Community Schools Increase Lifetime Earnings
A recent study from Harvard and Cornell Universities evaluates the impact of Communities In Schools (CIS), the nation’s largest integrated student support program, on students in high-poverty schools. Researchers found that providing personalized and coordinated supports (otherwise known as Full-Service Community Schools) leads to significant improvements in academic performance, high school graduation rates, and early-career earnings for students at highest risk.
The positive effects arise from improvements in both cognitive and non-cognitive skills, with the program’s relational approach—pairing students with dedicated navigators—proving especially effective. CIS (you can learn more about our local partner CIS Memphis here) is also found to be cost-effective, delivering higher returns on investment than other interventions, such as class-size reductions. The most significant benefit is the observed increase in test scores among the most disadvantaged students, suggesting that future expansions of the program should focus on schools with high concentrations of high-risk students.
In addition to raising test scores among high-risk students, the study found that these gains are sustained over time, leading to higher rates of high school graduation and increased earnings in adulthood. For instance, receiving CIS support for three years, roughly a $3,000 investment per student, projects to boost lifetime earnings by over $75,000.
Ultimately, the study demonstrates that integrated, relationship-based support models can drive meaningful and lasting improvements for students facing significant barriers. These findings present significant opportunities for impact among our local students enrolled in CIS programs that persist beyond school. The urgency for student supports in Memphis is underscored by a child poverty rate of nearly 37% and low rates of generational economic mobility.
