All parents and those who have the care of children shall bring them up in some lawful and honest employment and instruct them or cause them to be instructed in reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic and United States history and in citizenship, including a study of the town, state and federal governments. Subject to the provisions of this section and section 10-15c, each parent or other person having control of a child five years of age and over and under eighteen years of age shall cause such child to attend a public school regularly during the hours and terms the public school in the district in which such child resides is in session, unless such child is a high school graduate or the parent or person having control of such child is able to show that the child is elsewhere receiving equivalent instruction in the studies taught in the public schools. For the school year commencing July 1, 2011, and each school year thereafter, the parent or person having control of a child seventeen years of age may consent, as provided in this section, to such child's withdrawal from school. Such parent or person shall personally appear at the school district office and sign a withdrawal form. Such withdrawal form shall include an attestation from a guidance counselor, school counselor or school administrator of the school that such school district has provided such parent or person with information on the educational options available in the school system and in the community. The parent or person having control of a child five years of age shall have the option of not sending the child to school until the child is six years of age and the parent or person having control of a child six years of age shall have the option of not sending the child to school until the child is seven years of age. The parent or person shall exercise such option by personally appearing at the school district office and signing an option form. The school district shall provide the parent or person with information on the educational opportunities available in the school system.

(1949 Rev., S. 1445; 1959, P.A. 198, S. 1; P.A. 78-218, S. 116; P.A. 86-333, S. 8, 32; P.A. 98-243, S. 16, 25; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 114, 121; P.A. 00-157, S. 1, 8; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-6, S. 53; P.A. 18-15, S. 4.)

History: 1959 act deleted requirement that private instruction be given during hours and terms of public school sessions; P.A. 78-218 substituted “seven years of age and over” for “over seven”; P.A. 86-333 deleted exception for employed children over 14 years of age; P.A. 98-243 changed age requirement for school attendance from age 7 to age 5 and added provisions relating to parent option to send children to school at a later age, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made a technical change, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 00-157 changed the mandatory attendance age from 16 to 18 and added provisions for parental consent for the withdrawal of children 16 and 17 years of age, effective July 1, 2001; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-6 added provision changing age at which child may withdraw from school with parental consent from 16 to 17 applicable to school year commencing July 1, 2011, and each school year thereafter, added provision re attestation requirement for withdrawal form and made conforming changes, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 18-15 added “school counselor” re attestation on withdrawal form, effective July 1, 2018.

See Sec. 10-185 re penalty for noncompliance with provisions of this section.

Words “those who have the care of children” equivalent to parents or guardians. 59 C. 489. Statute to receive a liberal construction. Id., 492. State can compel school attendance but cannot compel public school attendance for those who choose to seek, and can find, equivalent elsewhere. 147 C. 374. Cited. 148 C. 238; 149 C. 720. Education made compulsory because it is so important. 172 C. 615. Cited. 193 C. 93; 218 C. 1; 228 C. 640; 238 C. 1.

Cited. 34 CA 567.

Statute widely applied, no denial of equal protection. 29 CS 397. Cited. 36 CS 357.