(a) Parents and guardians shall be held responsible for the regular and punctual attendance of children at school in clean and decent apparel.

(b) As used in this title, a person in parental relation to a minor shall include his father or mother, by birth or adoption, his legally appointed guardian, or his custodian. A person shall be regarded as the custodian of a minor if he has assumed the charge and care of the minor because its parents or legally appointed guardian have died, or are in prison, insane, committed to an institution, or because they have abandoned or deserted the minor, or are living outside this jurisdiction, or their whereabouts are unknown.

(c) The absence or tardiness of children may be excused for reasons acceptable to principals or teachers. Teachers, principals, attendance officers, or other school officials may require that the reasons given as the cause for absence be substantiated by statements of a physician, dentist, nurse, or any other authoritatively informed person before the absence or tardiness be excused.

(d) Any parent or guardian who contributes to the truancy of any child under his or her care shall, upon conviction, be liable to a fine of not more than $100.

(a) In case any parent, guardian, or other person in parental relation shall fail to comply with any provisions of this title he shall be deemed guilty of violation thereof and on conviction may be punished by a fine of not more than $100.

(b) Any person who employs a child of compulsory school age and who by such employment knowingly causes tardiness or absence of such child shall upon conviction therefor be liable to a fine of not more than $100 for the first offense and a fine of not more than $500 for each succeeding offense.

(d) At the discretion of the Department of Education, any child demonstrating problems of truancy may be referred to the Department of Human Services for Children, Youth and Families. Pursuant to such referral the Department of Human Services shall provide the necessary social services and make such reports to the Department of Education as may be necessary or helpful to the proper educational and social development of the child. If, as a result of a joint determination by the Department of Human Services and Education, the child appears to be an incorrigible truant, the Department of Education shall file a complaint with the Family Division of the Superior Court of the jurisdiction in which the child resides. For the purposes of this section, an incorrigible truant shall mean a child of compulsory school age who wilfully, deliberately, and continuously absents himself from school and who fails to respond in a positive by the Departments of Education and Human Services.

The Governor may appoint persons to act as attendance officers. The persons appointed shall have the power to compel attendance in accordance with the provisions of sections 82 and 89 of this title.