Final Evaluation Report of the Truancy Prevention Through Mediation Program
The following is excerpted from the Final Evaluation Report of the Truancy Prevention Through Mediation Program for the 2000 - 2001 school year, for programs established in Butler, Delaware, Franklin, Lawrence, Lucas, Ross, and Stark Counties. The data was evaluated and the report produced by Luminesce Consulting, Columbus, Ohio.
The Truancy Prevention through Mediation Program is unique in that it requires families, schools, juvenile courts, and social service agencies to work collaboratively to address the issue of chronic absenteeism and truancy. At participating schools, students with 5 or more absences in a grading period or 10 or more absences throughout the school year are targeted for the program. Once a student has been identified, the school contacts the parent/legal guardian via letter to appear at a scheduled mediation. A parent/legal guardian, trained mediator, school representative, and in some cases, the student, participate in the mediation. At this mediation, the mediator serves as a neutral third party helping to facilitate discussion of the issues surrounding the child’s unexcused absences and works to develop a mutually agreeable resolution to the problems. Should the child incur subsequent absences after the mediation, the parents are referred to juvenile court and warned the child may be charged as an unruly or delinquent child, and the parents charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and/or violation of the state revised code regarding compulsory education.
During the 2000-2001 school year, the Truancy Prevention through Mediation Program was utilized in seven counties and 58 elementary and middle schools. In total, over 1,700 mediations were scheduled this school year. In each of the counties, a significant reduction in the number of absences and tardies was demonstrated for those students/families that participated in the program. Furthermore, Truancy Prevention through Mediation Program participants had extremely positive outlooks regarding their satisfaction with the mediation, feeling validated during the mediation, and recognizing mediation as a viable tool for resolving similar issues in the future.
As indicated above, the purpose of the mediation is to come to an agreement which addresses the root cause[s] of the student's attendance problem. With the help of the neutral mediator, the parent or guardian and the school representative - usually the student's teacher - reach that agreement. The parties were able to design appropriate resolutions for all the issues an average of 86% of the time, and on at least some of the issues over 90% of the time.
Further information can be obtained by contacting:
Ed Krauss
614 752 9681
ed.krauss@cdr.state.oh.us
or
Bruno Romero
614 752 4700
romerob@sconet.state.oh.us
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