Communities In Schools Ranked as the Most Effective Dropout Prevention Organization in America

A Renton group dedicated to keeping students in school was recently recognized on a national level.

A five-year study, conducted by ICF International, found that the Communities In Schools' model resulted in the strongest reduction in dropout rates among national dropout prevention programs.

 began in 1996 and has served 787 children in its  during its 15 years, said Erin Iverson, CISR mentor program manager.

Communities in Schools effectively reduced dropout rates and increased graduation rates, according to the report, which lauded the program's model for its ability to work across state lines, school settings, grade levels and student ethnicities.

The national study examined results from 1,766 CIS sites across the country, in addition to a variety of factors that affect the programs.

“This comprehensive, multi-level multi-method study has provided important information about the effectiveness of the Communities In Schools approach, and I am pleased that Communities In Schools is using the findings to make their model consistent and strong across hundreds of sites,” said Kristin Moore, a member of the CIS Advisory Committee.

In comparing the results to more than 1,600 studies screened by the Department of Education’s "What Works Clearinghouse," the ICF found that the CIS model resulted in the strongest reduction in dropout rates among other "fully scaled" student retention programs in the country.

“The Communities In Schools model is a powerful tool to help turn around low performing schools,” said Dan Domenech, executive director, American Association of School Administrators.

The results from the evaluation are already being translated into improved services by CIS programs, according to the release.

Approximately 108 affiliates have been accredited or are in the process, with all affiliates on track for accreditation by 2015.

“The research findings have fueled an even greater sense of urgency within our network – a commitment that we need to bring the strongest, most evidence-based and rigorously evaluated practices to the young people we serve,” said Daniel Cardinali, president of CIS.

As a result of the evaluation, CIS is planning to follow up with several other studies.

“We have an obligation to the young people we serve and to the field we lead to continue to grow the body of evidence that informs our work,” Cardinali said.