(a) Every parent of any child of compulsory school age who is not employed under an age and schooling certificate shall send the child to a school or a special education program that conforms to the minimum standards prescribed by the State Board of Education for the full time the school or program attended is in session, which shall not be for less than 32 weeks per school year. The attendance shall begin within the first week of the school term or program or within one week of the date on which the child begins to reside in the district or within one week after his or her withdrawal from employment.
(b) For the purpose of operating a school or program on a trimester plan, “full time the school attended is in session,” as used in this section means the two trimesters to which the child is assigned by the Board of Education. For the purpose of operating a school or program on a quarterly plan, “full time the school attended is in session,” as used in this section means the three quarters to which the child is assigned by the Board of Education. For the purpose of operating a school or program on a pentamester plan, “full-time the school is in session,” as used in this section, means the four pentamesters to which the child is assigned by the Board of Education.
(c) Excuses from future attendance at or past absence from school or a special education program may be granted for the causes, by the authorities, and under the following conditions:
(1) The superintendent of schools of the city in which the child resides may excuse him or her from attendance for any part of the remainder of the current school year upon satisfactory showing of either of the following facts:
A. That his or her bodily or mental condition does not permit his or her attendance at school or a special education program during the period; this fact is certified in writing by a licensed physician or, in the case of a mental condition, by a licensed physician, a licensed psychologist, licensed school psychologist or a certified school psychologist; and provision is made for appropriate instruction of the child, in accordance with Ohio R.C. Chapter 3323;
B. That he or she is being instructed at home by a person qualified to teach the branches in which instruction is required, and the additional branches, as the advancement and needs of the child may, in the opinion of the superintendent, require. In each case the issuing superintendent shall file in his or her office, with a copy of the excuse, papers showing how the inability of the child to attend school or a special education program or the qualifications of the parson instructing the child at home were determined. All excuses shall become void and subject to recall upon the removal of the disability of the child or the cessation of proper home instruction; and thereupon the child or his or her parents may be proceeded against after due notice whether the excuse be recalled or not.
(2) The State Board of Education may adopt rules authorizing the superintendent of schools of the district in which the child resides to excuse a child over 14 years of age from attendance for a future limited period for the purpose of performing necessary work directly and exclusively for his or her parents or legal guardians.
(3) All excuses provided for in division (c)(1) and (2) shall be in writing and shall show the reason for excusing the child. A copy thereof shall be sent to the person in charge of the child.
(4) The Board of Education of the city in which a public school is located or the governing authorities of a private or parochial school may in the rules governing the discipline in the schools, prescribe the authority by which and the manner in which any child may be excused for absence from the school for good and sufficient reasons.
(5) The State Board of Education may by rule prescribe conditions governing the issuance of excuses, which shall be binding upon the authorities empowered to issue them.
(Ord. 94-32, passed 10-3-1994) Penalty, see § 678.99