CISWA marks 35 years with growth plans and new student advocacy push

Communities In Schools of Washington is celebrating 35 years in the state with support from founding partners like Boeing and Costco, plus major gifts from Ballmer Group and MacKenzie Scott. The network now reaches more than 144,000 students and is planning new advocacy and alumni programs in 2027.

Why it matters: - Communities In Schools of Washington says its model is now reaching more than 144,000 students across 212 schools in 49 school districts. - The organization is using its 35th anniversary to recruit new supporters for a plan to expand deeper into Washington schools and elevate student voices.

What happened: - CISWA marked 35 years since Washington business and education leaders helped bring Communities In Schools to the state in 1991. - Boeing and Costco helped launch the effort alongside Washington education leaders. - The anniversary comes as CISWA honors companies, foundations and individual donors that have supported the network over time. - Dr. Gwynth R. Nelson, CISWA’s CEO and State Executive Director, said the program has endured because it is “tried and true.”

The details: - CISWA says its integrated student supports model places caring adults inside schools to connect students and families with resources, relationships and opportunities. - The network now serves students across Northwest Washington, Eastern Washington and the Kitsap Peninsula. - CISWA’s affiliates launched in Lakewood in 1993, Seattle in 1998, the Peninsula in 2000, Puyallup in 2002 and Spokane County in 2007. - Major philanthropic support has helped expand the network, including gifts from Ballmer Group and MacKenzie Scott. - In 2022, MacKenzie Scott made a collective $5.85 million unrestricted gift to CISWA and three Washington affiliates. - In 2023, Ballmer Group made a $9 million commitment, which CISWA said was the largest targeted philanthropic investment in its history. - The Ballmer Group investment supports students in Title I schools and expansion into new regions of the state. - Kacey Guin, portfolio manager at Ballmer Group, said the programs create a significant impact for students and families. - Heather Andersen, chair of CISWA’s board, said the organization has remained sustainable because its impact is tangible. - Andersen also credited site coordinators for carrying out the work in schools every day. - Erica Limón-Trefielo, deputy director of CISWA, said the organization’s end goal is seeing students go out into the world after adults walked beside them.

Between the lines: - CISWA is pairing anniversary celebration with a fundraising and awareness push, signaling that growth will depend on continued private support. - The organization is also shifting from a business-led origin story to a broader student-led future, with more emphasis on advocacy and alumni engagement. - CISWA says its long-term vision includes 50 more schools in six years and more than 520 Title I schools in 100 districts within 10 years.

What's next: - CISWA plans to hold its first Youth Advocacy Day on February 12, 2027, giving students a forum to speak directly with policymakers. - The organization also plans to begin developing a statewide alumni network in 2027. - CISWA says the new efforts will help former students stay connected and share their experiences.

The bottom line: - After 35 years, CISWA is positioning itself as both a safety net for students and a platform for student leadership, with expansion goals that reach well beyond its founding era. - Read the full release.