practices that uplifts student, family, community, and staff voices, and creating safe environments for everyone. The goal is for everyone to feel respected, valued, and able to thrive.

3. A Healthy Start

A healthy start ensures students’ physical, emotional, and basic needs are met so they can learn and thrive. CIS connects students and their families to food, healthcare, and other essential resources and provides support that helps them build long-term resilience and confidence. CIS creates strong organizational health practices that fosters strong organizations and employee well-being.

Icon of main climbing stairs towards lightbulb

4. A Marketable Skill

A marketable skill combines abilities, confidence, and connections for future success. CIS supports this by linking education to real-world opportunities through internships, mentoring, and career exploration. The goal is to equip students with skills and access to thrive in the workforce and beyond. We work with families, alumni and our staff to foster strong leadership skills.

5. A Chance to Give Back

A chance to give back empowers students, families, and staff to lead, serve, and shape their schools, organizations, and communities. CIS provides opportunities for student leadership, peer mentoring, and service projects, ensuring students contribute meaningfully while developing skills, confidence, and a sense of ownership.

Watch CIS Founder Bill Milliken talk about the origin of the five basic principles.

Our Work in Action

See how Communities In Schools brings the Five Basic Principles to life.

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Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP): Putting Our Shared Principles into Practice in CIS Organizations

ELDP is a year-long immersive experience designed to prepare a cohort of CIS leaders for the complexity, uncertainty, and challenges nonprofit organizations regularly face. Participants gather in person multiple times during the year and meet virtually for learning, practice, reflection, and discussion with peers from around the CIS network. The program has been intentionally developed to reflect our shared principles through delivering relevant information—adaptive leadership, managing change, mobilizing others to action—and creating a safe space for relationship-building and dialogue. This combination of content and connection is critical to the success of the program and models how our shared principles can be put into action as leaders take both the experience and the learning back to their own organizations.

Story | May 27, 2026

"Ready, Set, Learn" Event - CIS of Houston

When Families Are Equipped, Students Thrive: Launching the Parent Engagement Program

Communities In Schools is partnering with Parents for Public Schools to bring a research-based curriculum to affiliates across the country, a living example of what it means to put our shared principles to work.

Story | May 27, 2026

CIS of Jacksonville Hope = Success students tour the Jacksonville Coach Distribution Center

Workforce Development Is Our Strategy

What happens to students after they turn the tassel can be even more important than getting them to the graduation stage. Communities In Schools of Jacksonville is evolving to better serve our community with a new focus on preparing students for graduation, and what comes next: college, the military or the workforce.

Opinion | May 15, 2026

Communities In Schools Celebrates Class of 2026 as New Research Confirms Its Proven Impact on Graduation and Long-Term Success

As graduation season unfolds, Communities In Schools proudly celebrates the Class of 2026 and the students who are boldly stepping into their futures. This year’s milestone is underscored by new research showing that when students are surrounded by trusted adult relationships and the right supports, success follows.

Press Release | May 12, 2026

CIS of Appalachian Highlands celebrating 100 schools

Milestone Moment: CIS-AH Now Serves 115 Schools Across the Appalachian Highlands

When Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highlands (CIS-AH) opened its doors in 2012, it served just two schools in Bristol, Virginia. Today, it proudly stands beside more than 115 schools across 17 districts in Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

Story | May 6, 2026

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