CISLA Uplifts LA Students During Uncertain Times
11.23.2021
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LISC StoriesEconomic Development
When the lockdown was imposed, schools and students had to quickly adapt to online learning. Communities In Schools Los Angeles (CISLA), a non-profit organization that has long-standing success helping Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) students graduate, knew how to help. CISLA focuses on ensuring students are supported beyond their non-academic needs. CISLA shifted its work online, dedicated to its mission of helping students prosper academically, even during a global pandemic.
Community in Schools, an affiliate of CISLA, was founded in 1977 with a mission to surround students with a community of support by empowering them to stay in school and excel. As a result, Community in Schools, the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization, has kept students in school and on the path to graduation. CISLA accomplishes this through CIS' unique three tier model: (tier one) school-wide services, (tier two) target programs, and (tier 3) individualized support.
CISLA achieves these model objectives by having on-site coordinators at the schools. The on-site coordinators work with students, school leadership, and families to bridge community resources that help address academic and non-academic needs. These efforts are a crucial aspect of CISLA’s work since nearly 85% of LAUSD students live at or below the federal poverty line. By connecting students to formative resources and support, students are then healthy, safe, and prepared to learn.
Despite the harrowing troubles the public education system has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, CISLA rose to the challenge to provide critical services to their students. Many LAUSD students dealt with the digital divide, family or guardians’ losing employment, and juggling work and school. CISLA continued to provide one-on-one case management to nearly 1,000 at-risk students for middle schools and high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. During the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic, CISLA took immediate action to accommodate students online.
“During the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic, CISLA took immediate action to accommodate our students online."
"We provided students with the academic Social Emotional Learning (SEL) tools to help them thrive while learning online and met the needs of many of our students and their families who faced financial hardship. To ensure our students had the academic support they needed, we connected students to high-quality volunteer tutors and conducted daily teacher and parent check-ins. We also facilitated our online targeted student groups that prioritize social and emotional learning to cultivate a sense of belonging and promote positive well-being and self-identity. As we return to in-person learning, the CISLA team is implementing more opportunities for our fantastic program staff to help students properly re-engage with their school environment.” says Kristin Eaves, CISLA‘s Marketing & Communications Manager
CISLA Students
CISLA forged ahead in supporting their students to the transition of online learning by providing wrap-around support and non-academic needs. CISLA’s COVID response included basic need distribution where 1000+ care packages were delivered to families in need. While many families became distressed due to losing their jobs and unsure how to pay their bills, CISLA created emergency financial support by raising over $500,000 to directly help families pay their rent, utility bills, buy school supplies, and more. In addition, as students transitioned to online learning, CISLA shifted to provide various distance learning support services such as technology, Social Emotional Learning, and academic support. All these services and aid allowed students to focus on their schooling and future. In 2020, 96% of students credited CISLA with showing them the importance of education. Even during a time of uncertainty, CISLA’s comprehensive work and programming have been proven to uplift high-needs students in Los Angeles.
A third-party evaluation of CISLA’s work in the 2009-2010 school year conducted by EMSI concluded that $1 invested in CISLA’s work yielded $38.40 in private and public benefit. The high need in Los Angeles makes it imperative that CISLA expand to serve more kids with its highly influential work. That is why Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles (LISC LA) is pleased to support Communities In Schools Los Angeles (CISLA) with funding to further expand their crucial work for students.
For 13 years, CISLA has operated within LAUSD schools, serving 12,800 students in 13 Title 1 LAUSD schools and has continued on during a global health pandemic. They have impacted the lives of many students. CISLA’s Class of 2020 had 99% of their seniors graduate, relative to LAUSD’s 78% rate and 80% plan to pursue higher education. Even with the shift to virtual learning, CISLA’s Class of 2021 had a 100% graduation rate highlighting the positive impact it has on high needs LAUSD students. To learn more about CISLA’s work, click here.
