Board Policy JBC School Admissions

                                                                                                     Board Policy Manual
                                                                                             DeKalb County School District

 Board Policy JBC: School Admissions                                                                        Status: ADOPTED

 Original Adopted Date: 01/01/1900 | Last Revised Date: 01/06/2011 | Last Reviewed Date: 01/06/2011


School Admissions
   I. SCHOOL ADMISSION BASED ON RESIDENCY
      Students who reside in the DeKalb County School District are eligible to attend a District school.

      For purposes of this Policy, a student’s residence is:

         1. The residence of the student’s parent, which is either:
                a. The residence of both parents, if the parents are married;
                b. The residence of the parent having lawful physical custody, if the parents are divorced or
                   separated; or

                c. The mother, if the student was born out of wedlock and the father has not been granted custodial
                   rights;
         2. The residence of the student’s legal guardian or any person who has been granted lawful physical
            custody of the student, including:

                a. A guardian assigned by a court; or
                b. A foster parent assigned by the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Family and
                   Children’s Services;
         3. The residence of the student’s grandparent, if the grandparent has a properly executed power of
            attorney for the care of the child pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 19-9-120 et seq.;
         4. The residence of the student’s custodial parent, noncustodial parent, or other person standing in loco
            parentis if the student is a transitioning military child;
         5. The residence determined in accordance with Policy JBC(1) if the student is a homeless child or youth, as
            defined by federal law;

         6. The residence as determined in accordance with Policy JQKA if the student is a foreign student.
      In disputes regarding whether a student’s residence is located in the DeKalb County School District, the
      location of the dwelling on the official tax records and maps of DeKalb County will be the deciding factor. In
      cases where the dwelling or parcel of land containing the dwelling is located on the district line, 51 percent of
      the square footage of the dwelling must be located in the DeKalb County School District.
      The parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a student shall notify the student’s school
      immediately if any change in residence occurs.
      The Superintendent or designee shall remove from the District any student who is not entitled by law or Board
      policy to attend school in the District. If a student is entitled by law or Board policy to attend school in the
      District but not in the particular District school in which the student is enrolled, the Superintendent or
      designee shall transfer the student to the appropriate District school.
  II. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR ENROLLMENT
      The following documentation shall be required for all children seeking to enroll in a school in the District.
         A. Proof of Residency
             Persons registering a student on the basis of the student’s residency in the District shall submit
   appropriate proof of residency upon initial enrollment in the District, upon entry into sixth and ninth
   grades, upon transfer to another District school, and as may be required by school administration. A list
   of the documents that may serve as proof of residency will be published on the District’s website.
   All questionable residency situations shall be referred to the appropriate District staff for further
   investigation. If proof of residency is delayed, the student will be provisionally enrolled pursuant to
   Section IV of this Policy.
B. Proof of Custody or Guardianship
   If the person registering the student is not the student’s parent, or if questions arise concerning the
   custody of the student, a copy of the court order or other document showing custody or guardianship
   must be presented to school officials and filed in the student’s permanent record.
C. Evidence of Date of Birth
   A birth certificate or other acceptable evidence showing the child’s date of birth is required for each
   child seeking to enroll in a District school. In the absence of a birth certificate, other acceptable
   evidence is limited to the following:
      1. A military ID;
      2. A valid driver’s license;
      3. A passport;

      4. An adoption record;
      5. A religious record signed by an authorized religious official;
      6. An official school transcript; or
      7. An affidavit of age sworn to by the parent, guardian, grandparent, or other person, accompanied
         by a certificate of age signed by a practicing physician, which certificate states that the physician
         has examined the child and believes that the age as stated in the affidavit is substantially correct.
D. Immunization
   A student will not be admitted to a District school unless the student has complied with the
   immunization requirements set forth in state law and in the Rules and Regulations of the Georgia
   Department of Human Resources.
   A person registering a student for enrollment in the District must provide to school officials a certificate
   from a physician licensed under the laws of Georgia or a local public health department confirming that
   the child has been immunized before the child can be admitted to school. This certificate must be on a
   form provided by the Department of Human Resources.
   This requirement may be waived for medical or religious reasons as allowed by state law, provided that
   appropriate documentation of the basis is furnished to school officials.
E. Nutritional Screening and Eye, Ear, and Dental Examinations
   All students seeking to register for enrollment in the District shall provide certification of nutritional
   screening and eye, ear, and dental examinations as required by state law.
F. Social Security Number
   As addressed more fully in Policy JBC(3), a person seeking to register a student for enrollment in the
   District shall provide to school officials an official copy of the student’s social security number or a
   waiver objecting to furnishing the social security number. No student shall be denied enrollment for
   declining to furnish or apply for a social security number. A student’s social security number shall be
         considered a confidential student record.
     G. Additional Documentation

         The District may require documentation in addition to that specified in this Policy. A list of required
         documentation will be published on the District’s website prior to the beginning of each school year.
III. STUDENTS TRANSFERRING FROM NON-DISTRICT SCHOOLS
   A student transferring from a non-District school to a District school shall present a registration record and a
   certified transcript of the academic record from the school previously attended. A transferring student
   applying for admission to seventh grade or higher shall also present a certified copy of his or her disciplinary
   record from the school previously attended or may be admitted on a conditional basis if he or she and his or
   her parent or legal guardian executes a document providing the name and address of the school last attended
   and authorizing the release of all academic and disciplinary records to the school administration.
   A student who has been suspended or expelled from a non-District school may be refused enrollment in the
   District during the period of such suspension or expulsion, upon receipt by the District of a certified copy of
   the disciplinary order imposing suspension or expulsion.
IV. IMMIGRATION AND VISA STATUS
   The District is not responsible for making determinations regarding immigration and visa status. In accordance
   with controlling case law, the District shall enroll all immigrant students who meet the District’s age, residency,
   and other enrollment requirements and shall not inquire into the student’s or the family’s legal status.
V. PROVISIONAL ENROLLMENT
   Children may be enrolled on a provisional basis for 30 calendar days while awaiting evidence of residence, age,
   immunization, or other requirements. The provisional enrollment period may be extended for extenuating
   circumstances.