Why We Invested in Concentric: Tackling Chronic Absenteeism and Improving College and Career Readiness

Chronic absenteeism has become an enormous issue in schools. Defined as missing more than 10% of the school year, or approximately 18 or more days, chronic absenteeism has doubled post-pandemic to 16 million students, now affecting approximately one in three students across the United States. The repercussions are significant: chronically absent students are 7x more likely to drop out, diminishing their chances of attending college or pursuing high-value, non-degree postsecondary paths.

Concentric Education Solutions was established to address what has become the top concern for school leaders by partnering with K-12 school districts to provide comprehensive student support services, including home visits, tutoring, mentoring and psychiatric rehabilitation programs. The company distinguishes itself through its unique in-person delivery model, led by Professional Student Advocates (PSAs). These PSAs are often recent college graduates motivated by the opportunity to make an impact in their communities. This community connection allows them to engage with and support students on a personal level. Beyond student support, Concentric’s PSA network serves as a dynamic workforce development model for cultivating diverse talent pipelines to address the U.S. teacher shortage.

Our Education Impact Fund was created to invest in innovative solutions that are improving access and outcomes for underserved learners in postsecondary education. Just as our fund team and portfolio have evolved in recent years, so has our investment thesis. Specifically, while we remain steadfast in our commitment to improving postsecondary outcomes, we recognize that we need to be open-eyed about the student journey across which we invest, including the steps taken on that journey well ahead of college matriculation. If we do not make proactive investments targeted at remediating the growing K-12 inequities and outcome gaps stemming from the pandemic, students will not be prepared for postsecondary success and will not matriculate. Concentric presented a compelling opportunity to partner with a mission-aligned company that recognizes the importance of early intervention for postsecondary success. When high school students become chronically absent and disengaged, they are more likely to underperform in critical success factors (i.e., math and ELA) and eventually drop out, which has been linked to poor outcomes in life, from poverty and diminished health to involvement in the criminal justice system.

Concentric’s differentiated, relationship-based approach has proven highly effective. By fostering deeply impactful experiences through a holistic, relationship-based approach rooted in role model theory, Concentric builds the empathy and shared understanding necessary to connect with the most at-risk students. This approach has led to tutoring participation rates of more than 90% and significant reductions in chronic absenteeism rates in partner districts. Research conducted by Johns Hopkins has further validated Concentric’s ability to reduce chronic absenteeism, disciplinary incidents, and in some cases, improve math and reading scores, leading the company to become an ESSA-approved vendor.

Concentric’s founder and CEO, Dr. David Heiber , is a visionary and inspirational leader. His background as a former principal, coupled with his unique personal journey marked by challenges, poverty, incarceration and transformation, fuels his unwavering commitment to student success. As part of this fundraising round, Dr. Heiber has assembled an exceptional supporting leadership team—including Karlo Young (President and COO), Alvin Crawford (Chief Revenue Officer), Max Altmark (CFO), Starletta Williams Jackson (Chief of Schools), and Dr. Ivory Toldson (Chief of Research), to drive nationwide scaling.

Not only has Concentric achieved remarkable student outcomes, but it has done so efficiently and at scale. Since its inception, Concentric’s impact has reached more than 250,000 students. Operating in more than 100 schools across 20 districts, the company has facilitated over 40,000 high-impact tutoring sessions, administered 7,000 mentoring sessions and conducted 25,000 home visits. Concentric has achieved this incredible growth to date solely through bootstrapping; however, this $8 million Series A will enable the company to scale its impact exponentially.

As part of our investment, the Education Impact Fund team is excited to join the Concentric board and partner with Dr. Heiber, the broader Concentric team and mission-aligned investors at New Markets Venture Partners and American Student Assistance . We look forward to bringing the full capabilities and resources of the ECMC Group network?to bear as we support Concentric’s vision of reducing chronic absenteeism and enhancing college and career access.