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ANNUAL REPORT 2009 Empowering Students to Achieve FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN Elaine Wynn Chairman National Board Daniel J. Cardinali Daniel J. National President 2009 was quite a year. traction with a much larger audience. the Total Quality System enhances the simple but powerful premise that one Worldwide, fi nancial markets Education took its rightful place at the our ability to serve more students and person can make a diff erence in the lives teetered on the brink of collapse, forefront of public policy and became the produce greater results. of others. topic of presidential debates, magazine At the national offi ce, we had another We all want the same things — a better and even the most stable global covers and documentaries. After all, an successful year with the support of a life for our children and to be able to take businesses felt the impact of a educated, engaged population makes for diverse group of partners, which makes care of our families. President Obama, major economic downturn. Here a more prosperous and thriving society. all the diff erence during tough economic in his address to public school children, in the United States, banks and brokerage With the stage set, Communities In times. We are pleased to report that we declared, “Don’t expect to drop out of fi rms were collapsing, foreclosures were Schools sprang into accelerated action. actually received the largest grant in school and drop into a good job.” That is soaring, jobless rates were at their highest The new federal administration, like the history of the organization in 2009, a sobering message. He also encouraged in decades and many major retailers were its predecessor, shares our commitment which was one of the toughest years for students to work hard and become the shutting their doors for good. to improving public education by provid- fundraising in decades. Communities In authors of their own lives. The students And, even during this country’s darkest ing the best possible opportunities to all Schools was also recognized last year for who are Communities In Schools’ success days, there was something phenomenal students, regardless of income, ethnicity its sound business practices and fi nancial stories are doing just that every day, happening. Americans were refusing or class. Because Communities In Schools transparency, earning the Better Business rising from some of the most diffi cult to give up. Young people found their serves the most vulnerable students, we Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance National circumstances with fi erce determination voices and rose to the challenge of a new eff ectively mobilized our grassroots net- Charity Seal and a high rating from to follow their dreams. generation. They became more engaged work to support this agenda. Charity Navigator — two highly coveted We are among their greatest in the political process — and regardless of While educating lawmakers about the external endorsements. champions, and independent research their beliefs, were united in their demand benefi ts of the Communities In Schools Among other milestones we celebrated shows that we make a diff erence in for something new. Slowly, America began Model, we were also holding ourselves to in 2009 was fi rst lady Michelle Obama’s our partner schools. On behalf of the to invest in itself again, and we emerged a higher standard of operations. During visit to Ferebee-Hope Elementary, a national offi ce, we give thanks to the with an even clearer focus on what really fi scal year 2009, our state offi ces and local Communities In Schools of the Nation’s entire Communities In Schools family, matters most — our children and our affi liates embraced and began the process Capital partner school. And we were our partners, supporters and the inspiring communities. It was an exciting and of adopting the Total Quality System, delighted when our founder and vice young people who are the reason we exist. hopeful year for Communities In Schools a set of organizational and business chairman Bill Milliken was presented in many respects. standards, policies and procedures with a 2009 National Jeff erson Award for We’ve always known that education for implementing the Communities In public service, for his nearly 50 years of and prosperity are inextricably linked. Schools Model in the most eff ective way. work helping young people graduate and And, last year, that notion seemed to gain By ensuring a consistent business model, prepare for life. The award is based on Elaine Wynn Daniel J. Cardinali | COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS | 2009 ANNUAL REPORT MISSION STATEMENT Empowering students to stay in school, learn and prepare for life. Communities In Schools is the nation’s leading organization We are guided by the “Five Basics” dedicated to helping students Developed by our founder, Bill Milliken, the Five Basics are a set of essentials that every child needs and deserves. achieve in school and in life. We work within the public school system 1. A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult to address underlying factors that hamper Nearly 90 percent of Communities In Schools affiliates connect student success. students with mentors, providing them with positive role models What sets Communities In Schools who offer encouragement and academic support. apart from other organizations is our 2. A safe place to learn and grow model of providing a comprehensive range Whether through after-school programs or nontraditional school of community services. And we do this at models, Communities In Schools is dedicated to ensuring that all very little cost. Communities In Schools students have a safe, appropriate environment in which to learn and positions a dedicated staff member — a achieve their potential. school-based coordinator — inside partner 3. A healthy start and a healthy future schools. In this pivotal role, the coordinator FIVE BASICS We provide access to basic health and dental care for thousands of works with school staff to identify students students who might otherwise go without. at risk of not graduating. He or she also 4. A marketable skill to use upon graduation assesses school and student needs and Our affiliates work with students on career development and establishes relationships with local readiness, and create pathways for students to access post- business partners, social service agencies, secondary education. and parent and volunteer organizations 5. A chance to give back to peers and community to provide resources students need. Communities In Schools works with students to develop their Independent research shows that the Communities In Schools Model works, as leadership skills and strengthen their involvement in community you’ll see within the pages of this report. service and service-learning initiatives. The Communities In Schools national network is a federation of independent 501(c)(3) organizations in 26 states and the District of Columbia, anchored by the national offi ce in Northern Virginia, and coordinated, supported and expanded through the leadership of 14 state offi ces. State offi ces provide operational, technical and fi nancial support to their local affi liates which directly serve students. While the majority of the nearly 200 operational local affi liates are in states with Communities In Schools state offi ces, there are also local affi liates in states without a state offi ce. © 22006006 GGREGREG SSCHALERCHALER COVER PHOTO: © 2009 JASON MICCOLO JOHNSON COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS | 2009 ANNUAL REPORT | 1 WHY COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS? More than a million of the At Communities In Schools, we ̈ Over the course of a lifetime, a high ̈ If high schools and colleges raise the students who enter 9th grade believe helping young people achieve in school dropout earns, on average, graduation rates of black, Latino and school and graduate isn’t merely a nice- about $260,000 less than a high Native American students to the levels each year fail to graduate on to-have, “pie in the sky” goal, but the school graduate. of white students by 2020, the potential time. The alarm has sounded critical social justice issue of our time. ̈ Dropouts from the class of 2008 alone increase in personal income would in American public education. Dropouts signifi cantly diminish their will cost the nation more than $319 add more than $310 billion to the U.S. Every nine seconds, a young person drops chances of securing a good job and, with billion in lost wages over the course economy. out of school. What’s more, it is estimated it, a promising future. And the cumulative of their lifetimes. ̈ Increasing the graduation rate and that black and Latino students are two costs to society are staggering. Compared ̈ If the country’s likely dropouts from college matriculation of male students to three years of learning behind white with high school graduates, dropouts are the class of 2006 had graduated, in the United States by just 5 percent students of the same age. This racial gap more likely to live in poverty, suff er poor the nation could have saved more could lead to combined savings and exists regardless of how it is measured, health, be dependent on social services or than $17 billion in Medicaid and revenue of almost $8 billion each year including both test scores and graduation enter the criminal justice system. expenditures for uninsured health by reducing crime-related costs. rates, especially at the 4th- and 8th- Consider these estimates that put the care over the course of those young grade levels. dropout epidemic in perspective: people’s lifetimes. 2 | COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS | 2009 ANNUAL REPORT © IIMAGEZSMAGEZS OOFF UUSS While there is no single reason why graduation coaches and other personnel, records, 80 percent are located in 15 students drop out, research indicates and forge community partnerships that states.

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