Skip to Content

Read the latest news stories, press releases, and opinion pieces to keep you informed about the state of education in the U.S., the ways we deliver on our mission, and the impact of our work on students’ lives. For media requests, please contact: Whitney Faison, 315-420-6049, [email protected].

Opinions

Rustin Lewis

Tackling Chronic Absenteeism Requires Collective Action

As someone with more than 20 years of experience in youth development in DC, I have witnessed firsthand the importance of collective action in driving positive student outcomes, especially for our most vulnerable populations. As students across the District return to school, our city must come together to deal with a crisis that, if left unaddressed, will have long-term consequences for our children and our community.

Opinion | Dec. 2, 2024 Read more of Tackling Chronic Absenteeism Requires Collective Action
CIS Site Coordinator Marco and Alumnus Esteban

Being Present Matters: The Fight to End Chronic Absenteeism

This month, as 50 million public school students across the U.S. return to the classroom, it’s clear that the pandemic’s impact on students and families isn’t over. Four years after the shutdowns of 2020, millions of students are academically behind.

Opinion | Sept. 30, 2024 Read more of Being Present Matters: The Fight to End Chronic Absenteeism
Jessica Knapp (left) is executive director of CIS of PA

There’s an urgent need for “wraparound services” to support low-income students in Pennsylvania

Not all students have an equal chance to succeed. The socioeconomic achievement gap is a real phenomenon in which lower-income children are significantly less likely to succeed than their wealthier classmates. Poverty affects children’s brain development, causing challenges in paying attention and retaining information. Low-income students also attend schools with insufficient funding and resources, such as quality teachers.

Opinion | Feb. 5, 2024 Read more of There’s an urgent need for “wraparound services” to support low-income students in Pennsylvania
Rey Saldaña and Debbie Palacios

Chronic absenteeism doesn’t have just one solution — it has many

Chronic absenteeism has emerged as one of the most severe problems facing American students and educators today. In this op-ed, Rey Saldaña, President and CEO of CIS National, and Debbie Palacios, Executive Director of CIS of Southern Nevada, discuss how solving this problem starts by understanding what’s keeping students away and removing those barriers.

Opinion | Jan. 4, 2024 Read more of Chronic absenteeism doesn’t have just one solution — it has many

Together we can show up for

more students!

Donate
Today

Your generosity today will help CIS connect 2 million students across the country with the tools they need to succeed. 

Click to read more

Stay
Connected

Explore the different ways that you can get involved! Find your local CIS organization to volunteer, explore CIS job openings, sign up for our newsletter, and more.

Click to read more

Join Our
Community

Learn how you can bring the CIS model of integrated student supports to your school district.

Click to read more
TOP

Keep in Touch

Sign up to receive our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings at CIS National and across our network.