Who We Are

Communities In Schools Mission
Who We Are
Organizational Structure
Legal Basis
CIS State Office Functions
CIS State Office Contacts
CIS State Advisory Committee Purpose
CIS State Advisory Committee Roles and Responsibilities

- Public Relations and Marketing
- Replication
- Fund Raising and Resources development
- State Advisory Committee

Communities In Schools Mission

"The mission of Communities In Schools of Texas is to help young people of Texas stay in school, successfully learn, and prepare for life by coordinating the connection of needed community resources in the school setting.

Communities In Schools invites you to review the contents of this web site. Learn more about the nation's leading community-based organization helping kids succeed in school and prepare for life.

Keeping Kids in School is a community effort - You can help"
Nellie Reyes, CIS State Director
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, Committee Chair, State Advisory Committee

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Who We Are

Communities In Schools (CIS) is an exemplary stay-in-school program sponsored by the Texas Legislature. CIS uses a case management model to prevent dropouts, help students stay in school, successfully learn, and prepare for life. CIS is part of the nation's largest stay-in-school network.

Nationally, CIS operates 179 programs and on an annual basis serves:

• nearly 750,000 young people
• more than over 2,500 education sites in 32 states

In Texas, CIS:

• operates 26 local programs across the state
• provides services in more than 600 schools in 100 school districts
• served, during FY 2002, more than 330,000 students, of which more than 64,000 students were case managed

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Organizational Structure

Communities In Schools Organizational Chart

A nine-member State Advisory Committee (CISSAC), appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House, provides guidance and support to the program statewide.

The Texas CIS program is managed at the state level (CIS State Office) by the Texas Education Agency.

At the local level, the CIS programs are 501(c)(3) non-profit corporations administered by boards of directors that contract directly with TEA for state funding. School districts invite CIS onto their school campuses and the CIS boards enter into written agreements with the school districts to provide services to students and families. The CIS boards employ staff to implement and administer the program in the community. Staff are hired and placed in schools served by CIS to work directly with students at risk of dropping out of school.

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Legal Basis

• Texas Education Code, Chapter 33, Service Programs and Extracurricular Activities, Subchapter E, Communities In Schools Program.

• Communities In Schools State Advisory Committee; Section 16, Chapter 1165, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001.

• Program Operation Requirements.

• Campus Implementation Requirements.

• 19 TAC Chapter 89, Adaptations for Special Populations, Subchapter E, Commissioner’s Rules Concerning the Communities In Schools Program.

• Agency agreement with Communities In Schools, Inc., the National CIS organization.
  

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CIS State Office Functions

Developing quality programs based on a set of core values, standards, and principles is essential to achieve common CIS goals and determine the program's effectiveness. The development and implementation of CIS is based on three guiding principles; personalism, accountability, and coordination. These guiding principles are the foundation for the effectiveness of CIS. Additionally, each CIS program is required to obtain and maintain the National Quality and Standards (Q & S) Charter.

The CIS State Office directs the program statewide, sets standards, establishes state performance goals, objectives, and measures, obtains information to determine accomplishments of stated goals, coordinates efforts with other social service organizations and agencies and with public school personnel, and develops program policies and procedures. Additionally, the State Office develops statewide partnerships, provides board and program training, provides technical assistance, replicates CIS into new areas, and markets and promotes the program. The CIS State Office coordinates efforts with National CIS, Inc., as defined by agreement and required by legislation. Specialized board training is provided to all CIS programs to ensure that programs have the information and knowledge necessary to effectively implement a CIS program. All CIS program staff who work on school campuses with students receive project operations training designed on the CIS case management model.

The CIS State Office collects student data from local programs and enters and maintains it in a data management system to evaluate the effectiveness of CIS. The office sends quarterly reports to the Legislative Budget Board, and prepares and distributes a CIS Program Annual Report.

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CIS State Office Contacts

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CIS State Advisory Committee Purpose:

To establish a bi-partisan Communities In Schools State Advisory Committee represented by members from both public and private sectors that will serve in an advisory capacity to the Communities In Schools State Office.

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CIS State Advisory Committee Roles and Responsibilities:

The CIS State Advisory Committee (CISSAC) works closely with the Texas Education Agency and the CIS State Office to help support the implementation and growth of the program statewide. The roles and responsibilities of the CISSAC are the following:

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Public Relations and Marketing

• Develop and implement a statewide marketing campaign in coordination with the CIS State Office that advocates in behalf of the CIS program, and promotes the CIS concept and the effectiveness of the CIS prevention model.

• Represent the best interest of the program by educating the leaders in their communities and state through public awareness on dropout prevention issues, and promoting the CIS program model and accomplishments.

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Replication

• Assist in replication of the program into all independent school districts in the state by helping to secure funding in new communities, and by introducing CIS to community leaders.

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Fund Raising and Resources development

• Develop and implement a fund raising strategy in coordination with the CIS State Office for securing additional private funds for expansion and sustainability of the program statewide.

• Assist the program in obtaining additional resources and securing partnerships to further the mission of the program.

• Assist the state in achieving program goals and objectives by supporting the state strategic plan.

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State Advisory Committee

Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, Committee Chair

Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Committee Chair P. O. Box 12068 Room No. 3E.18 Austin, TX 78711 Work (512) 463-0114 Fax (512) 463-5949 gonzalo.barrientos@senate.state.tx.us Texas State Senator 1985 to present Texas State Representative 1975 to 1985 Public Relations/Businessman
Jill Binder Texas Campus Compact St. Edwards University 3001 S. Congress Ave Austin, TX 78704 Work (512) 428-1027 Fax (512) 428-1336 jillb@admin.stedwards.edu Executive Director, Texas Campus Compact, 15 years CIS Experience
Christine Douglas CIS of Comal County, Inc. 161 S. Castell Ave. New Braunfels, TX 78130 Work (830) 620-4247 Fax (830) 620-5643 cis@cisnewbraunfels.org Executive Director - Communities In Schools of Comal County, Inc. Social Worker 25 years experience
Representative Jerry Madden P.O. Box 2910 Room No. E1.506 Austin, TX 78768 Work (512) 463-0544 Fax (512) 463-9974 jerry.madden@house.state.tx.us Texas State Representative 1992 to present
Linda Mora Vice Chair 1338 Canyon Brook San Antonio, TX 78248 Work (210) 706-8635 Fax (512) 919-5418 lmora@satx.rr.com Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Northside ISD San Antonio
Rosa Linda Navejar 1327 N. Main Fort Worth, TX 76106 Work (817) 625-5411 Fax (817) 625-1405 rosa.navejar@fwhcc.org President & CEO - Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Mary Margaret Rucker 4607 FM 2351 Friendswood TX 77546 Work (281) 996-2782 Fax (281) 992-2616 mrucker@ccisd.net High School Guidance Counselor - Clear Brook High School, Clear Creek Independent School District
Representative Martha Wong P.O. Box 2910 Room No. E1.312 Austin, TX 78768 Work (512) 463-0389 Fax (512) 463-5896 martha.wong@house.state.tx.us Texas State Representative
Representative Bill Zedler P.O. Box 2910 Room No. E1.418 Austin, TX 78768 Work (512) 463-0374 Fax (512) 463-0364 bill.zedler@house.state.tx.us Texas State Representative

TEA Liaison to the Committee

Nellie Reyes
CIS State Director
Nellie.Reyes@tea.state.tx.us

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This page was last updated on October 6, 2006
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