For over 30 years, Communities In Schools of North Texas (CISNT) has been a trusted provider of programs that equip students with the tools and resources to overcome obstacles to success in their education. With the help of CISNT, part of the nation's largest dropout prevention network, many at-risk students will receive the support they need to stay in school and achieve in life.
Our mission is to empower North Texas students to stay in school and achieve in life.
Our vision is to create thriving communities through equitable access to education for all students and families. To help our students overcome barriers and achieve their goals, CISNT believes that every child deserves five basic things, which serve as the foundation of all CISNT programs and services:
1. A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult
2. A safe place to learn and grow
3. A healthy start and a healthy future
4. A marketable skill to use upon graduation
5. A chance to give back to peers and community
CISNT's distinct model of service addresses every student's unique barriers. With a full-time CIS Site Coordinator on each campus that we serve, CISNT works in partnership with school administration to design intentional services that address any barrier to a student’s success in school and life. From immediate needs like food or clothing to more complex ones like counseling or emotional support, we do whatever it takes to surround our students with a community of support, and help them stay in school and achieve in life.
We provide two basic program models to achieve our mission: Daytime and Afterschool Case Management & ACE (Afterschool Centers on Education).
All CISNT program models utilize the Communities In Schools service model to address barriers to success.
1. Health and Human Services
2. Parent and Family Engagement
3. Academic Enhancement
4. Enrichment
5. College and Career Readiness
6. Mental and Behavioral Health
7. Attendance
While it is important to understand the programs we operate to help our students succeed, we can never forget that it is the caring, one-to-one relationships which make the long-term difference.
The resources that the community pours into the lives of at-risk students, through our CIS staff members, more than 100 community partners, and 650 volunteers each year, are the foundation of these life-changing relationships for more than 6,500 students.
Learn more about the incredible work CISNT is accomplishing!
Across North Texas, 1 in 2 students are at-risk of dropping out of school, and more than 1 in 2 students are economically disadvantaged (Texas Education Agency, 2024). However, these rates are even higher across CISNT’s 59 partner school campuses:
CISNT programs provide academic enrichment, behavioral, social, and emotional support, basic needs support, mental health counseling, mentoring, and more depending on a student’s unique needs. Through the evidence-based CIS model, with community funding and volunteer support, CISNT has consistently improved classroom outcomes for students at-risk and achieved a 99% success rate of keeping students in school for the past 15 years. This track record of success demonstrates that CISNT is effective in helping students to overcome barriers to high school graduation and setting students on a path towards a brighter future. Currently, CISNT case management programs touch the lives of more than 30,000 North Texas students annually.
Volunteerism: CISNT believes that all students should have a one-to-one relationship with a caring adult. CISNT seeks caring, positive adults who would like to serve as volunteer mentors, coaches, and tutors for CISNT students, as well as Food 4 Kids volunteers. CISNT is seeking volunteers in the following areas:
Learn more about our volunteer opportunities!
Financial Support: As we continue to expand our programs to meet the growing needs of our community, CISNT seeks donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations who want to invest in the success of our students, families, and schools. Make your donation monthly for long-term, sustaining support!
Community Engagement: CISNT has a variety of exciting events each year to engage our Community of Support and empower North Texas students.
Learn more about our community engagement opportunities!
In-Kind Donations: Did you know? CISNT provides food, clothing, and hygiene items through Nutrition Hubs at ALL 59 CISNT program sites through our Nutrition Hubs at NO COST to students! We accept donations to supply these hubs year-round.
Donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday - Friday at our admin office located at 1760 S. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 300, Lewisville, TX 75067.
You can also shop our Amazon Wishlist here!
Communities In Schools of North Texas (CISNT), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is part of the nation's largest organization dedicated to empowering students at-risk to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future.
The mission of Communities In Schools of North Texas (CISNT) is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CISNT empowers more than 6,500 K-12 students at-risk across 6 districts in North Texas through our innovative, in-school case management program and afterschool program. CISNT programs are developed with the belief that every child needs five basic things: 1) a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult; 2) a safe place to learn and grow; 3) a healthy start and healthy future; 4) a marketable skill to use upon graduation; and 5) a chance to give back to peers and community.
At CISNT, we recognize and celebrate that our students come to us with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Unfortunately, we also know that many of our students face the effects of systemic barriers in our society, such as institutionalized racism, intergenerational poverty, and other bias that can manifest in their school engagement, behavioral and mental health, academic performance, and in their ability to stay in school.
Our core beliefs and mission statement are deeply rooted in the knowledge that equity is essential in empowering all students to succeed. Equity takes into account that people have different access to resources because of systems of oppression and privilege, and seeks to balance those disparities. With an equitable service lens, CISNT ensures that all students, no matter their race, gender, zip code, or socioeconomic background have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed in school and in life.
In support of this, CISNT strives to create an inclusive environment which ensures that ALL students have a space in which they feel safe, respected, and valued for who they are and their contributions to their school and community. CISNT endeavors to amplify the voices and acknowledge the perspectives of those who have been disadvantaged and/or marginalized.
Organization name
COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF NORTH TEXAS INC
Causes
Education - K-12
Operating Budget
$3,000,000 - $9,999,999
Counties Served
Cooke, Denton, Wise
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic or Latinx
BIPOC Leadership
Neither/None
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
PO BOX 295543