JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the new school year begins, thousands of students across Duval County are facing more than just academic challenges. Many don’t know where they’ll sleep tonight—or if they’ll eat again after the school bell rings.
“Right now, in Duval County Public Schools alone, we have over 3,000 students who are homeless,” said Leon Baxton, CEO of Communities in Schools of Jacksonville (CIS).
That number climbs even higher when you include those struggling with food insecurity. Heading into the 2025-2026 school year, approximately 5,500 students in the area are affected, according to CIS.
“They may be living in shelters, they may be living with Grandma—it’s everywhere,” Baxton said. “You often don’t hear about it because families try to keep it quiet, and so does the school district.”
Baxton’s connection to the issue is deeply personal. At just 10 years old, he lost his mother to a heroin overdose. By 12, his grandmother had passed away, and he entered the foster care system.
“I said, ‘What I want to do with my life is help those kids not go through what I went through.’ And I’ve dedicated my life to it,” Baxton said.
Baxton now leads Communities in Schools, a dropout prevention program operating in 37 schools across Jacksonville. The organization provides literacy support, mentorship, after-school programs, and case management to help students overcome barriers to success.
Dominic Cummings, a CIS alumnus, knows firsthand the impact of the program. He joined at age 11 while living in Jacksonville’s Springfield neighborhood, an area that was once plagued by crime and poverty.
“My mom entrusted the organization with me,” Cummings said. “There were times I didn’t know if I’d get a meal after school, so I relied on free lunch.”
He said CIS gave him structure, safety, and the confidence to pursue higher education. After earning a scholarship and graduating from college, Cummings landed a job with JPMorganChase, with help from CIS mentors.
“They helped me negotiate and get the interview,” he said. “That job was because of Communities in Schools.”
Now a financial analyst, small business owner, husband and father, Cummings said he continues to stay connected with his mentors—and wants other students to have the same opportunity.
“I want to advocate for the organization to make sure it continues to live on,” he said. “There are other little Dominics out there who deserve the same chance.”
The need has only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising rent, evictions, and inflation have forced more families into financial instability, which impacts student attendance and performance.
“Our parents are struggling,” Baxton said. “Everything from housing to transportation affects academic success. Our goal is to eliminate as many of those barriers as possible.”
To do that, CIS places site coordinators in schools who check in with students, even visiting homes if a child misses multiple days. The goal is to understand what’s going on and offer support before a student falls behind.
“One day, someone asked me, ‘Leon, how did you overcome your pain?’” Baxton recalled. “And I said, ‘The greatest way I overcame it was that I was able to help somebody else.’”
If you or someone you know is in need of support, visit cisjax.org/.
