HopSkipDrive and Detroit Public Schools Community District Share Impact of Multi-Modal School Transportation Partnership
May 13 2024 - 3:00PM
Business Wire
Decrease in Chronic Absenteeism was showcased
at the recent Council of Great City Schools Chief Operating
Officers Meeting
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) announced in a
joint presentation with HopSkipDrive that the district has seen a
reduction in chronic absenteeism, dropping 14 percentage points
from the 2021–2022 school year to the current 2023–2024 school year
due in part to the district’s support for vulnerable students and
the effectiveness of the multimodal transportation approach DPSCD
has adopted.
The recent collaborative presentation at the Council of the
Great City Schools Chief Operating Officers meeting in Phoenix
highlighted the innovative work DPSCD’s transportation department
has accomplished in partnership with HopSkipDrive to address the
district’s increased McKinney-Vento transportation needs — and
combat chronic absenteeism for students experiencing homelessness,
youth living in foster care, and other students with individualized
needs.
Through its partnership with HopSkipDrive, DPSCD has taken
proactive steps to address these challenges head-on. By leveraging
HopSkipDrive’s expertise in supplemental school transportation
solutions, DPSCD is now able to offer personalized services for
students with unique needs, especially those experiencing
homelessness, living in foster care, or navigating IEPs.
“With HopSkipDrive, we can swiftly meet the changing needs of
highly mobile populations,” said Aaron Walter, DPSCD Executive
Director of Transportation. “The RideIQ platform streamlines ride
adjustments and scheduling, enhancing our ability to provide
reliable transportation services for all students while optimizing
resources and time management.”
With this and other solutions in their toolkit, DPSCD’s
reduction in chronic absenteeism reflects the district’s improved
identification and support for vulnerable students. It also
highlights the effectiveness of the multimodal transportation
approach DPSCD has adopted.
In Detroit, 40 percent of school-aged children — more than
48,000 students in total — attend DPSCD schools. The district faces
a unique set of challenges, which are compounded by high poverty
rates and a lack of reliable transportation options for many
families.
Recognizing the need for new solutions, DPSCD embraced a
multimodal transportation approach. By partnering with HopSkipDrive
and other supplemental transportation providers, the district
expanded its fleet beyond the conventional yellow bus,
incorporating smaller vehicles, vans, and alternative modes of
transportation.
This strategic shift not only alleviated the strain on the
district’s resources but also helped to ensure that every student —
regardless of their individual needs or circumstances — continued
to have access to safe, dependable transportation.
Combating chronic absenteeism with a collaborative
approach
According to the Department of Education, students are
considered chronically absent when they miss at least 15 days of
school in a year. Absenteeism is a pervasive issue that
disproportionately affects students from lower-income families and
those facing housing instability. In DPSCD, where the poverty rate
is a staggering 78 percent, the impact of absenteeism on student
success cannot be understated.
Compounding these challenges, DPSCD faces significant financial
hurdles in maintaining its existing transportation infrastructure.
Despite a 21 percent decrease in the number of bus drivers over the
past five years, the district has seen a 15 percent increase in
overall transportation costs. This rise is primarily attributed to
escalating expenses related to insurance, parts, and labor.
Consequently, the cost per bus has skyrocketed by an alarming 36
percent, placing an immense strain on the district’s resources.
By diversifying its transportation options and collaborating
with innovative partners like HopSkipDrive, DPSCD is creating a
more sustainable system for the future. The multimodal approach
allows the district to optimize its resources, reducing reliance on
the traditional bus fleet and mitigating the impact of rising costs
associated with maintaining aging vehicles.
Expanding transportation options for more educational
opportunities
DPSCD’s journey toward equitable transportation is not a
solitary one. The district has forged partnerships with a network
of vendors, acquired a fleet of vans, and integrated public transit
options to create a comprehensive and flexible transportation
system. By matching each student with the most appropriate mode of
transportation, DPSCD is ensuring that individual needs are met
while also optimizing resources and minimizing costs.
The impact of this multifaceted approach extends far beyond the
daily commute. By providing reliable transportation, DPSCD is not
only improving attendance rates but also opening doors to
educational opportunities that may have previously been out of
reach for many students. HopSkipDrive’s ability to provide swift
transportation solutions and valuable data on student attendance
patterns through cutting-edge technology has been instrumental in
helping the district identify areas for improvement and track
progress toward its goals.
About HopSkipDrive
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex
transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for
safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace arranges
care-centered transportation across 13 states and Washington, DC,
supplementing other transportation options by connecting kids,
older adults, or anyone needing extra support, to highly-vetted
caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and
nurses. HopSkipDrive also builds software and offers advisory
services that solve the biggest transportation challenges facing
schools and school districts around the country, including budget
cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals.
HopSkipDrive currently partners with school districts, government
agencies, and nonprofits, including supporting more than 10,000
schools. More than three million rides over 61 million miles have
been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded
in 2014 by three working mothers.
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