to perform unpaid community service instead of any fine or imprisonment.
If community service is imposed as part of a sentencing order, the court may require that part or all of the service be performed for a public school district or nonpublic school if the court finds that service in the school is appropriate under the circumstances. 
If a parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of a child who is truant,  has made reasonable efforts to comply with the provisions of sections 299.1  through 299.5, but is unable to cause the child to attend school, the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian may file an affidavit listing the  reasonable efforts made by the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian to cause the child's attendance and the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian shall not be criminally liable for the child's nonattendance.
299.7 Custody of records.   All such certificates, reports, and proofs shall be filed and preserved in the office of the secretary of the school corporation as a part of the records of  the office, and the secretary shall furnish certified copies thereof to any  person requesting the same.
299.8 "Truant" defined.  Any child of compulsory attendance age who fails to attend school as provided in this chapter, or as required by the school board's or school governing body's attendance policy, or who fails to attend competent private instruction under chapter 299A, without reasonable excuse for the absence, shall be deemed to be a truant. A finding that a child is truant, however, shall not by itself mean that the child is a child in need of assistance within the meaning of chapter 232 and shall not  be the sole basis for a child in need of assistance petition.
299.9 Truants---rules for punishment. The board of directors of a public school district or the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school shall prescribe reasonable rules for the punishment of truants. 
299.10 Truancy officers---appointment.  The board of each school district may appoint a truancy officer. The board of  each school district, which does not appoint a truancy officer for the district, shall designate a suitable person to collect information on the numbers of children in the district who are truant.  The board may appoint a member of the police force, marshal, teacher, school official, or other suitable person to serve as the district truancy officer.
299.11 Duties of truancy officer. The truancy officer may take into custody without warrant any apparently truant child and place the child in the charge of the school principal, or the        principal's designee, designated by the board of directors of the school district in which the child resides, or of any nonpublic school designated by the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian; but if it is other than a public school, the instruction and maintenance of the child shall be without expense to the school district. If a child is taken into custody under this        section, the truancy officer shall make every reasonable attempt to immediately notify the parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian of the child's location.
The truancy officer shall promptly institute proceedings against any person