Ep 54: Frank Brown on Creating a Community of Support for At-Risk Students

Clear Choices Podcast

How can we bridge the gap and bring equality to education in America? How has COVID impacted students who live in low income areas? What can we do?

My guest today, Frank Brown, heads up an organization that is answering the call for how to help those students who are most at-risk for falling behind and not graduating high school. He is Chief Executive Officer of Communities In Schools of Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta was deemed the income inequality capital two years in a row, prior to Covid. This inequality leads to many more problems, including: housing insecurity, inequality in educational opportunities and lack of appropriate health care. Communities In Schools (CIS) of Atlanta is an award-winning dropout prevention organization that was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1972. What began in the basement of a modest home in the Grant Park community is now the nation’s largest dropout prevention network with a proven track record of positively impacting graduation rates. Their mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Listen in to hear how CIS is making such a positive impact in Atlanta and throughout the country and how we can get involved supporting such an important mission. Notable Quotes: "I tell my team, if we get it right in Atlanta, it’s a blueprint for the rest of the country, the world, on how to deal with some of the poorest people in this country and get them to become full participants in the American dream." "There was a report that came out in Atlanta that said only 3 out of 10 black kids will be proficient in reading and math after Covid, that’s 30%. We are talking about whole generations lost." "Sometimes people look at poverty, and look at people we serve as inanimate objects. They are human beings, they have dreams and aspirations just like you and I and they want to make clear choices, but there's systematic racism and all types of barriers that they’ve been under for years." "These people sacrifice their own personal good to help these children, to get them to the other side. And the thanks is when you see a child walk across the stage and you know they would never have done it without us." "In Atlanta, depending on what zip code you’re born in, you have a 4% chance of getting out of a poor zip code. Go to Vegas with 4% chances, you’ll never win. But, that’s the child that I work with every day and I believe that 4% is better than 0%." In this episode, you will hear: -The history of Communities In Schools of Atlanta (CIS) and their mission -The three-tier model that CIS uses at different schools -Progress and impact of CIS in Atlanta -Frank’s perspective on education from a global standpoint -How CIS is helping parents to lead their children to better choices -Biggest educational challenges and threats for children -CIS Atlanta’s plans and trajectory for the next 5 years Resources and links mentioned during this episode: For donations and more info, visit Communities in Schools of Atlanta Connect with Communities In Schools of Atlanta on Instagram Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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