Here's an interesting bit from Paris Tempo, an on-line English language newspaper in France:

FINES FOR LAX PARENTS
The French government is taking harsh measures against parents who let
their children skip school. Absenteeism is a phenomenon which affects 30
percent of French schools, and although relatively infrequent (0.8 percent
of students in middle and high schools, and 3 percent in professional
schools), in certain difficult areas the percentage is significantly higher (10
percent), according to a 1999 official survey. To sanction these
occurrences, the government has implemented a strict policy: a fine on the
first warning and a larger fine on the second warning, in some cases
accompanied by a prison sentence ranging from ten days to two months.

Talk about parental responsibility/accountability!
No mention is made about what they do with the delinquent kids.

These sorts of sanctions have been the law in England for many years (although the law was not always strictly enforced).

Recently a woman was sent to prison here for allowing her children to play truant persistently.

Richard English

Recently a woman was sent to prison here for allowing her children to play truant
persistently.
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Maybe we should forward this to our "Education President" here in the USA!

Asa, I hate to burst your balloon, but these same kind of laws are being introduced in Chicago, as well. I think parents should be held responsible for the education of their children.

One loophole in U.S. education law was recently highlighted in Connecticut (I believe); a family home-schooled their children, which really meant they abused them terribly. Is there home-schooling in the U.K.?

It is rare but does happen. Home tutoring might often be the only way a disabled child, for example, can be tutored.

Some parent elect to have home tutoring, although their numbers are few (not least because it is very expensive).

Of course, the responsible authorities need to be satisfied that the home tutor is doing a proper job - it's not good enough simply to declare that this is what you're doing and then to do nothing!

Richard English

Well, here in the U.S. it all depends on the state as to the standards of home schooling. Some states require certain test scores, a specific curriculum, reports, etc. Others are way too lax. I have cousins who are home schooling their children, and it pains me to see their progress. Not only do their children seem uneducated, but they are very socially stunted.

How common is home schooling over there ? As Richard said, it's possible but extremely rare over here.

Why should I let the toad work
Squat on my life ?
Can't I use my wit as a pitchfork
And drive the brute off ?
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Read even more of my travel writing and poems on my weblog.

Apparently, and much to my surprise, about 850,000 US students were homeschooled in 1999, out of student population of about 50 million. About a sixth of those 850,000 were splitting their time between regular school and homeschooling; the remainder were homeschool-only.

I had no idea the proportion was this high.