Flint Community Schools in Michigan Adopts a People-Centered Approach to Combat Chronic Absenteeism
Flint Community Schools (FCS) in Michigan is tackling the pressing issue of chronic absenteeism by employing a people-centered strategy in partnership with Concentric Educational Solutions. This initiative aims to address the multifaceted challenges—academic, social, emotional, and environmental—that hinder student enrollment and consistent school attendance.
A Collaborative Effort to Re-Engage Students
Concentric Educational Solutions employs a human-centered model that utilizes trained community members to gather real-time insights from students and their families. This approach is designed to align school resources effectively, tackle disengagement factors, increase enrollment, and reduce chronic absenteeism, as detailed in a press release from the company. Their comprehensive services include:
- Conducting home visits to engage with families directly;
- Facilitating collaborative conversations with families to identify barriers to enrollment, re-enrollment, and regular school attendance;
- Implementing tailored ethnographic research to interpret data collected during family events; and
- Collaborating with school leadership to develop research-based strategies for enrollment, reintegration, and attendance.
Deep Commitment to Family Engagement
Ernest Steward, Ed.S., FCS Director of Student Services & Centralized Enrollment, emphasized the importance of family involvement in this initiative. He stated, “Our work to return students to our schools begins with deep family commitment. At Flint Community Schools, we are committed to creating a welcoming environment where every family is an active partner in education.” Steward further noted that the partnership with Concentric Educational Solutions supports efforts to eliminate barriers keeping students from school, fostering a supportive bridge back to the classroom.
Shared Vision for Student Success
Molly Hebert Loyd, CEO of Concentric Educational Solutions, echoed the commitment to helping students return to school and re-engage in learning. She remarked, “We are pleased to support the district’s efforts to re-establish opportunities for students. Our collaboration with FCS underscores our belief that re-enrollment requires a people-centered approach that meets families where they are, leverages community insights, and builds meaningful, lasting pathways back to opportunity for every student in the community.”
This innovative approach by Flint Community Schools could serve as a model for other districts facing similar challenges, highlighting the importance of community involvement and personalized strategies in solving educational issues.
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About the author
Rhea Kelly is Editor-in-Chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].
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