Keeping Kids in School

Nearly one in five high school students don’t graduate with their class, with a devastating impact on lives and a crisis for our future job force, the economy and U.S. global competition.

Read the AT&T Contribution to Communities in Schools News Release

Watch the Communities in Schools Making a Difference Video

“Communities In Schools combines the best of what we know works – a caring adult and the effective use of metrics and evidence-based strategies – to drive positive, measurable outcomes for the students they serve,” said Beth Shiroishi, president of the AT&T Foundation. “This new support will help ensure these best practices are implemented across their national network. Coupled with the commitment of AT&T employees, we will help more students  graduate high school ready for future success.”

AT&T’s $5 million contribution is one of the largest ever through AT&T Aspire, the company’s $350 million investment in education to help more students graduate from high school ready for college and careers and includes:

• Total Quality System: $2.8 million to support the CIS Total Quality System (TQS) accreditation standards that help ensure local affiliates are implementing the CIS model to its full potential. Fifty CIS affiliates, serving approximately 700,000 students, are expected to be TQS-accredited over the period of the contribution. CIS research shows that affiliates with accreditation can double positive outcomes and serve more students than those without accreditation.
• Site Coordinators: $2 million to enable CIS to continue its collaboration with Diplomas Now, a pioneering collaborative with City Year and John Hopkins University Talent Development that reaches the most challenged students in the most challenged schools. The program helps CIS site coordinators target community services and high-intensity supports to students showing early warning signs of dropping out, such as poor attendance, poor behavior and course failure in English or Math. More than 25,000 students will be served, including 2,500 with intensive support.
• Mentors: $200,000 will help expand mentoring opportunities through Aspire Mentoring Academy – Aspire’s community engagement program -- to an additional 4,000 CIS students.  The funding will build on successful pilots in North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and Kansas that took place earlier this year.  The initiative will connect more students with AT&T employee volunteers who will share life and career experiences with the students.