To Ensure Funding for Communities In Schools is Preserved
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Concerned stakeholders from around the state are calling on their state legislators to do the right thing for Texas school children and the right thing for Texas by supporting funding for Communities in Schools. Texas has an unacceptably high dropout rate and ranks among the lowest out of 50 states in high school graduation.
In fact three out of ten students statewide do not graduate from high school. A single class of dropouts costs the state $10 billion primarily in lost wages. Dropouts are more than twice as likely to live in poverty three times as likely to be unemployed and eight times as likely to be incarcerated during their lifetime.
Communities In Schools is the only dropout prevention program that both increases graduation rates and decreases dropout rates. Recent studies commissioned by the Texas Education Agency indicate that CIS is the only effective dropout prevention program in our state.
Both the House and Senate base budget bills recommend cutting all $32.2 million of State Compensatory Education and General Revenue funds. CIS also receives $4.8 million per year in TANF funds due to the fact that the students served are primarily low or very low income. The proposed reductions represent a 76.9 decrease in state funding.
State dollars appropriated and contracted directly from TEA to CIS allow local affiliates to raise private funding. For every dollar the state invests local programs are able to raise two additional dollars to serve more of the highest need students in the highest need schools.
The CIS programs established in 865 schools across Texas cannot survive the proposed cut. Local CIS programs estimate that if the current proposed budget reductions are approved they will have to make draconian cuts such as:
- Immediate layoff of 700 of the current 1445 CIS professional staff employed locally
- Permanently eliminating programs on at least 350 of the campuses served by CIS
- Directly case managing over 45000 fewer at-risk students per year
- CIS organizations in numerous communities will entirely shut down
With a state investment of only $236 per student each year CIS is a wise and prudent use of taxpayer money. In these challenging economic times Communities In Schools is a cost efficient program that saves the State of Texas and school districts money.
In 2009-2010 of the 89000 students case managed across Texas:
★ 98 stayed in school
★ 93 were promoted to the next grade
★ 82 of seniors graduated
★ 80 improved in academics
★ 88 improved their behavior
Other events include a resolution to be read in the House and Senate acknowledging the work of CIS and individual meetings with members of the House and Senate to encourage them to reconsider the proposed cuts.
WHAT:
Communities In Schools (CIS) the Nations leading school dropout prevention network operates 27 different CIS chapters throughout the state of Texas. CIS of Texas staff community leaders and board members are meeting in Austin on Wednesday January 26th to demonstrate support for this program.
WHEN:
9:00 AM Wednesday January 26 2011
WHERE:
South Steps of the Texas State Capitol
WHO:
Senator Jane Nelson Representative Myra Crownover Members of the Texas Legislature and CIS National President Dan Cardinali
