CIS steps in where the need is greatest, working in fourteen schools where 96% of kids are low-income or poor. Highly-trained site coordinators develop comprehensive drop-out prevention plans, coordinated with school staff, families, and community partners to fully support the “ABCs” of attendance, behavior, and coursework. Those most vulnerable to dropping out receive targeted case management. With schools closed, regular check-ins went virtual, caseloads inevitably grew, and gift cards for basic needs (food and hygiene products) were added to homework packets. During the summer, staff implemented plans to create a strong start to the school year (wherever students are learning) – working to identify students most in need of academic and social support. This new environment is a tough one for students, but CIS is working to keep them engaged and to meet their needs during a frightening and difficult time.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 2

Where They Operate: DC-Ward 1; DC-Ward 5; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8

Age Groups Served: Pre-K (3-4); Youth (5-11); Pre-teen/teen (12-17)

Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Men/Boys; Women/Girls; Students; Immigrants/Refugees; Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members

Schools They Work In: Cardozo Education Campus; Moten Elementary School; King Elementary School; Hart Middle School; Johnson Middle School; JO Wilson Elementary School; Stuart Hobson Middle School


  • Number of children we prepare for success in school annually:   3,300
  • High school graduation rate (or GED completion rate) of your students:   86%
  • Percent of case-managed students that were promoted:   96%
  • Percent of case-managed students that improved attendance:   85%
  • Number of volunteers who work with us annually:   152

Awards & Recognition

2008-09 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
Guidestar Platinum

Press

  • Dropout-Prevention Program Sees to The Basics of Life
    Mon Dec 10 2007  
    Andrill Harris, dropout prevention coordinator at the Patricia R. Harris Education Center, knew what to do. She set up a food-bank delivery. For another parent in a tight spot, Harris found subsidized housing. The two families had a total of five children at the school. All, with help from Harris, were spared at least some of the stress that makes it hard for some inner-city students to concentrate on reading and math, hard even to stay in school.
    connect here

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Communities In Schools of the Nation's Capital is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

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