The investment will enhance CES program offerings to eliminate barriers to K-12 learning and the teaching profession
BALTIMORE, Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Concentric Educational Solutions (CES), the leading Black-owned education support system that partners with schools to offer resources to address barriers impacting students, families, and staff, announced $5 million in Series A funding from New Markets Venture Partners (New Markets), one of the nation’s leading education and workforce investors. In total, Black founders have received less than 1 percent of venture capital (2021). With this funding, the company will hire and accelerate growth and build out its suite of services and philanthropic foundation to support students in their homes and in schools.
According to a recent study, the number of chronically absent students has as much as doubled nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, and schools have struggled to help students and families rebuild consistent attendance habits. Furthermore, earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education announced its redoubling efforts and redeploying resources to combat chronic absenteeism.
In order to improve regular school attendance among low-income and minority students, CES has established a proven reputation in schools by effectively combating chronic absenteeism during the pandemic. The unique, evidence-driven approach is centered on student home visits, and mentoring and tutoring within a child-centered framework. Student progress is shared through CES’ mobile app with real-time data and information with parents, educators, and administrators to support the student.
To date, CES has partnered with over 200 schools and districts such as Baltimore City Public Schools, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, and Wayne RESA (MI). The impact has yielded remarkable improvements in attendance and students’ academic outcomes including 59,500 tutoring sessions, 24,800 mentoring sessions, and close to 400,000 home visits with almost 200,000 students served.
“We’ve witnessed transformative changes in the lives of students, teachers, and superintendents who have entrusted us as their partner in enhancing student engagement,” said Dr. David Heiber, CEO of Concentric Educational Solutions. “The financing from New Markets Venture Partners will broaden the reach of our work including home visits, tutoring, and mentoring programs, along with coaching for teachers and staff and mental health support services to address the whole child. We are proud to double down on our commitment to address one of the most critical challenges in education today—student absenteeism. Our aim is to ensure that students not only attend school regularly but also feel a sense of belonging and thrive academically, regardless of the barriers they may face.”
Praised by school principals and superintendents for their successful turnaround model, which prioritizes meeting students where they are, whether at home or in school, CES fosters a sense of belonging, agency, and self-belief in students.
“Concentric Educational Solutions firmly believes in the potential for every student to succeed,” said Dr. Daryl Kennedy, Regional Assistant Superintendent, Anne Arundel County Public Schools. “Their comprehensive framework which revolves around the students themselves, has had an immeasurable impact on both our students and their families. The emphasis on home visits and a deep understanding of each student’s background establishes a support network, addressing both their well-being and academic needs.”
Furthermore, in a commitment to ongoing research and efficacy, CES partnered with the Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) at Johns Hopkins University to conduct comprehensive ESSA Level III studies within the Baltimore City Public Schools system to meet federal compliance. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) outlines four levels of evidence and mandates districts and states to use federal funding and stimulus dollars for “evidence-based interventions.” The research team compared the academic achievement, attendance rates, and behavioral outcomes of students enrolled in these programs with a carefully selected comparison group of students who were not enrolled. The research concluded that CES demonstrates “Promising” evidence for improving student outcomes.
“Concentric Educational Solutions’ mission aligns perfectly with New Markets Venture Partners and we are excited to be working with David and his expanded leadership team so that they can scale their proven interventions and improve student outcomes,” said Mark Grovic, Co-Founder and General Partner of New Markets Venture Partners who will also join CES’ board of directors. “Since their inception, Concentric Educational Solutions has consistently proved their model through decreased chronic absenteeism, behavioral incidents, and out-of-school suspensions, as well as increased student re-engagement and improved mental health. New Markets’ investment will allow Concentric to continue to deliver their impactful solutions while expanding their team, scale, breadth, and efficacy of their offerings to empower educators and drive student success.”
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