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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 3331 | Age and Schooling Certificates

 
 
 
Section
Section 3331.01 | Issuance of certificates.
 

(A) As used in this chapter:

(1) "Superintendent" or "superintendent of schools" of a school district means the person employed as the superintendent or that person's designee.

(2) "Chief administrative officer" means the chief administrative officer of a nonpublic or community school or that person's designee.

(B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, an age and schooling certificate may be issued only by the superintendent of the city, local, joint vocational, or exempted village school district in which the child in whose name such certificate is issued resides or by the chief administrative officer of the nonpublic or community school the child attends, and only upon satisfactory proof that the child to whom the certificate is issued is at least fourteen years of age.

(2) A child who resides in this state shall apply for an age and schooling certificate to the superintendent of the school district in which the child resides, or to the chief administrative officer of the school that the child attends. Residents of other states who work in Ohio shall apply to the superintendent of the school district in which the place of employment is located, as a condition of employment or service.

(C) Any such age and schooling certificate may be issued only upon satisfactory proof that the employment contemplated by the child is not prohibited by any law regulating the employment of such children. Section 4113.08 of the Revised Code does not apply to such employer in respect to such child while engaged in an employment legal for a child of the age stated therein.

(D) Age and schooling certificate forms shall be approved by the department of education and workforce, including forms submitted electronically. Forms shall not display the social security number of the child. Except as otherwise provided in this section, every application for an age and schooling certificate must be signed in the presence of the officer issuing it by the child in whose name it is issued.

(E) A child shall furnish the superintendent or chief administrative officer all information required by this chapter in support of the issuance of a certificate.

(F) On and after September 1, 2002, each superintendent and chief administrative officer who issues an age and schooling certificate shall file electronically the certificate with the director of commerce in accordance with rules adopted by the director of administrative services pursuant to section 1306.21 of the Revised Code. On and after September 1, 2002, only electronically filed certificates are valid to satisfy the requirements of Chapter 4109. of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:52 PM

Section 3331.02 | Requirements for issuance of certificate.
 

(A) The superintendent of schools or the chief administrative officer, as appropriate pursuant to section 3331.01 of the Revised Code, shall not issue an age and schooling certificate until the superintendent or chief administrative officer has received, examined, approved, and filed the following papers duly executed:

(1) The written pledge or promise of the person, partnership, or corporation to legally employ the child, and for this purpose work performed by a minor, directly and exclusively for the benefit of such minor's parent, in the farm home or on the farm of such parent is legal employment, irrespective of any contract of employment, or the absence thereof, to permit the child to attend school as provided in section 3321.08 of the Revised Code, and give notice of the nonuse of an age and schooling certificate within five days from the date of the child's withdrawal or dismissal from the service of that person, partnership, or corporation, giving the reasons for such withdrawal or dismissal;

(2) The child's school record or notification. As used in this division, a "school record" means documents properly filled out and signed by the person in charge of the school which the child last attended, giving the recorded age of the child, the child's address, standing in studies, rating in conduct, and attendance in days during the school year of the child's last attendance; "notification" means the information submitted to the superintendent by the parent of a child exempt from attendance at school pursuant to section 3321.042 of the Revised Code.

(3) Evidence of the age of the child as follows:

(a) A certified copy of an original birth record or a certification of birth, issued in accordance with Chapter 3705. of the Revised Code, or by an officer charged with the duty of recording births in another state or country, shall be conclusive evidence of the age of the child;

(b) In the absence of such birth record or certification of birth, a passport, or duly attested transcript thereof, showing the date and place of birth of the child, filed with a register of passports at a port of entry of the United States; or an attested transcript of the certificate of birth or baptism or other religious record, showing the date and place of birth of the child, shall be conclusive evidence of the age of the child;

(c) In case none of the above proofs of age can be produced, other documentary evidence, except the affidavit of the parent, guardian, or custodian, satisfactory to the superintendent or chief administrative officer may be accepted in lieu thereof;

(d) In case no documentary proof of age can be procured, the superintendent or chief administrative officer may receive and file an application signed by the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child that a medical certificate be secured to establish the sufficiency of the age of the child, which application shall state the alleged age of the child, the place and date of birth, the child's present residence, and such further facts as may be of assistance in determining the age of the child, and shall certify that the person signing the application is unable to obtain any of the documentary proofs specified in divisions (A)(3)(a), (b), and (c) of this section; and if the superintendent or chief administrative officer is satisfied that a reasonable effort to procure such documentary proof has been without success such application shall be granted and the certificate of the school physician or if there be none, of a physician, a physician assistant, a clinical nurse specialist, or a certified nurse practitioner employed by the board of education, that said physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner is satisfied that the child is above the age required for an age and schooling certificate as stated in section 3331.01 of the Revised Code, shall be accepted as sufficient evidence of age.

(4) A certificate, including an athletic certificate of examination, from a physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, a physician assistant, a clinical nurse specialist, or a certified nurse practitioner, or from the district health commissioner, showing after a thorough examination that the child is physically fit to be employed in such occupations as are not prohibited by law for a boy or girl, as the case may be, under eighteen years of age; but a certificate with "limited" written, printed, marked, or stamped thereon may be furnished by such physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner and accepted by the superintendent or chief administrative officer in issuing a "limited" age and schooling certificate provided in section 3331.06 of the Revised Code, showing that the child is physically fit to be employed in some particular occupation not prohibited by law for a boy or girl of such child's age, as the case may be, even if the child's complete physical ability to engage in such occupation cannot be vouched for.

(B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, a physical fitness certificate described in division (A)(4) of this section is valid for purposes of that division while the child remains employed in job duties of a similar nature as the job duties for which the child last was issued an age and schooling certificate. The superintendent or chief administrative officer who issues an age and schooling certificate shall determine whether job duties are similar for purposes of this division.

(2) A "limited" physical fitness certificate described in division (A)(4) of this section is valid for one year.

(C) The superintendent of schools or the chief administrative officer shall require a child who resides out of this state to file all the information required under division (A) of this section. The superintendent of schools or the chief administrative officer shall evaluate the information filed and determine whether to issue the age and schooling certificate using the same standards as those the superintendent or officer uses for in-state children.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 1:14 PM

Section 3331.04 | Certificate for child over sixteen.
 

(A) Until July 1, 2016, an age and schooling certificate may be issued by the superintendent of schools to a child over sixteen years of age upon proof acceptable to such superintendent of the following facts and upon agreement to the respective conditions made in writing by the child and by the parents, guardian, or custodian in charge of such child:

(1) That the child is addicted to no habit which is likely to detract from the child's reliability or effectiveness as a worker, or proper use of the child's earnings or leisure, or the probability of the child's faithfully carrying out the conditions to which the child agrees as specified in division (A)(2) of this section, and in addition any one of the following groups of facts:

(a) That the child has been a resident of the school district for the last two years, has diligently attended upon instruction at school for the last two years, and is able to read, write, and perform the fundamental operations of arithmetic. These abilities shall be judged by the superintendent.

(b) That the child having been a resident of the school district less than two years, diligently attended upon instruction in school in the district in which the child was a resident next preceding the child's residence in the present district for the last school year preceding the child's removal to the present district, and has diligently attended upon instruction in the schools of the present district for the period that the child has been a resident thereof;

(c) That the child has removed to the present school district since the beginning of the last annual school session, and that instruction adapted to the child's needs is not provided in the regular day schools in the district;

(d) That conditions are such that the child must provide for the child's own support or that the child is needed for the support or care of parents or for the support or care of brothers or sisters for whom the parents are unable to provide and that the child is desirous of working for the support or care of self or of such parents or siblings and that such child cannot render such needed support or care by a reasonable effort outside of school hours; but no age and schooling certificate shall be granted to a child of this group upon proof of such facts without written consent given to the superintendent by the juvenile judge and by the department of job and family services.

(2) In case the certificate is granted under division (A)(1) of this section, that until reaching the age of eighteen years the child will diligently attend in addition to part-time classes, such evening classes as will add to the child's education for literacy, citizenship, or vocational preparation which may be made available to the child in the school district and which the child may be directed to attend by the superintendent, or in case no such classes are available, that the child will pursue such reading and study and report monthly thereon as may be directed by the superintendent.

(B) Beginning July 1, 2016, an age and schooling certificate may be issued pursuant to this section only to a child over sixteen years of age who is not exempt from enrollment pursuant to section 3321.042 of the Revised Code and who does both of the following:

(1) Upon agreement in writing, by the child and the parents, guardian, or custodian in charge of such child, provides proof acceptable to the superintendent that the conditions in division (A)(1) of this section are met;

(2) Is enrolled in a competency-based instructional program to earn a high school diploma in accordance with the rules adopted by the department of education and workforce pursuant to division (C) of this section.

(C) Beginning on the effective date of this amendment, an age and schooling certificate may be issued by a parent of a child over sixteen years of age who is exempt from enrollment pursuant to section 3321.042 of the Revised Code.

(D) The department, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules on the requirements for completing a competency-based instructional program that leads to a high school diploma under this section.

Last updated August 24, 2023 at 2:02 PM

Section 3331.06 | Limited certificates.
 

The age and schooling certificate provided in sections 3331.01 to 3331.04 of the Revised Code shall be issued only with the word "limited" printed, marked, or stamped thereon if the medical certificate provided in section 3331.02 or 3331.07 of the Revised Code is a limited certificate, and in that case, the particular employment to which it is limited shall be stated in the certificate, and the certificate cannot serve as the legal age and schooling certificate for employment in another occupation.

Section 3331.07 | Requirement when certificate reissued.
 

When an age and schooling certificate is reissued, the pledge of the new employer shall be secured and filed. A physical fitness certificate from a physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner as described in division (A)(4) of section 3331.02 of the Revised Code shall also be secured and filed if the physical fitness certificate used in the issuing of the previously issued age and schooling certificate is no longer valid, as determined pursuant to division (B) of section 3331.02 of the Revised Code.

Section 3331.08 | Appeal where excuse or age and schooling certificate is refused.
 

In case a superintendent of schools refuses to excuse a child from attendance at school for one of the reasons stated in section 3321.04 of the Revised Code, or a superintendent or a chief administrative officer refuses upon request to grant an age and schooling certificate as provided in section 3331.01 of the Revised Code, an appeal may be taken from such decision to the juvenile judge of the county, upon the giving of bond, within ten days thereafter, to the approval of such judge, to pay the costs of appeal. The juvenile judge's decision in the matter shall be final.

Section 3331.09 | Revocation of certificate.
 

The superintendent of schools or chief administrative officer issuing an age and schooling certificate may revoke such certificate on account of noncompliance with stipulations, physical condition of the child, or other sufficient cause, or for failure to attend part-time schools or classes as required by sections 3321.08 and 3321.10 of the Revised Code.

Section 3331.11 | Records of age and schooling certificates.
 

Records shall be available from the office issuing the age and schooling certificate:

(A) Giving all the facts contained in every age and school certificate issued;

(B) The names and addresses of the children to whom certificates have been refused, together with the names of the schools and grades which such children should attend and the reasons for the refusal;

(C) All certificates no longer used, as provided in section 3331.02 of the Revised Code, with the reasons therefor, and the subsequent assignment of the child to a school;

(D) The conditions on which any certificates were issued;

(E) The pledge given in connection with the certificate;

(F) The special facts connected with the issuing of nonstandard or limited certificates. The superintendent of public instruction may prescribe methods for the filing, including electronic filing, of all such facts, records, and papers, for the purpose of effective reference. These records are not required in cases of certificates denied to those determined immediately at the time of inquiry to be of insufficient age.

Section 3331.12 | Proof of lawful age of employed child.
 

When any officer charged with the enforcement of child labor laws discovers any child who in the officer's judgment is under fourteen years of age employed by a person who is not the parent or guardian of such child, the officer may cause such child to discontinue employment until satisfactory proof of lawful age is furnished.

Section 3331.13 | School record furnished upon request.
 

Whenever the school record of a child or notification regarding a child, as specified in section 3331.02 of the Revised Code, is required for the purpose of determining the child's eligibility to an age and schooling certificate, such record shall be furnished by the superintendent, principal, teacher, or other official in charge of the school attended by the child within two days after a request for the same is made by the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child.

Section 3331.14 | Age and schooling certificate to be kept on file by parent or guardian.
 

The parent or guardian of a child of compulsory school age shall secure and keep on file the proper age and schooling certificate of the parent's or guardian's child or ward if such child or ward is employed by the parent or guardian.