About Us
Communities in Schools of Pennsylvania (CISPA) is an affiliate of the national Communities in Schools network, which operates in 29 states and the District of Columbia and serves more than 2 million youth annually. Communities in Schools’ holistic approach addresses both the academic and non-academic needs of students and recognizes that if basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are not met, children are unable to learn. Whether a child needs extra academic help, a mentor, a health check-up, additional food supplies, or even employment training, CISPA is there to make sure each child gets exactly what they need. A coordinated, individualized approach; it’s what makes us effective and makes our students successful!
Our Partner School Districts
Communities In Schools of Pennsylvania partners with schools across seven counties to provide students with the supports they need to succeed. Whether in urban, suburban, or rural communities, our site-based teams build trusted relationships and connect students to resources that help them stay in school and achieve in life.
CISPA surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
Every child needs and deserves:
How is Communities in Schools funded?
Communities In Schools, Inc., a national 501(c)3, is privately and publicly funded through a variety of corporate, foundation and federal state and local grants. Communities In Schools Pennsylvania similarly is funded through a variety of state, federal, corporate and foundation grants. On the local level, Communities In Schools sites receive funding from the CIS state office, local private sector support and various state, federal, and foundation grants.
You can view CISPA’s most recent 990 by clicking the button below.
Why is Communities in Schools Needed?
Every day many students face educational hurdles that come from outside the classroom. Hunger, poverty, family crises, low self-esteem, medical problems, violence, alcohol, and drugs affect a child’s chances of being successful in school and in life. Communities In Schools takes a community development approach to supporting kids by unifying the full resources of the community around children, families, teachers, and schools as a support system to address these educational hurdles. Communities In Schools works at building relationships, locally and statewide – because the impact of all groups linked to the schools can achieve the positive results in kids and families we all seek.
We believe greatness exists in every child.
We see potential coursing through them, a promise waiting to be realized.
So we go where they need us—understanding their needs and listening to their dreams from the inside out and the outside in.
And in every step we take together, we help them find the strength and confidence to look within and see what we see— a bright future that’s theirs for the taking.
Community by community, school by school, child by child— we are all in this together.