Children of compulsory school age must regularly attend some public or non-public school, unless excused from school attendance. Upon filing of a notification with a school official from the parent or guardian of the child because the child is otherwise provided with alternative instruction for an equivalent period of time, as in the public schools, in the basic skills of language arts and mathematics, the child shall be excused, without the necessity of school board action. The secretary of the Department of Education may inspect the attendance records and records showing academic progress of an alternative education program with fourteen days’ written notice if the secretary has probable cause to believe the program is not in compliance with this section. Failure to provide instruction is grounds for the school board, upon thirty days’ notice, to revoke the excuse from school attendance.

The notification of alternative instruction must be submitted on the SD DOE notification form and filed annually with the school district.