Communities In Schools of Nevada

Who We Are 

Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life, and our motto is "whatever it takes, we graduate." 

CIS was first formed when founder Bill Milliken developed the five basics framework of essentials that every child needs and deserves:   

1. A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult     

1. A safe place to learn and grow   

1. A healthy start and a healthy future    

1. A marketable skill to use upon graduation    

1. A chance to give back to peers and the community    

CIS was established based on the belief that relationships, not programs, change children. In his decades of experience working with historically underserved youth, Mr. Milliken determined that children and youth's most important basic need is a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult.  

CIS of Nevada is the fifth-largest state office, with three affiliates serving students in Clark, Washoe, Elko, and Humboldt Counties.  

What We Do 

Since our founding in 2004, Communities In Schools of Nevada (CIS of Nevada) has provided Integrated Student Supports (ISS) to students throughout Nevada. ISS is an evidence-based, success-proven methodology for providing students with wraparound services and resources in Title I and high-need K-12 public schools to improve academic performance and meet students’ and families’ social-emotional and basic needs. Our wraparound services may include social-emotional learning opportunities, hunger prevention, physical and mental health services, before and after-school tutoring, and college and career readiness programs. The CIS model of ISS has been developed over a 45-year history within the CIS national network, serving 1.8 million students in over 3,650 schools across 25 states and Washington D.C.