Communities in Schools of South Carolina announces transformative investment to help students overcome obstacles to learning

$2.5 Million Donation from Philanthropist Mackenzie Scott Will Strengthen Organization’s Impact in Public Schools Across South Carolina

Communities In Schools of South Carolina (CISSC) announced today that they are the recipient of an unprecedented gift of $2.5 million, an investment that will support their work to build relationships, break down barriers, and unlock the potential of students across South Carolina.

This gift is part of a transformative $133.5 million donation from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott to the Communities In Schools Network and National Office. In addition to the CIS National Office, 40 affiliates of the 110 organizations in the CIS Network were also direct recipients of the Mackenzie Scott donation. CISSC is proud to be one of them.

In a time when the global pandemic has created unparalleled challenges for students and families, including experiences of social isolation, economic crisis, stress, and trauma, this investment will help CISSC carry out its cause to build sustainable systems of support for those who would otherwise be left behind. Investments in CISSC provide access to evidence-based programming aimed at helping students overcome obstacles to learning. This donation is a tremendous fuel for impact, infrastructure, and the sustainability of the CISSC program. However, it does not change the reality of the continued work ahead, and the public and private partnership that must remain true.

“Our goal is to bring the CIS model to every one of the 650 Title I-eligible schools in South Carolina,” said CISSC President & CEO, Jamie Cooper. “Currently, we operate in 34 schools, supporting 20,000 students – so we still have a long way to go, and we will need ongoing support to reach the nearly half a million students across our state who are living in poverty.”

For 30 years, CISSC has demonstrated measurable success in student outcomes. In the 2020-2021 school year, 99.7 percent of students enrolled in CISSC’s programs remained in school, with 95 percent of K-11 students being promoted to the next grade, and 97 percent of seniors graduating or receiving a GED.

In January 2021, Communities In Schools affiliates in Greenville, the Midlands, and the Charleston-area merged to form Communities In Schools of South Carolina. This merger was designed to strengthen, deepen, and grow CISSC’s impact statewide. This strategic direction focuses on strengthening the organization’s existing infrastructure and programming; deepening its impact in the communities it already serves; and growing into more rural areas of the state while also expanding efforts to support CIS alumni in the next chapter of their lives. CISSC plans to use this investment to support the ‘strengthen’ component of its work, while focusing additional public and private investments to support the ‘deepen’ and ‘grow’ strategic initiatives.

CISSC believes that transformative relationships are key to unlocking a student’s potential. Their school[1]based staff works in partnership with teachers and parents to help address the non-academic needs of students. CISSC coordinates with schools and local service providers to meet those needs and provide critical resources, like food, housing, healthcare, counseling, and access to remote technology so that students – and educators – can focus on academics. By identifying the points of challenge for students in their personal lives, CISSC staff helps to empower students to move beyond the barriers they face in the school building and in the community.

“Today is an important day for students who are underserved, under-resourced, and in need of supports to build a brighter future,” said Rey Saldaña, President and CEO of Communities In Schools National Office. “This unrestricted gift allows us to combat the inequities in public education and reimagine the way schools operate and show up for all students.”

Communities In Schools

Communities In Schools® (CIS™) is a national organization that ensures every student, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic background, has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside 3,000 schools across the country, we connect students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Together, we build a powerful change movement made up of peers, students, and alumni committed to building an equitable path to education for future generations. Learn more at cisofsc.org