All parents
or guardians shall cause their children or wards to
attend regularly 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 September first until the child or ward attains
his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school.
A parent or guardian whose child or ward is not six
years of age on or before the first day of September of
a particular school year may elect for their child or
ward not to attend kindergarten. For this purpose, the
parent or guardian shall sign a written document making
the election with the governing body of the school
district in which 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.
