“It’s relationships, not programs, that change children.”

Over the past 50 years, our school-based staff have collaborated with school leaders, teachers, and community providers to identify challenges students face in class or at home and coordinate community services to bring support and resources into schools and students’ homes. From immediate needs such as food and clothing to more complex ones such as mentoring and mental health resources, we do whatever it takes to help students succeed. Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

The work of Communities In Schools began with founder Bill Milliken’s idea of bringing community resources inside public schools – where our work is accessible to those who need them, coordinated in a centralized manner, and accountable to making an impact in schools. Throughout the years, our evidence-based approach, adapted to meet each community’s unique needs, is the basis for our success.

Communities In Schools of Indiana began in 2001 when the former executive director also founded CIS of Wayne County. Others saw the need for a CIS state office and to expand the work of CIS across the state. CIS of Indiana began in 2014 with three schools in the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township. We currently serve over 30,000 students throughout the state and provide intensive one-on-one support to over 1,600 students in 41 schools.

Communities In Schools of Indiana is part of a network working in nearly 4,000 schools and 29 states across the nation. Communities In Schools builds relationships in schools and communities through an evidence-based program model.