Agenda Item
b. Memorandum of Agreement with Communities In Schools of Atlanta, Inc. for Integrated Student Support Services (Not to Exceed $500,000)
Summary: Presented by: Triscilla Weaver, Ph.D., Chief of Access & Opportunity, Division of Access & Opportunity
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education approve the Memorandum of Agreement between Communities In Schools of Atlanta, Inc. (CIS) and the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) for a total amount not to exceed $500,000. This funding will support the delivery of community-based, integrated student support services at eight identified schools during the 2026-2027 school year.
Why: Communities In Schools of Atlanta, Inc. is a research-based partner dedicated to improving student outcomes through integrated student support services. The organization provides evidence-based interventions designed to strengthen academic achievement, improve attendance, increase student engagement, and promote post-secondary success.
The requested funding will support the placement of Communities In Schools (CIS) site coordinators at eight identified schools: Clarkston High School, Columbia High School, Cross Keys High School, Stone Mountain High School, Towers High School, Columbia Middle School, Ronald E. McNair Middle School, and Stone Mountain Middle School. Site coordinators will provide targeted interventions, coordinate wraparound services, and connect students and families with school and community-based resources to address barriers to learning. This agreement also expands services to three additional schools during the 2026-2027 school year, strengthening continuity of support across feeder patterns and better addressing the identified needs of students, families, and the surrounding community. Expanding services will enhance the continuum of academic, social-emotional, and wraparound support, creating a seamless network of resources as students transition between grade levels while responding to the unique needs of each school community.
Communities In Schools of Atlanta, Inc. successfully met the goals and contractual deliverables established under the previous agreement. The organization remains committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based integrated student support services that improve student outcomes through coordinated case management, strategic partnerships, and comprehensive school and community resources.
Details: Communities In Schools of Atlanta, Inc. will partner with the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) to implement the evidence-based CIS Model, delivering comprehensive, school-based integrated student supports designed to remove barriers to student success. The CIS Model is grounded in a continuous improvement framework that includes comprehensive needs assessment, strategic planning, coordinated delivery of integrated student support, ongoing progress monitoring, and evaluation of student and program outcomes. Through this partnership, CIS will provide intensive case management services to identify at-risk students, connecting them with individualized academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and basic need support. By coordinating school and community resources, CIS will help students overcome barriers to learning, improve attendance and engagement, strengthen academic performance, and increase their likelihood of remaining on track for grade promotion and high school graduation. This integrated approach fosters equitable access to resources and services that support students' long-term academic success and overall well-being. It is important to note that Stone Mountain Elementary School and Flat Shoals Elementary School currently receive CIS services through funding provided by the Georgia Department of Education under their designation as Comprehensive Support and Improvement Tier IV schools. Accordingly, funding for these schools is not included in this request, as they are supported through a separate funding source.
Financial impact: Title IV Funding: 462.2100.530000.03222.7020.1779.8010.090.2026 - ($210,000)
General Fund: 100.2300.530000.00011.8720.9990.8010.092.0000 - ($290,000)
Contact: Triscilla Weaver, Ph.D., Chief of Access & Opportunity, Division of Access & Opportunity, 678.676.0485
Dr. Latashia W. Searcy, Ed.D., Executive Director of Student Mentorship and Partnerships, Division of Access & Opportunity, 404.808.8874
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
2025-2026 Impact Overview
Communities In Schools of Atlanta provides integrated student supports
designed to address academic, behavioral, attendance, and non-academic
barriers to learning. By partnering with schools, families, and community
organizations, CIS helps ensure students have access to the resources and
relationships needed to stay engaged in school and achieve positive
educational outcomes. The following data summarizes student demographics,
service reach, and program impact for the 2025-2026 school year.
Dekalb ‘25-’26 Demographics
324 5,211 7 7,467
Caseload Students Whole School Students Served Schools Student Supports
Race/Ethnicity Gender School Level
Black Hispanic Female Male Elementary High
60.0%
All Others Multi-Racial 75.0%
40.0%
68.0%
25.0%
22.3%
7.1% 2.6%
Student Impact ‘25-’26
Graduation/Promotion Rate
91% 89% 92% 96%
96% Attendance No Core Course Graduation/
Rate Suspension Pass Rate Promotion
Rate Rate*
Remained In School
89% 90% 94% 95%
% Students % Students % Students % Students
Passing Math Passing English Passing Science Passing Social Science
99% *Pending results of 2 Summer School Students
Helping Kids Stay in School and Achieve in Life
Four-Year Impact Overview
Each day many Metro Atlanta students face enormous barriers to their
success in school and in life. Atlanta has the nation’s highest poverty and
income inequality rates, which create unfair obstacles contributing to
chronic absenteeism, making it hard for them to participate equally in
academic and enrichment programs, and increasing their chances of
dropping out. Communities In Schools of Atlanta places caring adults
inside schools to create a consistent, day-after-day academic, emotional
and financial support system to help kids stay in school and graduate.
Emergency Assistance
Economic Impact $78,457
Foundation/Private
CIS of Atlanta is proud to work with private, foundation, and Funding
community partners to secure additional investment for the $487,455
benefit of our programming within Dekalb County School
District. This helps to leverage the programming investment
from DCSD by bringing in additional resources from
community partners and investors. Over the prior 4 years, we $2,051,621
have secured over $2.05 million in funding from a variety of
partners. For every dollar invested by DCSD over this time,
CIS of Atlanta has returned $1.57 in equivalent resources.
County/State/Federal In-Kind Giving
$973,008 $512,701
Student Impact
2025/2026 2024/2025
91% 89% 92% 96% 89% 88% 92% 92%
Attendance No Core Course Graduated & Attendance No Core Course Graduated &
Rate Suspension Pass Rate Promoted Rate Suspension Pass Rate Promoted
Rate Rate
2023/2024 2022/2023
87% 77% 90% 90% 84% 80% 88% 92%
No Graduated & Attendance No Core Course Graduated &
Attendance Core Course Pass Rate Promoted
Suspension Pass Rate Promoted Rate Suspension
Rate Rate
Rate
Student Goal Overview Core Course Progress from Baseline
Attendance
25.6% Baseline EOY 25/26
100
84 85
429 Goals* 80 81 82 81
83 83
Behavior 79
2.8%
60
Academic
71.6%
*Currently Finalizing Student goal progress
40
20
0
English Math Science Social science
Dekalb ‘25-’26 School Wide Goals
School Goal Achievement Outcome School Goal Categories
Goal Not Achieved Behavior
2 2
School Climate Attendance
3 7
Goal Met or Academics
Improved from 7
Baseline
17
Dekalb ‘25-’26 Student Supports
Academic Assistance
Case Management Other Supports
1413 Supports
3147 Supports 1964 Supports
Attendance
412 Supports
Dekalb ‘25-’26 End of Year Student Outcomes
**Summer school outcomes will be updated
once data is available
**
Dekalb ‘25-’26 Emergency Assistance
Dekalb ‘25-’26 Principal Survey Results
CIS of Atlanta conducts an annual end-of-year survey of all principals to capture feedback on CIS programming and its impact
within their schools. Principals overwhelmingly reported positive outcomes across key focus areas. These results highlight
strong agreement that our services strengthen school climate, support teachers, and improve student academic performance.
Overall, the feedback reflects a clear and consistent endorsement of CIS’s impact at the school level.
MENTORING POSITIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT TEACHER IMPACT
Strongly Agree Strongly Agree
SEL 100% 100%
PARENT INVOLVEMENT Services provided by the CIS site Services provided by the CIS site coordinator at your
coordinator at your school helped to create school had a positive impact on Teachers being able
a positive school environment. to perform their work
LEGEND
= Very Satisfied
STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OVERALL POSITIVE IMPACT
= Satisfied Strongly Agree Strongly Agree
100% 100%
Services provided by the CIS site coordinator at your Services provided by the CIS site
school had a positive impact on students' academic coordinator at your school in general, had
performance. an overall positive impact in your school.