JBC (October 2005) SCHOOL ADMISSION/ATTENDANCE The Hinds County School District will comply with age requirements for entry into kindergarten and grade one as prescribed by law. A. General Eligibility 1. Except for those students who have been legally transferred, each minor child seeking to enroll in the district shall be a resident. All students shall register at the school they are assigned to attend. 2. Any new student enrolling in the Hinds County School District or any continuing student whose residence has changed shall be accompanied to enrollment by a parent with legal custody, legal guardian, adult custodian, or adult agent of a social service agency of the district who shall register the minor child for admission, except students who have been legally transferred. The accompanying adult shall be required to verify his/her residence as herein provided as part of the registration process. At the time of enrollment, the student s social security number will be requested. If no social security number is available to the district, the student s Mississippi Student Information System (MSIS) number will be used to identify and track the student. 3. No child will be allowed to enroll in any grade (K-12) or attend any school without a certified birth certificate. No child in grades K through 12 shall be allowed to enroll in or attend any school without a valid immunization certificate. Valid certificates include: a. Form 121 -- Certificate of Compliance b. Form 121-A -- Medical Exemption Certificate c. Form 121-T -- Temporary Compliance Certificate The Temporary Compliance Certificate, Form 121-T, is not valid after the date shown. After that date, the principal shall deny school attendance by such child unless or until the principal is furnished another Temporary Compliance Certificate, Form 121-T, or a Certificate of Compliance, Form 121, or a Medical Exemption Certificate, Form 121-A. 4. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 5 below, any child who transfers from an out-of-state public or private school in which that state s law provides for a first grade or kindergarten enrollment date subsequent to September 1, shall be allowed to enroll in this school district at the same grade level as their prior out-of-state enrollment, if: a. The parent with legal custody, legal guardian or custodian of such child was a legal resident of the state from which the child is transferring; b. The out-of-state school from which the child is transferring is duly accredited by that state s appropriate accrediting authority; c. Such child was legally enrolled in a public or private school for a minimum of four (4) weeks in the previous state; and
d. The Hinds County School District superintendent has determined that the child was making satisfactory educational progress in the previous state. 5. When any child applies for admission or enrollment, the parent with legal /legal guardian shall provide the school and/or the district with discipline records from his or her previous school before being allowed to enroll. The parent with legal custody or the legal guardian shall indicate on the school registration form if the enrolling child has been expelled from any public or private school or is currently a party to an expulsion proceeding. Students who have been expelled or suspended by another school district and who subsequently apply for admission to the Hinds County School District shall not be eligible to enroll in any Hinds County school until they are eligible for readmission to and have actually attended classes in their previous school following their suspension or expulsion. If a student enrolls in the Hinds County School District and the district learns of an expulsion from another district, the student will be immediately withdrawn. 6. Procedures for Producing Discipline Records: A parent with legal custody or legal guardian must produce the discipline record of their child from the last school attended along with the withdrawal form. If the discipline record is not provided, the student may be assigned to the alternative school for observation. If the record is provided and it contains level 4, 5, or 6 offenses from the Hinds County School s Parent/Student Handbook discipline policy or any ten-day suspensions, the students will be assigned to the Main Street Alternative School for a transition period to be assured that the behavior exhibited at the last school is under control. If the student has been in drug or alcohol treatment facility, a mental health facility, a correctional setting such as a detention center or a training school, the student will be assigned to the Alternative School for a transition period and for observation to ensure that the student is in a small class so that he or she can transition more effectively. If the student s record is clear of level 4, 5, or 6 offenses and no ten-day suspensions and is not coming from a treatment program or a disciplinary setting such as another alternative school or a training school, the student may be enrolled. The length of a student s stay at the Alternative School will be determined by the student s behavior while there. If a student continues to display the inappropriate behavior that was exhibited at the last school or setting, a hearing will be held based on the behavior outlined in the Hinds County School District s Parent/Student Handbook to assign the student to Main Street Alternative School for a set period of time. 7. If a student enrolls in the Hinds County School District and was administratively transferred from one grade to the next without spending a full year in the grade from which he or she was transferred, the student will be placed back in the grade to spend an entire year at that grade level. B. Residence Verification Procedure: The definition of residence for school attendance purposes is: the student physically resides full time with his/her parent
(must be custodial parent) or legal guardian (as ordered by a judge for other than education purposes week days/nights and weekends, at a place of abode located within the limits of the Hinds County School District year-round. Except for those students who have been legally transferred, each student identified in paragraph 2 above must establish residency in the following manner: a. STUDENTS LIVING WITH PARENT(S) WITH LEGAL CUSTODY OR LEGAL GUARDIAN(S) Upon enrollment, any parent with legal custody seeking to enroll a student must verify residency by submitting THREE of the following valid items one of which must be 1, 2, or 3. HCSD does not accept affidavits, driver licenses, or voter registration cards as proof of residency. (1) Filed Homestead Exemption Application form (2) Mortgage documents or property deed (3) Apartment or home lease (4) Any other documentation that will objectively and unequivocally establish that the parent with legal custody or legal guardian lives in the school district full time (paycheck stub, IRS forms, DHS benefit documentation, alimony and child support documentation, bank account statements, insurance documents). (5) Certified copy of filed petition for legal guardianship if pending and final decree when granted. (No legal guardianships for educational purposes are allowed.) Students who change schools during the school year due to a change of address must present proofs of residency before they can be enrolled in their new school zone. If a change of address or home telephone number occurs at any time during the school year, the student should report such change immediately in the principal s office and in the guidance office. b. HOMELESS CHILDREN When a child is determined to be homeless as defined by the Stewart B. McKinney Act 42 USC Section 11431 (1), 11432 (e) and 11302 (a), this school district shall consider and take enrollment action that is in the best interest of the child pursuant to 42 USC 11432 (e) (3). c. STUDENTS LIVING WITH ADULTS OTHER THAN PARENTS: (1) The non-parent(s) claiming district residency must meet the same criteria of subparagraph (a), required of a parent with legal custody or legal guardian. (2) The district resident must provide the school with legal guardianship or custodial papers and provide documentation fully explaining the reason(s) (other than school attendance zone or district preference) for this arrangement. The superintendent or his/her designee will make the necessary factual determinations under subsection II.1 (c) (2). Examples of situations where legal guardianship authority of an adult will be recognized to establish residency of the minor include but are not limited to the following:
(a) Death or serious illness of the child s parent(s) with legal custody or legal guardian(s); (b) Abandonment of the child; (c) Child abuse or neglect; (d) Seriously unstable family relationships or undesirable conditions in the home of the child s parents with legal custody or legal guardians having a documented detrimental effect on the child; (e) Students enrolled in recognized exchange programs residing with host families. (f) Incarceration of a parent with legal custody. (3) Any person who has assumed responsibility for the care and custody of the child shall be expected to begin the process of seeking legal guardianship before enrollment of the child. d. The requirements of Section II.1 (a) and (c) above are minimum requirements and this school district may require additional documentation and verification at any time. e. The provisions of this policy do not apply to students who reside outside the school district, but who have legally transferred into the school district through employment of the parent with legal custody with the Hinds County School District or Hinds Community College. Such transfers must be requested annually and will be granted based on availability. Such transfers may be revoked if the student is a chronic discipline problem or has excessive absences or tardies. f. Any legal guardianship formed for the purpose of establishing residency for school district attendance purposes shall not be recognized by the Hinds County School Board. Any court ordered procedure shall take precedent over any procedure contained herein. C. Temporary Enrollment: Students will be allowed temporary enrollment status if the following documents are presented: 1. A temporary immunization form from the Hinds County Health Department; 2. A copy of an official request for a birth certificate and a copy of the money order used to order the certificate; 3. An official letter from a lawyer or legal agency that affirms the process for custodial or legal guardianship process has begun for one of the reasons listed in section B.c.(2) of this policy. 4. Proof of temporary residency, which may include any documentation requested by the school that proves the parent with legal custody or legal guardian lives at the identified residence. Temporary enrollment shall be in effect for no longer than 30 school days. At the end of the 30-day period, the student may be removed from school if additional documentation is not provided. Temporary enrollment will preclude official recording of grades or release of grades.
D. Attendance Policy: The district attendance policy is outlined in detail each year in the Handbook for Parents and Students. Once school has begun, students who enroll in the Hinds County School District must provide documentation of school attendance prior to that date in accordance with the Mississippi compulsory attendance laws. If a parent with legal custody cannot verify the attendance of his/her child in a recognized school program, the child will be counted absent for each day from the beginning of school in Hinds County School District until the student s enrollment. Each absence will count as an unexcused absence, and the student will be subject to the provision of the attendance policy as outlined in the handbook. In the event of extraordinary circumstances such as a student moving into the district from out-of-state, the superintendent or his/her designated representative may excuse these absences as an exception to the policy. However, all work must be made up during a reasonable time frame as outlined in the Handbook for Parents and Students. LEGAL REF.: MS CODE 37-15-1, 37-15-3, 37-15-9, 37-15-11, 37-15-13, 37-15-29, 37-13-33, & 41-23-37 42 United States Code Sections 11431-11434 State Board of Education: Residency Verification Process CROSS REF.: Policy JBA Compulsory School Attendance JBAB Home School/Transfer Student Testing JBCD Transfers and Withdrawals of Students JBB Entrance Age