Last year, 13.9 million students missed too much school due to challenges like transportation issues, health needs, food insecurity, safety concerns, or family responsibilities.
Communities In Schools addresses chronic absenteeism through trained, caring adults—site coordinators—who remove barriers and help students show up to school, ready to learn. By building trusted relationships and connecting students to critical supports, CIS site coordinators bring resources directly into schools and help young people stay present, succeed academically, and build brighter futures.
Every CIS partner school has a site coordinator — a caring, dedicated professional whose full-time job is making sure students have what they need to stay in school and succeed in life. Using the CIS model of integrated student supports, they work alongside teachers and school leaders, build relationships with parents, and connect students and families to resources like tutoring, mental health services, and basic needs support.
Take our POP QUIZ to test your knowledge about what CIS Site Coordinators do.
We know that having a connection to a caring adult is critical to keeping a student engaged in school. CIS site coordinators take the time to understand each student's unique needs and challenges and then work with them to set goals and track their progress during regular check-ins. They celebrate their student's wins and encourage them to keep going if, at first, they don't succeed.
The Push is a short film that follows the inspirational relationship between Darrell Smith, a caring CIS site coordinator, and Ja-Mez, who is about to graduate from high school full of self-confidence and with the promise of a bright future — an event that seemed impossible just two years earlier. The moving film provides an inside look at one of the many stories unfolding in thousands of CIS schools across America.
Through implementation of our evidence-based model, CIS not only supports individual students but we support the entire school. CIS site coordinators are experts in building strong relationships. They collaborate closely with administrators and educators to establish strong connections between students and their families, making them pivotal figures in schools. They also support creating school environments where all school faculty, students, and families feel safe and welcome.
“The school received tons of positive feedback from parents. Students are excited to attend school so they can be in the attendance class of the month. In fact, they hold their parents accountable to make sure they get them to school on time.”
Shannon Young
Site Coordinator
CIS of Rural Eastern Washington
Learn more about the role that CIS Site Coordinators play in individual students and school-wide success.
Learn how Zowee helps students start the school year feeling connected, supported, and ready to succeed.
Read more of Preparing for a Successful School Year Starts Before the First Bell
At Communities In Schools, our Site Coordinators are on the front lines every day, helping students navigate challenges, build skills, and thrive in school. For Shelby Clements, a Site Coordinator at CIS of the Dallas Region, every day is a balance of flexibility, support, and relationship-building.
Read more of A Day in the Life of a CIS Site Coordinator: Shelby Clements
As a middle school student, Zoe was very quiet and stayed to herself. Like many teenagers, self-esteem and anxiety are normal emotions on a daily basis. But for Zoe, the thought of going to school felt overwhelming.
Read more of A Boost of Confidence Helped Zoe Soar
“If it wasn’t for CIS, I would not be walking that stage,” Esteban, 18, admitted. “School was never really my thing.”
Read more of Once at Risk of Not Graduating, Esteban Graduated with Honors
“I never thought I’d make it to graduation," Andrea said. "School just wasn’t for me. But Mr. Walker changed everything."
Read more of Andrea's Connection Leads to Turnaround
CIS of Rural Eastern Washington prioritized attendance in their Tier 1 School Support Plan. CIS Site Coordinator Shannon Young implemented a proactive strategy to address the issue, including school-wide services and resources available to all students.
Read more of Making Every Day Count: CIS Attendance Initiatives Motivate Students
Ashley, a fifth-grade student at 107th Elementary, is described by Communities In Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA) Site Director Clara Ortiz as well-rounded, with a deep love for learning and a go-getter attitude. But what many may not know about Ashley is that her family recently left El Salvador, making personal sacrifices to start a new life in the United States.
Read more of The Power of Presence: How Caring Adults Provide a Community of Support
As Communities In Schools (CIS) prepares to welcome students and staff back for a new school year full of possibilities, affiliates are partnering with school administrators to build a roadmap to success. CIS site coordinators are stocking their offices with essential supplies to show up for students every day, and CIS staff are taking stock of what students still need to start the year confident and ready to learn.
Read more of Beyond Backpacks: CIS Welcomes Students Back with Community Support
In the Quad Cities along the Illinois and Iowa border, a child’s future is shaped early by access to housing, health care, literacy, and consistent support—resources many families still struggle to secure.
Read more of From Place to Promise: How United Way Quad Cities and Communities In Schools Are Changing the Odds—Together
As a Purpose-Built Communities network organization, Growing Together serves as a neighborhood "quarterback," aligning partners and strategy around a shared local vision. Its work spans housing, economic development, education, early childhood, and community leadership. A key part of that work is its licensed partnership with Communities In Schools (CIS).
Read more of When a Neighborhood Invests in Its Schools—And Schools Invest Back
This spring, Communities In Schools of Atlanta didn't just celebrate graduations — they celebrated futures.
Read more of Taking Flight: Celebrating the Future of 110 Graduating Seniors
This graduation season, Communities In Schools and Whataburger came together to create memories with WhatAMoment, a multi-city experience designed to celebrate students not just for reaching graduation but for everything it took to get there.
Read more of WhatAMoment! Celebrating Memorable Milestones with CIS and Whataburger
When John entered Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School as a junior, everything felt new and overwhelming. After years of online schooling, crowded hallways, full classrooms, and challenging subjects made it difficult for him to connect with peers, teachers, and even his own learning.
Read more of Connection Changes Everything
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.
Read more of Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP): Putting Our Shared Principles into Practice in CIS Organizations
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.
Read more of When Families Are Equipped, Students Thrive: Launching the Parent Engagement Program
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.
Read more of Milestone Moment: CIS-AH Now Serves 115 Schools Across the Appalachian Highlands
The "Together in Education" Round Up Campaign, which ran from July 30 through October 28, 2025, channeled those spare cents into real support through Communities In Schools (CIS), the nation's leading provider of K–12 school-based integrated student supports. Funds also benefited Classroom Central, The Salvation Army, and Alliance for a Healthier Generation, reaching CIS National and 19 affiliates across the Southeast region.
Read more of Together in Education: Harris Teeter and Communities In Schools Raise 300K for Students Across the Southeast
Kharma grew into a confident leader through CIS and plans to pursue a career in psychology to help others.
Read more of Kharma is Committed to Helping Others
Learn how CIS changed Leanna’s path, fueling her journey to leadership and community impact.
Read more of A Chance Encounter Changed Leanna's Life
With CIS support, Eliza found her voice, built confidence, and chose a path true to herself.
Read more of How CIS Helped Eliza Find Herself
Learn how CIS helped Jose grow into a confident student and leader.
Read more of How Jose Found His Confidence
With CIS support, Morgan overcame challenges, stayed present, and is now on track to graduate.
Read more of Morgan is Finishing Strong with CIS
Written in his own words, Leland found support through CIS and will pursue his dreams at SNU.
Read more of How CIS Helped Shape Leland's Future
Learn how CIS helped Joab believe in himself and keep going.
Read more of Joab Found Hope Through CIS
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