Bill 2055

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2055
Ratification Number:       54
Act Number                 29
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   The age for compulsory public or private
                           school attendance

(A29, R54, H2055)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-65-10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE AGE FOR COMPULSORY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE AGES WHEN A CHILD OR WARD IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND SCHOOL BY HIS PARENT OR GUARDIAN.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Compulsory attendance

SECTION 1. Subsection (A) of Section 59-65-10 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A) All parents or guardians shall cause their children or wards to regularly attend a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education or a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools' Association or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church-related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education from the school year in which the child or ward is five years of age before November first until the child or ward attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school. Any parent or guardian whose child or ward is not six years of age on or before the first day of November of a particular school year may elect for their child or ward not to attend kindergarten. For this purpose, the parent or guardian must sign a written document making such election with the governing body of the school district wherein the parent or guardian resides. The form of this written document must be prescribed by regulation of the Department of Education. Upon the written election being executed, that child or ward may not be required to attend kindergarten."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.