New Research Confirms that Communities In Schools' Model Drives Long-Term Success
A groundbreaking study conducted by Opportunity Insights in partnership with the EdRedesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education finds that Communities In Schools® (CIS®) model of integrated student supports helps high-risk students in CIS schools improve standardized test scores, raise graduation rates and earnings in adulthood.
Key Findings
The research, presented in the working paper, “When Resources Meet Relationships: The Returns to Personalized Supports for Low-Income Students,” demonstrates that CIS’ relationship-driven approach drives outcomes that shape high-risk students’ future lives, including:
Improved Test Scores
Middle schools with CIS see improvements in standardized test scores for struggling students.
Higher Graduation Rates
Three years of CIS exposure raises high school graduation rates for students by 5.2%.
Advances Economic Mobility
Three years of CIS exposure increases lifetime earnings by more than $75,000 (which is $36,000 in present-day value).
Strong Return on Investment
Three years of CIS support—approximately $3,000 per student—generates $7,100 in additional lifetime federal tax revenue.
Study Overview
Authored by Benjamin Goldman, Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Cornell University, a Research Principal at Opportunity Insights and a former Linda G. Hammett Ory Fellow and current Research Affiliate at EdRedesign; and Jamie Gracie, a former Linda G. Hammett Ory Fellow and current Postdoctoral Fellow with EdRedesign and an Affiliate of Opportunity Insights, the working paper, “When Resources Meet Relationships: The Returns to Personalized Supports for Low-Income Students,” evaluates the impact of Communities In Schools integrated student supports model that places trained site coordinators in schools to connect students with whole-school and individualized supports such as tutoring, mentoring, nutrition, health services and housing supports that enable them to attend school regularly and succeed.
The research examines both short-run academic outcomes for high-risk students—such as test scores, attendance, and discipline—and long-run outcomes, including high school graduation, college enrollment, and adult earnings, to assess the broader and lasting impacts of CIS.
The analysis uses data, including Census and federal tax records for children born between 1978 and 1992, as well as K–12 education records from Texas, where nearly half of CIS schools are located.
Key Findings on CIS Impact and Earnings Potential
Learn How We Show Up for Students
Communities In Schools helps students show up more often, engage in their learning, and succeed in school and beyond. Expanding CIS could close a significant share of the education and income gaps between high- and low-poverty schools—making it one of the most powerful levers for increasing opportunity and economic mobility for students.
Learn more about our approach and key elements of our model below.
