(A) (1) It shall be unlawful for a parent, guardian, or other person having custody of a child who is over the age of five years, and under the age of 18 years, to neglect or refuse to cause or compel such child to attend and comply with the rules of some public, private, or other school, unless other means of education are provided for the full term the schools of the district are in session or the child is excused as provided in this section.
(2) One-half day of kindergarten shall be required of all children five years of age or older unless the child is excused from kindergarten attendance as provided in this section. A child who is five years of age shall be excused from kindergarten attendance until the next school year after the child is six years of age if a parent, guardian, or other person having custody of the child notifies the superintendent of the district where the child is a resident by certified mail prior to enrollment in kindergarten, or at any time during the first school year that the child is required to attend kindergarten pursuant to this section, of election to withhold the child from kindergarten until the next school year after the child is six years of age.
(3) A kindergarten program shall be directed toward developmentally appropriate objectives for such children. The program shall require that any teacher employed on and after January 1, 1993, to teach a kindergarten program within the public school system shall be certified in early childhood education. All teachers hired to teach a kindergarten program within the public school system prior to January 1, 1993, shall be required to obtain certification in early childhood education on or before the 1996-1997 school year in order to continue to teach a kindergarten program.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any child who is over the age of 12 years and under the age of 18 years, and who has not finished four years of high school work, to neglect or refuse to attend and comply with the rules of some public, private, or other school, or receive an education by other means for the full term the schools of the district are in session. Provided, that this section shall not apply:
(1) If any child is prevented from attending school by reason of mental or physical disability, to be determined by the Board of Education of the district upon a certificate of the school physician or public health physician, or, if no such physician is available, a duly licensed and practicing physician;
(2) If any child is excused from attendance at school, due to an emergency, by the principal teacher of the school in which such child is enrolled, at the request of the parent, guardian, custodian or other person having control of such child;
(3) If any child who has attained his, her, or their sixteenth birthday is excused from attending school by written, joint agreement between:
(a) The school administrator of the school district where the child attends school; and
(b) The parent, guardian, or custodian of the child. Provided, further, that no child shall be excused from attending school by such joint agreement between a school administrator and the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child unless and until it has been determined that such action is for the best interest of the child and/or the community, and that said child shall thereafter be under the supervision of the parent, guardian, or custodian until the child has reached the age of 18 years;
(4) If any child is excused from attending school for the purpose of observing religious holy days if before the absence, the parent, guardian, or person having custody or control of the student submits a written request for the excused absence. The school district shall excuse a student pursuant to this division (B) for the days on which the religious holy days are observed and for the days on which the student must travel to and from the site where the student will observe the holy days; or
(5) If any child is excused from attending school for the purpose of participating in a military funeral honors ceremony upon approval of the school principal.
(C) It shall be the duty of the attendance officer to enforce the provisions of this section. In the prosecution of a parent, guardian, or other person having custody of a child for violation of any provision of this section, it shall be an affirmative defense that the parent, guardian, or other person having custody of the child has made substantial and reasonable efforts to comply with the compulsory attendance requirements of this section but is unable to cause the child to attend school. If the Court determines the affirmative defense is valid, it shall dismiss the complaint against the parent, guardian, or other person having custody of the child and shall notify the school attendance officer who shall refer the child to the District Attorney for the county in which the child resides for the filing of a Child in Need of Supervision petition against the child pursuant to the state’s Juvenile Code.
(D) At the trial of any person charged with violating the provisions of this section, the attendance records of the child or ward may be presented in Court by any authorized employee of the school district.
(E) The Court may order the parent, guardian, or other person having custody of the child to perform community service in lieu of the fine set forth in this section. The Court may require that all or part of the community service be performed for a public school district.
(F) The Court may order as a condition of a deferred sentence or as a condition of sentence upon conviction of the parent, guardian, or other person having custody of the child any conditions as the Court considers necessary to obtain compliance with school attendance requirements. The conditions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Verifying attendance of the child with the school;
(2) Attending meetings with school officials;
(3) Taking the child to school;
(4) Taking the child to the bus stop;
(5) Attending school with the child;
(6) Undergoing an evaluation for drug, alcohol, or other substance abuse and following the recommendations of the evaluator; and
(7) Taking the child for drug, alcohol, or other substance abuse evaluation and following the recommendations of the evaluator, unless excused by the Court.
(Prior Code, § 10-423) Penalty, see § 133.99
Statutory reference:
Neglect or refusal to compel child to attend school, see 70 O.S. Ch. 10, § 105