(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

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(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 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 state board of education pursuant to division (C) of this section.

(C) Not later than July 1, 2016, the state board, 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.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 487, §1, eff. 9/17/2014.

Effective Date: 07-01-2000 .