Our Impact
Strategic Plan
When we collaborate with our partners to deliver high-quality services with integrity and accountability, we transform the educational outcomes for thousands of youth in Memphis.
Our four-year strategic plan (2021-2025) is built on three strategic principles that advance educational equity, prepare more students and families for success in life, and build a vibrant culture of inclusivity.
Strategic Principle 1
Advance Educational Equity
No matter how successful CISM is in empowering youth and families to achieve success in school and life, systems and policies must change in order to effectively address the root causes of inequity.
- An annual policy agenda will educate strategic partners, investors, influencers, and key policymakers about effective evidence-based practices and public-policy solutions to address educational equity.
- Stories rooted in data about the youth and families we serve will build awareness of the issues they face and impact educational outcomes and public policy.
Strategic Principle 2
Prepare More Students and Families for Success in Life
COVID-19 exposed deep-rooted, systemic issues that will require greater emphasis on family stability, trauma and mental health, social-emotional learning, social connections, college and career readiness, and access to technology and other resources that increase academic performance.
- Collaborating with teachers and school leaders, we will implement key initiatives that improve school climate, resolve conflicts, prevent violence, and help students cope with trauma.
- We will reach more students by extending our support to high schools with graduation rates below 50% and their feeder schools, in addition to expanding tiered supports on current campuses.
- More low-income families will be served through our two-generational Care Coordination model providing support in education, economics, health and well-being, and social capital.
Strategic Principle 3
Build a Vibrant Culture of Inclusivity
We will become a leader in inclusion and access by investing in our talent and capacity, optimizing structure, and building communication channels for greater transparency. This will lead to deeper programmatic success, increased outcomes for students and families, and impact at a system-level that will uplift and transform our community.
- Equity and inclusion will be the lens that informs and centers our governance structure, strategic planning, program delivery, and vision communication.
- We will design and roll out organization-wide core competencies and continuous learning opportunities for staff and board members that center on equity and embrace the diverse identities of the students and families we serve to deepen cross-cultural understanding and improve our practice.
Our work isn't possible without your support.
Learn how you can help us make an impact through a powerful partnership.
