(A) Regulations governing excuses from
future school attendance:
(1) Pursuant to division (B) of section
3321.04 of the Revised Code, the superintendent of the local school district
may excuse a child over fourteen years of age from attendance for a future
limited period for the purpose of performing necessary work directly and
exclusively for the child's parents or legal guardians or
custodians.
(2) Acceptable reasons for an excuse from
future attendance may include the following:
(a) The existence of an emergency condition at home such as
absence, illness or death of the parent, legal guardian, or custodian of the
child;
(b) Farm work of the parent, legal guardian, or custodian during
a time of the year in which the amount of farm work to be performed may be
regarded as properly exceptional; or
(c) Inability of the parent, legal guardian, or custodian to
employ help in the family business. The determination of inability shall be
made by the superintendent.
(3) Except for cases in which an excuse
has already been approved by the superintendent, a child may not be granted the
excuse described in paragraph (A)(1) of this rule if the child has not been in
regular attendance at school during the current school year.
(4) Except for emergency situations in
which there is insufficient time for a child to apply for an excuse from future
attendance from school and for such a permit to be granted, no permit shall be
issued for the excuse of a child from future attendance at school until proof
is established to the satisfaction of the superintendent of the need for such
absence. In cases of emergency, the parent, legal guardian, or custodian, as
defined in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code, shall seek a permit as soon as
possible.
(5) The excuse shall be limited to a
period not to exceed thirty school hours and can be renewed for thirty
additional hours. At no time, however, shall such excuses permit a child to be
absent from school for a period of more than sixty consecutive hours. Renewals
shall be granted at the discretion of the superintendent.
(6) Notwithstanding paragraph (A)(1) of
this rule, no child shall be excused for any period of time when such absence
would materially endanger the child's educational welfare or scholastic
advancement. Such determination shall be made by the
superintendent.
(7) The written request for the absence
of a child for a future limited period of time and the reasons for such
absence, as stated by the parent, legal guardian or custodian over his/her
signature, shall be filed by the parent, legal guardian or custodian with the
superintendent in the district from which the child is seeking to obtain an
excuse from school. Requests for absence may be filed with the superintendent
by the principal or teacher of the school or schools under the administration
of such superintendent when requested by the parent, legal guardian or
custodian. A copy of the excuse shall be sent to the person in charge of the
child.
(8) The absence from school shall apply
to only those hours specified by the superintendent. Such absence can begin
only after the permit is granted in writing by the superintendent except in
emergency situations in which there is insufficient time for a child to apply
for an excuse from future attendance from school and for such a permit to be
granted. In cases of emergency, the parent, legal guardian, or custodian shall
seek a permit as quickly as possible.
(9) Notwithstanding paragraphs (A)(5) and
(A)(6) of this rule, at the discretion of the superintendent, a child may be
excused for a longer period of time than sixty school hours if a child's
parent, legal guardian, or custodian has recently died or become totally or
partially incapacitated and there is no older brother or sister living in the
home who is out of school. In such cases, the superintendent may request a
certificate of a physician attesting to the physical condition of the parent,
legal guardian, or custodian.
(B) In this paragraph are additional
conditions governing the issuance of excuses for absence from
school:
For purposes of this paragraph, "approving
authority" includes the person or office designated by the principal,
superintendent, or local policy that in a given school reviews student
absenteeism on a day-to-day basis and either approves or denies a child's
reason for being absent from school.
(1) The parent, legal
guardian, or custodian must provide an explanation for the absence, which shall
be recorded by the approving authority of the school and shall include the date
and time of the absence according to local policy. Emancipated youth and
married children under the age of eighteen may provide the explanation for
their absence from school to the approving authority;
(2) An excuse for absence
from school may be approved on the basis of one or more of the following
conditions:
(a) Illness of the child. The approving authority may require the
written statement of a physician/mental health professional if it is deemed
appropriate;
(b) Illness in the family necessitating the presence of the
child. The approving authority may require the written statement of a physician
and an explanation as to why the child's absence was necessary, if it is
deemed appropriate;
(c) Quarantine in the home. The absence of a child from school
under this condition is limited to the length of quarantine as determined by
the proper health officials;
(d) Death of a relative. The absence arising from this condition
is limited to a period of eighteen school hours unless a reasonable cause may
be shown by the applicant child for a longer absence;
(e) Medical, behavioral or dental appointment. The approving
authority may require the written statement of a physician, mental health
professional, or dentist if it is deemed appropriate;
(f) Observance of religious holidays. A child shall be excused if
the child's absence was for the purpose of observing a religious holiday
consistent with the truly held religious beliefs of the child or the
child's family;
(g) College visitation. The approving authority may require
verification of the date and time of the visitation by the college, university,
or technical college;
(h) Pre-enlistment reporting to military enlistment
processing station. The approving authority may require verification of the
date and time of the reporting;
(i) Absences due to a child's placement in foster care
or change in foster care placement or any court proceedings related to the
child's foster care status;
(j) Absences due to a child being homeless;
(k) Children of military families. Absences due to
deployment activities of a parent, legal guardian, or custodian consistent with
section 3301.60 of the Revised Code; or
(l) Emergency or other set of circumstances in which the
judgment of the superintendent of schools constitutes a good and sufficient
cause for absence from school.