Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas Announces Transformational Investment to Help Students Overcome Obstacles to Learning

$2 Million Donation from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott Will Deepen Organization’s Impact in Schools Across the Region Supporting 4,000 Students

WACO, Tx., Feb. 3, 2022 - Communities In Schools (CIS) of the Heart of Texas, whose missions is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life, today announced it has received an unprecedented gift of $2,000,000.

This gift is part of a transformative $133.5 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to the Communities In Schools National Network. In addition to CIS of the Heart of Texas, the CIS National Office and 40 of the 110 affiliate organizations in the CIS Network were also direct recipients of the MacKenzie Scott donation.

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 CIS of the Heart of Texas to carry out its cause to build sustainable systems of support for the students and families that would otherwise be left behind. An investment in CIS to use its model and evidence base to help students overcome obstacles to learning is tremendous fuel for impact, infrastructure, and the people working inside schools. However, it does not change the reality of the continued work ahead, and the public and private partnership that must remain true.

“We are humbled by the generosity of Ms. Scott and emboldened in our mission,” said Aaron Mize, CEO of CIS of the heart of Texas, which currently serves over 4,000 students in 28 schools across 9 school districts. “This is the largest private donation in our organization’s 32-year history and will allow us enhance the impact we have today and also expand our vision for the future.”

For over three decades, CIS of the Heart of Texas has demonstrated measurable success in student outcomes. In the 2020-2021 school year, 99.9 percent of students enrolled in CIS of the Heart of Texas’s programs remained in school, with 98.8 percent of K-11 students being promoted to the next grade, and 96.2 percent of seniors graduating or receiving a GED.

CIS believes that transformative relationships are key to unlocking a student's potential. Our school-based staff team work inside schools in partnership with teachers and parents to help address both the academic and non-academic needs of students. CIS coordinates with schools and local service providers to meet the needs of students and families, as well as providing and brokering critical resources, like food, housing, healthcare, counseling, access to remote technology, and more so that students (and educators) can focus on academics. By identifying the points of challenge for students in their personal lives, CIS staff help to empower students to move beyond the barriers they face in the school building and in the community.  

###

About Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas

Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas is a local independent affiliate of the national Communities In Schools® (CIS™) 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. CIS connects 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 partners committed to building an equitable path to education for future generations. www.cishot.org