Reason to Believe

In light of the current civil rights crisis and the escalated demand to end racial inequality in our society, many business, education, and civic leaders are committing to the necessary work and deploying tactics, resources, and internal approaches that combat systemic racism.

For more than 40 years, Bill Milliken and the organization he founded, Communities in Schools (CIS), have been working to strike down one of the pillars of that systemic racism: inequality in education. At the local level, Communities In Schools works to bring health and social services along with other community partners into the schools where vulnerable students and their families can easily access the support they need. 

CIS’s work resonated with me as a business leader whose role and responsibilities include creating more diverse and inclusive workplaces. I believe CIS’s approach and philosophy can also apply to building a more diverse workforce, and designing spaces that promote inclusion and psychological safety for all people – regardless of their race, religion or sexual orientation.

I recently sat down with Bill (his answers to my queries seen as "BM," below) to discuss CIS and explore what he calls the “Five Basics” that every child needs and deserves to contend with racial injustice, and break the vicious cycle of poverty and disenfranchisement that plague so many of our country’s youth.

Our discussion:

Your approach is based on the belief in surrounding children with a robust and active community of support that guides, shapes and protects their interests as they go through childhood. How does this work within the context of CIS?

BM: Children who come from broken homes or impoverished, crime-ridden neighborhoods lack the attention, resources, and safety that is so vital to their mental and physical health throughout their young lives. When I created CIS, I based it on the concept that we must build communities of support around children-in-need, and to do this in the most efficient way possible we needed to go to where the kids are instead of trying to get them to come to us. This is why we set up shop inside the schools. Our model places an adult integrator inside each school that acts as the connecting thread between the organizations and individuals lending support, and the children who receive it. The integrator holds all parties accountable to ensure the greatest possible outcome for each child.

The end result is a win-win-win for the students, teachers, and the community. Our cost-effective, evidence-driven model is proven to return $11.60 to the community for every dollar invested. Administrators see improved attendance, behavior, and performance results; teachers are able to focus on teaching rather than managing individual student needs; and students have a reliable adult on whom they can rely on to address their unique challenges, in and out of school.

Within these communities of support, what is the key ingredient to making a meaningful and lasting impact on each child?

BM: Every child needs a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult. Before young people can be turned onto learning, they must be turned onto living. This starts with establishing trust between children and adults who have a committed interest in their long-term success. Millions of young people in this country don’t have “traditional” families that include a mother and father who live together so it is up to the entire community to make sure someone cares about these children.

In particular, children who are subject to abject poverty and systemic racism need a reason to believe that progress, such as graduating from high school and pursuing rewarding careers, is realistic and achievable. As CIS sees it, connecting students with medical care and mental health services, mentors, and other caring adults who offer medical care, encouragement, academic support, and exposure to career opportunities is a critical need for vulnerable high school students. 

What role does the physical environment play in helping students learn and grow?

BM: It’s impossible to learn when you’re scared. In today’s world, many children live in dangerous neighborhoods where violence, drugs, gangs, unemployment, and multigenerational poverty are commonplace. What’s more, there are many schools that can’t provide a safe environment in which to learn, build relationships, and develop the skills necessary to graduate high school and build strong careers. Whether through after-school programs or nontraditional school models, Communities In School's philosophy is simple but effective: create a safe environment where students have physical and psychological respite from the dangers of the outside world, so they can embrace learning and achieve their potential.

Many children lack daily access to basic human needs, such as health care and food. What impact does that have on the learning process?

BM: A healthy body and mind are the foundation for building a healthy future. Children can’t concentrate on schoolwork or their future if they are hungry, cold, or in need of medical care. Basic health and human services are essential for every child. When families are in need, and often unsure about how to get help from the labyrinth of public agencies, it’s up to the community to step in. Children must have access to health care, food programs, mental health services, substance abuse prevention and intervention, sports and recreation programs, and much more, in order to be and feel healthy.

The economy is changing so rapidly and along with it the need for new skills. What is required to ensure students develop marketable skills to use upon graduation and compete in the global economy?

BM: Our children must acquire the knowledge, self-respect, and discipline they’ll need in order to secure a future for themselves and their families. As the American economy has shifted from an industrial-based model to one based on knowledge, young people need a different set of skills to be successful after they complete school – whether they enter college or the world of work. In addition to basic literacy and computer skills, today’s labor force requires workers to have problem-solving skills, analytical ability, and personal qualities like adaptability and self-management. They need access to tutoring, literacy programs, career planning, employment training, and job shadowing, leadership skills training, and college readiness and access programs to ensure they have the right skills to compete after graduation.

JS: You are a strong advocate for giving children a chance to give back to their peers and the communities that supported them. Why is that?

BM: I was once asked at a Congressional hearing, “What is the difference between the kids you’ve seen who made it and ones who didn’t?” I told them that the children I have seen who succeed are the children we allowed to succeed. We allowed them to give something to us. We need to listen to them, and then get them involved in feeding people, tutoring other children – that’s how they feel part of a community. Every child ought to have a chance to give back. The community must create environments for young people in which everyone’s gifts are nurtured, and service to others is expected and rewarded.

The road ahead:

In the U.S., there are currently 128 CIS organizations and licensees serving 1.62 million students in 2,500 schools. In 2019, 95 percent of CIS’s seniors graduated or received a GED and 96% were promoted to the next grade. The CIS model is clearly working and its impact has far-reaching applications for how we tackle racial injustice in the workplace and beyond, which is why in a future article I will explore how we can think about applying CIS’s proven model in the workplace, M Moser’s own commitments to combatting systemic racism, and what it means for attracting and retaining diverse talent throughout the world of business.

Until then, I welcome your feedback on this article and CIS’s approach. We must all commit to doing better.