A student safety net is fraying in Central Texas
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
A nonprofit that provides critical services to Austin-area students may have to pare down its work because of budget challenges from key government partners.
Why it matters: Communities In Schools (CIS) of Central Texas provides clothes, meals, literacy help, money for rent, mental health services and more for students and families in need.
- It operates in nine school districts in the region, covering more than 100 schools, with on-campus employees often working as social workers for kids.
The big picture: Over the past year, seven out of nine school districts served by CIS have either reduced services or requested the nonprofit operate at discounted rates, Sharon Vigil, CEO of CIS of Central Texas, tells Axios.
- "In those cases, CIS has stepped in to subsidize the difference through private philanthropy to ensure students continue receiving critical academic and mental health support," Vigil says.
Friction point: It costs about $132,000 to fully serve each campus, and schools underwrite a portion of CIS operations. But now the districts are facing massive budget challenges and reducing their contributions to CIS.
State of play: About a year ago, Lockhart ISD decided not to include CIS at a new elementary school campus, Vigil says. (Lockhart ISD did not respond to an Axios request for comment.)
- AISD officials did not immediately respond to an interview request about whether budget issues would affect its relationship with CIS.
Flashback: CIS had to eliminate its campus presence at nine of 12 campuses it serves in the Manor Independent School District after the district reduced funding in 2023.
- District officials did not respond to an Axios request for comment.
Follow the money: CIS of Central Texas received $6.5 million in government grants in the fiscal year ending August 2025, and another $4.4 million came from school districts, per the nonprofit's annual financial statement.
- That's more than a third of its revenue.
- Plus: The city of Austin has had to slash its funding commitment to CIS by 10% in the wake of the electoral defeat in November of the proposed property tax hike known as Prop Q, Vigil tells Axios — and the city will likely cut funding by 20% going forward. The city had previously pledged about $900,000 annually.
The intrigue: The nonprofit is turning more toward foundations and private giving to bolster its funding.
- Federal and state funding have remained stable, Vigil says.
By the numbers: Students who participate in CIS, which operates in 29 states, get higher standardized test scores than other kids also born into poverty — and are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college and earn more money, according to a Harvard study released in December.
What they're saying: "Not only do we get good outcomes, we do it a fraction of what it costs schools," Vigil says, pointing to the costs and licensing required with school district staffing.
Zoom out: CIS of Central Texas also provides services to the Del Valle, San Marcos, Hays, Elgin and Taylor school districts.
The bottom line: "Some long-standing public funding sources are tightening," Vigil tells Axios, but "what has not changed is the level of need ..."
- When funding is decreased, "the risk is not abstract. It shows up in fewer supports for students, increased strain on educators and missed opportunities to intervene before challenges escalate."