Sec. 14. (a) This section and sections 15 through 17.8 of this chapter apply to a student who attends either a public school or a nonpublic school.
(b) The governing body of each school corporation shall adopt a policy:
(1) outlining the conditions for excused and unexcused absences; and
(2) providing for the categorization of excused absences in accordance with the categorization framework established by the department under IC 20-19-3-12.4.
(c) The governing body of each school corporation shall have a policy regarding the participation of a habitually truant in extracurricular and co-curricular activities.
(d) The policy under subsection (b) must include the grounds for excused absences required by sections 15 through 17.8 of this chapter or another law.
(e) Any absence that results in a person not attending at least one hundred eighty (180) days in a school year must be in accordance with the governing body's policy under subsection (b) to qualify as an excused absence.
(f) Service as a page for or as an honoree of the general assembly is a lawful excuse for a student to be absent from school, when verified by a certificate of the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives. A student excused from school attendance under this section may not be recorded as being absent on any date for which the excuse is operative and may not be penalized by the school in any manner.