Michigan’s Ecorse Public Schools (EPS) today announced the renewal of its multiyear partnership with Concentric Educational Solutions to continue a districtwide initiative aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism. The collaboration implements an innovative, human-centered service model designed to engage students and families while addressing the academic, social, emotional, and environmental factors that contribute to persistent student absences.
EPS is a diverse, 5-site school system serving approximately 1,300 preK–12 students in the Metro Detroit area. In 2019, the Ecorse Community High School reported a chronic absence rate of 72.1%, which ranked among the highest in Michigan. To confront the challenge of chronic absenteeism across the district, EPS sought a partner that could quickly scale a non-punitive, human-centered effort to reengage students in learning that combined relationship-driven outreach with data-driven solutions including attendance support, home visits, MTSS interventions, and required filings. Following a review of potential solutions, EPS selected Concentric Educational Solutions to support its efforts to combat chronic absenteeism.
Concentric partners with school systems nationwide to combat the urgent issue of chronic absenteeism. Concentric’s human-centered approach leverages trained members of the community to gather real-time insights from students and families that help school systems respond to student absences earlier, align resources, and address the factors driving disengagement. Among services Concentric provides are:
- Home visits by trained, community-based teams to enrolled Ecorse Public Schools students identified as chronically absent or not attending school
- Engagement with families through collaborative discussions to identify barriers to attendance
- Custom ethnographic research from noted scholar and Howard University Professor Dr. Ivory Toldson interpreting the data collected during family engagements and outlining how and why chronically absent students have disengaged from learning
- Collaboration with EPS administrators that turns research into intervention and remediation strategies for the students and families engaged during home visits
“I can run an attendance report, but a report won’t knock on a door or conduct an MTSS visit,” said Ecorse Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Josha Talison. “Someone has to meet with students and families, understand why they aren’t in class, and return with a plan. Concentric has given our team the capacity to carry out this challenging, time-intensive, but essential work. By working together, we are bringing students back to the classroom, reengaging them in learning, and reconnecting them to opportunity. Ecorse Public Schools is pleased to renew this important partnership and looks forward to continuing this critical work.”
Chronic absenteeism, defined by the U.S. Department of Education as missing 10% or more of school days, emerged as a serious challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the American Enterprise Institute’s Return 2 Learn Tracker, chronic absenteeism surged nationwide from 15% before COVID-19 to 28% in 2022 and remains elevated at 24% in 2024.
“Concentric Educational Solutions is proud to work alongside Ecorse Public Schools on their efforts to fight chronic absenteeism,” said Concentric Educational Solutions CEO Molly Hebert Loyd. “Dr. Talison and his talented team are deeply committed to helping every chronically absent student return to school and re-engage in learning, and we are honored that they have trusted Concentric to support their efforts. We look forward to the next phase of this powerful partnership.”
To learn more about Concentric Educational Solutions’ approach to combating chronic absenteeism, visit the company’s website, follow the organization on X, or connect on LinkedIn.
