Children who are of compulsory attendance age and who are so deaf or hard of hearing, or blind, or have such severe disabilities so as to be unable to obtain an education in the public or accredited nonpublic schools shall be sent to the appropriate state-operated school, or shall receive appropriate special education under chapter 256B, unless exempted, and any person having such a child under the person’s control or custody shall see that the child attends the state-operated school or special education program during the scholastic year.