Schools may request any of the following supporting documents as part of their enrollment process. Please note, although they may request it, they cannot require it prior to enrollment, and your child’s enrollment cannot be delayed if you have not provided it. The school may follow up with the parent/guardian for this information after the child has been enrolled in the school.
To enroll a child/student, the guardian is required to provide any one of the following documents:
1] Proof of child’s age (the following list includes examples, but is not exhaustive):
- Child’s original birth certificate
- Notarized copy of the child’s birth certificate
- Child’s valid passport
- Original baptismal certificate indicating the child’s date of birth
- Copy of the record of baptism, notarized or duly certified and showing the date of birth
- Notarized statement from the parents or another relative indicating the date of birth
- Prior school records indicating the date of birth
2] Immunization record (one of the following is required):
- Child’s immunization record
- Written statement from the former school district or from a medical office that the required immunizations have been administered, or that a required series is in progress
- Verbal assurances from the former school district or a medical office that the required immunizations have been completed, with records to follow
- Exemption from immunization
- (a) Medical exemption. Children need not be immunized if a physician or the physician’s designee provides a written statement that immunization may be detrimental to the health of the child. When the physician determines that immunization is no longer detrimental to the health of the child, the child shall be immunized according to this subchapter[GD2].
- (b) Religious exemption. Children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian, or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.
Please note: If a student has just started a series of shots/immunizations, she or he may still be enrolled. The student must be in the process and keeping up with the timeline of the series (for example, the student just got shot one and he/she will get shot two within thirty days of shot one). Please click here for more information regarding the School District of Philadelphia’s vaccine requirements.
3] Proof of residency (one of the following is required)
- Deed
- Valid Department of Transportation identification card
- Mortgage settlement sheet
- Current credit card bill
- Current utility bill (gas, electric, cable, telephone)]
- Recent vehicle registration
- Recent property tax bill
- Voter registration card showing current address
- Valid driver’s license or change of address card with current address
- Recent bank statement with current address
- Letter from Social Security Office with current address
- IRS statement or other wage and tax statements, such as W2, 1040, 1099
- Letter from Public Assistance Office with current address
- Recent employer pay stub showing current address
- Foster care/childcare and Department of Human Services letters are acceptable for registration when a student is in the care of a foster/child care agency
- Shelter placement or residency letters are acceptable for homeless students
- Original lease with name(s) of parents/legal guardians and children\
- Signed property sales agreement, followed by original copy of settlement papers within forty-five calendar days of settlement
- Schools should be flexible in verifying residency, and should consider what information is reasonable in light of the family’s situation.
4] Parent registration statement
A sworn statement or affirmation describing any suspensions or expulsionsfor offenses involving drugs, alcohol, weapons, infliction of injury or violence, including conviction or delinquent adjudication related to sexual assault on school property, must be provided for a student to be admitted to any school entity.
- The school cannot deny or delay a child’s school enrollment based on a student’s disciplinary record or sworn statement.
- If a student is currently expelled for a weapons offense, the school can provide the student with alternative education services during the period of expulsion.
- If the student has been expelled from a school in which she or he was previously enrolled, for reasons other than a weapons offense, the school will review the student’s prior performance and school record to identify services and supports to be provided upon enrollment in the district.
5] Home language survey
All students enrolling in a school for the first time will be given a home language survey, as required by the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. A student’s enrollment cannot be delayed in order to administer the Home Language Survey.
Resource:
Printable PDF list detailing enrollment requirements