COLUMBUS, Ohio-- Columbus City Schools unveiled the results of a program that fights truancy Wednesday.
NBC 4's Tanya Hutchins GOT ANSWERS on the results Wednesday.
The acronym KEY in Project Key stands for Keep Engaging Youth.
Seven percent of the district's students are truant each year.
The pilot program involved six schools, including East Columbus Elementary.
Truancy decreased 40 percent in those pilot schools through the use of warning letters, mediation and referrals to the truancy board or juvenile court. That was during the 2007-08 school year.
"If kids are in school, they're not on the street committing crimes. If kids are in school, we aren't going to see cars stolen, move up to a burglary, move up to later in prison, where we're paying $25,000 to house them," said Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien.
Students who missed three days of school received warning letters. Students who missed five days had mediation sessions scheduled. Ten days of unexcused absences warranted a referral to the community truancy board, and 15 absences meant a referral to Juvenile Court for prosecution.
Approximately 1,300 letters were sent, 2,200 phone calls were made and 266 mediations conducted, exceeding the state standard for attendance -- something the school district has done for the past five years.
Superintendent Gene Harris said students can't learn if they aren't there.
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