No. 202 PLUM BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT SECTION: TITLE: ADOPTED: PUPILS ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS REVISED: October 30, 2007 202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS 1. Purpose SC 501, 502 2. Authority SC 1301, 1316 Pol. 200 SC 1302 Title 22 Sec. 11.19 The Board shall operate district schools for the benefit of students residing in this district who are eligible for attendance. The Board may permit the admission of nonresident students in accordance with Board policy. The Board reserves the right to investigate and verify the residency of any student. The Board shall require that appropriate legal documentation showing dependency or guardianship or a sworn statement of full residential support be filed with the Board Secretary before an eligible nonresident student may be accepted as a student in district schools. The Board may require a resident to submit additional, reasonable information to substantiate a sworn statement, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Education. The Board reserves the right to verify claims of residency, dependency, and guardianship and to remove from school attendance a nonresident student whose claim is invalid. SC 1302 Pol. 906 If information contained in the sworn statement of residential support is found to be false, the student shall be removed from school after notice is given of an opportunity to appeal the student s removal, in accordance with Board Policy 906, Public Complaints. The Board shall not be responsible for transportation to or from school for any nonresident student residing outside school district boundaries. SC 1316, 2561 Pol. 607 Tuition rates shall be determined in accordance with statute. Tuition shall be charged monthly, in advance of attendance. Page 1 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 2 3. Guidelines SC 1305 Nonresident Children Placed In The District Any child placed in the home of a district resident by a court or government agency shall be admitted to district schools and shall receive the same benefits and be subject to the same responsibilities as resident children. The Board reserves the right, prior to such placement, and within two (2) weeks of the written request to the Superintendent of the potential custodian of the child, to deny the child s admission when conditions exist which should exempt this district from the responsibility of admitting the nonresident custodial child. Residents Of Institutions SC 1306, 1307, 1308, 1309, 1310 Title 22 Sec. 11.18 SC 1316 A child who is living in or assigned to a facility or institution for the care or training of children that is located within this district is not a legal resident of the district by such placement; but s/he shall be admitted to district schools, and a charge shall be made for tuition in accordance with statute. Future Residents A student eligible for attendance whose parent/guardian has executed a contract to buy, build, or rent a residence in this district for occupancy within thirty (30) days may be enrolled without payment of tuition. If the student does not become a resident of the district by the end of the period for which free attendance is given, tuition shall be required until residency is established. Parents/Guardians of students who claim admission on the basis of future residency shall be required to demonstrate proof of the anticipated residency. The Board reserves the right to verify such claim. Former Residents SC 1316 Regularly enrolled students whose parents/guardians have moved out of the school district may be permitted to finish the semester without payment of tuition when the parents/guardians move from the district during the semester. A senior student who is a resident of Plum for the first full nine-week grading period may complete his/her senior year without payment of tuition with transportation being the responsibility of the parents/guardians. Page 2 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 3 Children Of Nonresident Staff Members Children of nonresident employees of the Board may be enrolled in the schools of this district with payment of tuition. Other Nonresident Students SC 1302 Title 22 Sec. 11.19 A nonresident student may be admitted to district schools without payment of tuition where attendance is justified on the grounds that the student lives full-time and not just for the school year with district residents who have assumed legal dependency or guardianship or full residential support of the student. 1. A nonresident student may be admitted to this district on payment of tuition where attendance is justified on the grounds that the student lives with a resident continuously and not just for the school term. 2. The district recognizes that a child of school age residing with a resident who supports the child gratis is entitled to all the free school privileges accorded a resident student. Before accepting such a child as a pupil, the resident with whom the child resides shall file with the principal a sworn statement (Appendix A) stating as follows: a. That s/he is a resident of the Plum Borough School District. b. That s/he is supporting the child gratis. c. That s/he will assume all personal obligations for the child relative to school requirements. d. That s/he intends to so keep and support the child continuously and not merely through the school term. 3. In addition, the parent/guardian of the nonresident child shall file a sworn statement (Appendix B) declaring and authorizing the enrollment of his/her child as a nonresident student. 4. If the district has reasonable doubts concerning the veracity of the sworn statements required in Paragraphs 2 and 3, then the appropriate district officials are authorized to conduct an investigation in order to determine the truth. Any such investigation, however, shall occur after the acceptance of the sworn statement and will not delay the enrollment of the child. Page 3 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 4 5. If the district determines that the information contained in the sworn statement is false, the child will be removed from the school. Any child so removed will have the right to an informal hearing before the Superintendent or his/her designee. 6. Any person who knowingly provides false information is guilty of a summary offense and may be prosecuted before the District Magistrate. The maximum fine is $300 or 240 hours of community service, or both. 7. In addition, a person who knowingly provides false information shall be liable to the district for tuition. 4. Delegation of Responsibility The Superintendent or designee shall develop procedures for the enrollment of nonresident students which: 1. Admit such students only on proper application and submission of required documentation by the parent/guardian. Pol. 103 2. Verify claims of residency. 3. Do not exclude any eligible student on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, national origin, or ancestry. 4. Deny admission where the educational facilities or program maintained for district students is inadequate to meet the needs of the applicant. 5. Make continued enrollment of any nonresident student contingent upon maintaining established standards of attendance, discipline, and academics. Your child will not be enrolled until the Plum Borough School District receives your child s student records from his/her prior school of attendance. The Superintendent shall recommend to the Board for their approval the admission of qualified applicants. The Board shall not be responsible for the transportation to or from school of any student residing outside school district boundaries. Page 4 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 5 References: School Code 24 P.S. Sec. 501, 502, 1301, 1302, 1305, 1306, 1306.2, 1309, 1310, 1316, 2503, 2561 State Board of Education Regulations 22 PA Code Sec. 11.18, 11.19, 11.41 Board Policy 103, 200, 607, 906 Page 5 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 6 Appendix A Affidavit of Resident in Support of Free School Privileges for Non-resident Child Instructions - Read Carefully 1. Under the terms of Section 1302 of the Public School code, the Plum Borough School District has the duty to provide free school privileges for a non-resident child only when a resident keeps in his home a child of school age, not his own; and supports the child gratis (for nothing; without fee or recompense) as if the child were his own. 2. If any of the requirements outlined above ceases to exist, or if the statements contained in the following sworn statement are found to be untrue, the district no longer has the duty to provide free school privileges for the non-resident child. 3. The appropriate officials of the Plum Borough School District may conduct an investigation to determine the truth of the statements contained in the following sworn statement. 4. Before accepting a non-resident child as a pupil, the Board of School Directors requires that the following sworn statement be executed and filed with the Secretary of the Board. The making of any willful false statement in this Affidavit is a crime and subjects the person making such statement to the penalties of perjury. 5. NOTICE: A person who knowingly provides false information is guilty of a summary offense and is subject to prosecution before the District Magistrate. The maximum penalty for conviction is $300 or 240 hours of community service or both. The person shall also be responsible for tuition. The district recognizes that a child of school age residing with a resident who supports the child gratis is entitled to all the free school privileges accorded a resident student. Before accepting such a child as a pupil, the resident with whom the child resides shall file with the principal a sworn statement (Appendix A) stating as follows: a. That s/he is a resident of the Plum Borough School District. b. That s/he is supporting the child gratis. c. That s/he will assume all personal obligations for the child relative to school requirements. d. That s/he intends to so keep and support the child continuously and not merely through the school term. Signature Date Page 6 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 7 Appendix B Plum Borough School District Parents Declaration and Authorization for Admission of Non-Resident Students It is the policy of the Plum Borough School District to comply with the Pennsylvania School Code s requirements regarding a child s right to a free public school education, while at the same time, ensuring that local taxpayers do not unfairly support a free education for children who are not entitled to it. This authorization is to be completed by the parent of the child who is seeking admission as a non-resident student. I hereby authorize to enroll in the Plum Borough School District, to sign (Name of Student) any and all documents necessary to accomplish the enrollment, permitting he/she/them to receive any and all school records regarding my child, including, but not limited to, grades and standardized test scores, and to act in loco parentis in all aspects of my child s education. I understand and acknowledge that is providing the full and complete financial and personal support for my minor child without reimbursement from myself, and that shall keep and support my child continuously and not merely through the current school year or merely while school is in session. I hereby declare that my child shall be residing continuously with. I understand that if the Plum Borough School District admits my child, it will be doing so in reliance upon this authorization and declaration. If it is subsequently determined that anything contained herein is inaccurate or false, I understand that my child shall be removed from school and I shall be responsible for all tuition charges that accrued while my child improperly attended the Plum Borough School District. I am hereby advised that the Plum Borough School District s tuition is the actual cost of the child s education. Page 7 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 8 Under the Internal Revenue Code, taxpayers must generally furnish over half of the support for a dependent during the applicable calendar year to qualify for an exemption. I understand that I may no longer be entitled to claim my child as a dependent, and I understand that I may be required to provide the Plum Borough School District proof that I have not claimed my child as a dependent while the child is enrolled in the Plum Borough School District. See Internal Revenue Code, Section 137. NOTICE: A person who knowingly provides false information is guilty of a summary offense and is subject to prosecution before the District Magistrate. The maximum penalty for conviction is $300 or 240 hours of community service or both. The person shall also be responsible for tuition. I permit to assume all personal obligations for my child relative to the requirements of the Plum Borough School District. I understand that I may be required to annually renew this authorization. If circumstances change after the execution of this document so that any of this document ceases to be true, I shall immediately notify the Plum Borough School District. Failure to do so will result in my child being removed from school and my being responsible for all accrued tuition arising after the change of circumstances. (Signature of Mother) (Signature of Father) Sworn to and subscribed before me, a Notary Public this day of, Notary Public Page 8 of 9
202. ELIGIBILITY OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS - Pg. 9 AFFIDAVIT COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, ) COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY ) SS: BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, personally appeared who, being duly sworn according to law, deposes and states that: 1. the undersigned is a resident of the Plum Borough School District and resides at ; 2. the undersigned is supporting (Name of Child) gratis, and the child is not a resident of the Plum Borough School District; 3. the undersigned will assume all personal obligations for the child relative to school requirements; 4. the undersigned intends to keep and support the child continuously, and not merely through the current school term; and 5. the undersigned understands and agrees that the appropriate officials of the Plum Borough School District may conduct an investigation to determine the truth of the statements, and if the statements are found to be untrue, the Plum Borough School District reserves the right to remove the child from school and charge the appropriate tuition. 6. NOTICE: A person who knowingly provides false information is guilty of a summary offense and is subject to prosecution before the District Magistrate. The maximum penalty for conviction is $300 or 240 hours of community service or both. The person shall also be responsible for tuition. This Affidavit is made in accordance with Section 1302 of the Pennsylvania School Code of 1949, as amended. (Signature of Resident) SWORN TO and subscribed before me, this day of,. Notary Public (To be made in duplicate. The original is to be filed with the Principal; the copy to be retained by the resident making the Affidavit.) Page 9 of 9