First-year effects of the Communities in Schools program
 

MDRC has released a report describing the first-year results of a randomized study of the Communities in Schools (CIS) program. This is a program designed to prevent at-risk middle and high school students from dropping out by providing them with academic, behavioral, and emotional supports through an organized, in-school, case-managed system.
 

Communities in Schools places a site coordinator at each school who reviews student data to determine who might be a potential drop-out risk based on attendance, course failure, behavioral difficulties, and other issues. Teachers may also refer a student for help. After guardian consent, the site coordinator assesses the student's needs, develops a case plan, and sets goals with the student. Students are provided with support as needed in the areas of academics, behavior, attendance, social/life skills, basic needs and services, college/career prep, enrichment, and family-related issues.
 

The study took place in 28 secondary schools during the 2012-2013 school year. The sample included 2,230 students, of which 1,140 were assigned to the CIS group, and 1,090 were assigned to receive the regular support services provided by their schools. Both groups were predominantly minority and low income, and all attended Title I schools. Groups were similar in terms of attendance rate, academic achievement, and ELL status, the only difference being that the experimental group was 2.8% more likely to receive free- or reduced-price lunches.
 

Following one year of services, CIS students were more likely than the controls to report having positive relationships with adults outside the home or school setting, to report positive peer relations, and to view education as valuable. However, the case-managed group did not demonstrate more gains in attendance, academics, or discipline than the control group.
 

The authors discuss areas for improving the program and will examine the second year of data to continue to assess student findings.

Johns Hopkins University 

Research in Brief

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