Letter From The Executive Director

Dear Supporter,

State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, told the audience at the recent South Carolina Summit on dropout prevention that “the United States is the only industrialized country in the world whose children are now less likely to graduate from high school than their parents.” In an article describing potential cuts in the South Carolina Budget was the news that “nurses, new busses and dropout prevention programs are on the chopping block.” Dropouts impose a heavy financial burden on taxpayers and local, state and federal governments. Each dropout costs society approximately $260,000, due to lost income and taxes, increased need for social supports, higher criminal justice costs, costs associated with an inadequate workforce and the lack of social mobility. Multiply these costs by one million students each year, the number some experts say are dropping out of school annually in our country, and the result is a staggering $260 billion. We read daily that tax revenues and company profits are down because people are spending less. Even in good times, dropouts spend less and use more. In today’s economic times, this dropout issue is a crisis that we cannot wait to address.

Communities In Schools of the Midlands, an affiliate of the national Communities In Schools (CIS) organization, was created in 1987 to help address the drop out issue in our community. CIS was founded on the concept that students can and will achieve academically, when the resources to address their academic and social service needs are tailored, coordinated and accessible. A CIS site coordinator supports students by facilitating the delivery of essential community resources requested by schools and parents. Whether a student needs a mentor, eyeglasses, help with homework, a nutritious meal, assistance with college applications or just a safe place to be, CIS finds the resources and delivers them inside schools, where students spend their days.

This unique model, know as integrated student services has been proven to work when carried out with fidelity through an ongoing national evaluation. Results from the recently released school-level evaluation confirm that, compared to other dropout prevention programs listed in the Department of Education’s best practice website, the “What Works Clearinghouse,” CIS is:

• One of a small number of dropout prevention organizations with scientifically-based evidence of effectiveness
• Of these, one of a handful proven to decrease dropout rates, and…
• The only organization proven to increase graduation rates.

To help insure that students touched by CIS have the best opportunities to succeed, the Board and staff of CIS of the Midlands have accepted the challenge to become one of the early-adopters of the CIS Total Quality System which sets standards for national accreditation. These standards address the operation of the organization with business and site standards that must be met to insure that the CIS Model is provided accurately. With your support of CIS of the Midlands, and our mission, we can combat the high drop out rate, and change our communities future.

Thank you,

Terry L. Linder
Executive Director
Communities In Schools of the Midlands