Knowledgebase

Question: A parent wants to enroll their child at my school but doesn't have a permanent address. In this case the parent only has a P.O. Box. What should I do?

Answer: The district, according to federal law, allows schools to enroll students who do not have a permanent address, may be considered homeless, or who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime place of residence. By federal law, a student may attend either one of two schools: the student's school of origin (the school last attended before the student became homeless) or the school that serves students living at their temporary home. They may not automatically attend any school they desire.

By law a family experiencing homelessness is not required to provide any address or residence documentation in order to enroll their children. However, a school should attempt to get information about the temporary location where they are staying, such as a shelter or with friends. Enrollment clerks should enroll the student(s) following the normal process and use the address provided by the parent or the school's address (do not use 4100 Normal St., San Diego, CA 92103). It is also important for schools to accurately identify the Residential Status for students by choosing the appropriate Residential Status description on the SDCS->Other tab. A complete list of Residential Status descriptions are provided below; however, the starred descriptions (*) should be used if the student does not have a permanent address.  The Residential Status should also be accurately recorded in box 18 of the district K-12 enrollment form. If the student is not a resident of the school, a boundary exception type of Homeless/Temp residence (HM) should also be entered.

Students experiencing homelessness will automatically qualify for the Nutrition Program (no extra forms needed), Title 1 supplemental supports, and when appropriate, for transportation assistance to/from their school(s) of origin once the appropriate Residential Status selected in Zangle. Eligibility continues for the duration of the academic year. However, an application is required for enrollment options (e.g., magnet, VEEP, etc) to be exercised.

It is not required, but parents can complete a Resident Affidavit (see Administrative Circular 10: Verification of Residence for Enrollment Purposes). For more information, please refer to Administrative Procedure 6129: Enrollment of Children and Youth in Transition. Staff members who need assistance with handling these issues may contact Pamela Hosmer, Homeless Liaison, at 619-725-7652.