LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools and city officials said they plan to crack down on families with children who frequently miss school.

JCPS recently released new data showing it lowered its chronic absenteeism rate by 5% compared to two years ago. Even so, about one-third of a district's students are labeled chronically absent, meaning they miss about two days per month, or 18 days per school year.

"I take this extremely seriously," Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell said Tuesday. "So for any parent or guardian that is watching this or listening to this — turn up the volume."

JCPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood acknowledged the rate is still too high.

"When a child is not in seat, that handicaps that child," Yearwood said. "It sets that child backward."

O'Connell is also cracking down on absenteeism and truancy by holding parents accountable. His office has already reviewed more than 16,000 referrals for students with excessive absences. Now, more than 32 parents or guardians are facing criminal charges as a result.

"If anybody's listening to this and thinks this is a JCPS problem, it is not," O'Connnell said. "It is a problem of adults who are not doing what they should do to make sure that these young children get to school."

Yearwood stressed the importance of stopping chronic absences early. 

"When a child does not receive a quality education, we know the end result," he said. "... the likelihood of things like dropping out, the likelihood of not being successful, not being able to read or do math and actually become a contributing member of our society."

In Louisville communities, those challenges have led some to turn to a life of crime.

"What we see in terms of the number of young people that are ending up in gangs in this community is extraordinary, and it is very dangerous," O'Connell said. "And the gangs that they are ending up in don't have fist fights anymore. They carry guns."

Under state law (House Bill 611, passed in 2024), JCPS is required to report guardians to the county attorney if a child has 15 or more unexcused absences. JCPS has sent out 4.5 million text messages to families about attendance, and they have teams making phone calls and home visits. JCPS officials are partnering with community groups before turning to legal proceedings.

Once the court system becomes involved some parents are facing criminal charges. 

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