Policy 5.011

Student Residence Enrollment Requirements

1. Proof of Domicile Requirements for Initial and Continuing Enrollment

1. Absent an approved alternative method of assignment or reassignment, students must attend the school in the attendance zone where the student/parent(s)/legal guardian lives as set forth in School Board Policy 5.01.

2. Upon initial enrollment in the School District, proof of domicile is necessary in order to ensure that a student is enrolled in the boundaried or assigned school. Two proofs of domicile reflecting correct address are required to register a student. Examples of acceptable proof may include:

1. current telephone or electric bill;

2. rent receipt with the name of tenant and landlord and contact information;

3. lease agreement with name of tenant and landlord and contact information;

4. mortgage;

5. automobile insurance;

6. current Florida Driver's License/Florida Identification Card;

7. cellular telephone bill;

8. credit card statement;

9. United States Postal Service confirmation of address change request or evidence of correspondence;

10. Declaration of Domicile form from the County Records Department.

3. Parents on behalf of all new and returning students also shall annually complete a "New and Returning Student Registration Form" (PBSD 0636), which is incorporated herein by reference. The form shall be verified under penalties of perjury pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 92.525. A PDF version of the form is available on the District's website at www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/Records/PDF/0636.pdf.

4. At any time that a student's address changes, it is the parent's responsibility to immediately notify in writing the School District.

5. Parents are expected to obtain all of the required documentation before enrolling a child in school. In cases of homeless or foster care status, however, please refer to Section 4 below.

2. Additional Proof May be Required

1. For good cause, such as but not limited to cases where the principal/designee believes that a student's enrollment information is inaccurate due to returned mail or reasonable suspicion that the student is not residing at the claimed address, the following procedures may be implemented at the discretion of the Superintendent/Principal/designee (based on sufficient resources):

1. The Property Appraiser's website (PAPA) will be examined to determine the parent's homestead (primary residence) location. The homestead address of the parent or guardian will be used as a factor to determine the student's assigned school. A conflicting address indicates that further investigation is required.

2. A call may be made or a letter may be sent to parent(s)/guardian(s) who have conflicting address information, requesting that parent update enrollment information.

3. The Superintendent/Principal/designee may also require submission of an "Affidavit of Residence" accompanied by the "Proof of Residence Requirements", outlined below. The Affidavit of Residence form (PBSD 1866) is incorporated herein by reference, and is available on the District's web site at www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/Records/FormSearch.asp, and shall be verified under penalties of perjury pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 92.525.

4. The above activities will be conducted by the school center to the extent allowed by existing resources. In cases of limited resources, the Principal may request assistance from the central office by contacting the Superintendent.

2. Additional Proof-of-Residence Requirements.-- When required (and in addition to the two proofs of domicile reflecting correct residential address under Section (1)(b) above), the parent or legal guardian must present a signed Affidavit of Residence (PBSD 1866) as well as one current document from each of the three columns in the table below (ORIGINAL documentation is required and copies are not accepted; District staff will make copies of all originals) to satisfy the proof-of-residence requirements:

Additional Proof-of-Residence Requirements (when required, a document from each column must be presented along with a signed Affidavit of Residence, PBSD 1866)
ONE of the following ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS with Parent/Guardian's Picture ID from the following list (used for parental identification only): current Florida State Driver's License; or current Florida State ID Card; or valid Passport (passport will not be copied) or consulate-issued photo ID; or valid employee photo ID.	ONE of the following ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS with the parent/guardian's name and address: current, valid vehicle registration; or current credit card statement (may block out account number); or current bank statement (may block out account number) issued within 35 days before the date of registration; or current Florida voter registration card; or current utility bill: FPL, water, etc.; or current non-cellular telephone bills	ONE of the following ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS with the parent/guardian's name and address): current Palm Beach County property tax bill of primary residence with parent/guardian's name and property address, indicating homestead exemption; or current residential rental or lease agreement with parent/guardian's name and address, as well as manager or owner's name and phone number, and record of last 2 payments (cancelled checks); or current homeowners/ renters insurance policy; or Declaration of Domicile (notarized and recorded)

3. Other documents or information may be accepted as "proof of residency" only under extenuating or hardship circumstances.

4. A Post Office box, private mail box (PMB)/mail drop address, or commercial establishment address does not meet residency requirements. Only residential street addresses are accepted. All proofs submitted must show the residential Palm Beach County address. The residential address of a relative of the student does not meet student residency requirements unless the student actually lives with the relative as the student's primary residence.

5. The name and address from all three sources must match. A P.O box or PMB address is not a valid proof of residence or domicile. A hotel address is a temporary mode of residency and it should be treated as such.

6. If the parent/guardian resides with someone else temporarily who resides in the school's boundary area, the parent must submit an "Affidavit of Residence," signed by the parent/guardian and the owner or lessee with whom the parent is residing under penalties of perjury.

3. Submission of False Information; Enforcement

1. Florida Statutes § 837.06 provides that whoever knowingly makes a false statement in writing with the intent to mislead a public servant in the performance of his or her official duty shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. Additionally, a person who knowingly makes a false declaration under penalties of perjury is guilty of the crime of perjury by false written declaration, a felony of the third degree under Fla. Stat. § 92.525.

2. Families reported to be in violation of the residency requirements through the "Anonymous Residency Tip Line" (561-434-TIPS) may also be investigated, as outlined above.

3. Students whose parents/guardians are found, after appropriate investigation, to have submitted false information in an effort to enroll a student in a school to which the student shall not have been assigned, shall be withdrawn at the end of the current nine-weeks' marking period and referred for enrollment in the appropriate boundaried school.

4. Internal or external review personnel, including (but not limited to) an investigator, may be utilized to conduct random checks by reasonable means, and verify information provided and may utilize public records and databases. To the extent permissible under Florida and federal law, the District may pursue prosecution for any false information knowingly submitted.

4. Enrollment of Students Who are Homeless

1. Homeless students are defined in Fla. Stat. § 1003.01(12) and include students who are without a fixed, regular and adequate residence. According to the McKinney-Vento Act (Section 725), 42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(A)-(C), homeless students are to be enrolled in the school immediately that meets the "best interest" of the student. Homeless children must be admitted to the school where they or their families live. [Florida Statute 1003.21 (1)(f)]. Arrangements are to be made for immunizations, transportation and all other school services. Appropriate student school and grade level placement as well as completion of required immunizations and physical examination shall occur within 30 days of enrollment.

2. A School District of Palm Beach County New and Returning Student Registration form (PBSD 0636) should be completed by the student's parent(s)/guardian(s), signed, and returned to the school. School personnel are strictly prohibited from requesting or requiring documentation of the immigration status of students and families.

3. School centers should work with the Director of Student Intervention Services and the homeless shelter to obtain the necessary enrollment documents.

4. Under no circumstances will students who are homeless be withdrawn due to lack of appropriate enrollment documentation.

5. Enrollment of Students Who Are in Foster Care

1. The registration process for foster care students shall be conducted in private in order to protect the student's confidentiality. No student in shelter or foster care should be denied entrance to school due to a missing form. For issues concerning foster care, contact the Student Intervention Services Department.

2. If the student lives in a residence licensed by the Department of Children and Families, the student may be enrolled in the school that serves that licensed residence.

6. Persons Acting as Parent

1. For purposes of establishing student residency, a "parent" is defined as either or both natural or adoptive parent(s) of the student, the student's legal guardian, a person in a parental relationship to the student, or a person exercising supervisory authority over the student in place of the parent, pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 1000.21(5).

2. The student must actually reside with the parent or Person Acting as Parent as the student's primary residence. For purposes of this section, "primary residence" means the residence in which the child spends most of his or her time.

3. A Person Acting as Parent must complete form PBSD 1543, which is incorporated herein by reference and is available on the District's web site at www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/Records/FormSearch.asp.

7. Assignment to Correct School

1. If the Principal/designee determines that an enrolling student resides in a SAC which is outside the school boundary (except for a student with an approved alternative method of assignment or reassignment), the Principal/designee will assist the parents or guardians in enrolling the student in the correct school.

2. When the student is already enrolled in the school and it is determined that there is a discrepancy in address documentation on file (via returned mail, random checks, investigation, or discrepancies in public records such as the Property Appraiser's Records and/or Voter Registration records), the parent/guardian shall have 10 days to provide sufficient documentation to the Principal/designee to validate primary residence, as outlined herein.

1. If, after the parent's/guardian's 10-day opportunity to provide further information, the school Principal/designee determines that insufficient documentation exists to prove that the student resides within the school enrollment boundary, the student will be reassigned to the appropriate school at the end of the nine-weeks' marking period.

2. However, during the appeal process set forth below, the student will remain in his or her current school.

8. Appeal

1. If the parent/guardian believes that the determination has been made in error, the parent/guardian shall have 10 calendar days to file an appeal with the school Principal/designee, who shall promptly forward the appeal to the Superintendent's designee responsible for address verification.

2. In considering an appeal, the appealing party may appear before the Superintendent's designee, who shall consider the documentation and information available, as well as the following:

1. unique and temporary circumstances such as temporary housing arrangements;

2. fire or other severe damage to a primary residence; or

3. other unique hardship circumstances which are not self-imposed.

3. The designee shall inform the appealing party of the decision.