Who We Are

Communities In Schools is changing the picture of education for students in Cleveland County. We combine the art of one-on-one relationships with the science of proven, evidence-based programs, and mobilize community resources and proven programs to achieve results and remove barriers that keep students from succeeding in school and life.

The Cleveland Challenge, a group of community leaders dedicated to establishing “community excellence,” brought the Communities In Schools (CIS) model to Cleveland County in 1991 as one answer to the critical concern for education. Communities In Schools began serving students in 1992. Currently, Communities In Schools provides services to students at six school sites, which includes all four traditional area high schools, Burns Middle, and Shelby Middle.

Communities In Schools’ model is based on the core areas of Academics, Behavior, Coursework, and Parental Engagement, which we refer to as our ABC+P model. We work collaboratively with Cleveland County Schools as a strong partner to identify underserved students who demonstrate that they are in need of support in one or more of these areas to ensure that they graduate. In addition, we provide enrichment opportunities, cultural experiences, mentoring, leadership opportunities, and other supplemental programming.