​​Enrollment of Students

Purpose

This Basic Education Circular (BEC) provides guidance regarding public school enrollment procedures for School Age Students. It reflects current requirements of the Pennsylvania Public School Code (School Code) and 22 Pa. Code Chapter 11 (relating to student attendance). These public-school enrollment procedures, consistent with law, exist to ensure that public schools promptly enroll students who are residents or who are eligible non-residents.

Each school district and charter school must adopt a written policy on student admission and enrollment, which shall be a public record (22 Pa Code § 11.41). School districts and charter schools should publish enrollment policies and procedures on their publicly accessible websites.

Children and families with limited English proficiency must be provided translation and interpretation services to the extent needed to help the family understand the enrollment process and enroll the student in school promptly per the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq. and the Equal Education Opportunity Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1703.

School Age Students

Children are considered school age from the time they are admitted to the public school educational program until graduation from high school or the end of the school term in which they turn 21, whichever occurs first. Children with disabilities eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) may remain enrolled in their resident school district or a charter school until their 22nd birthday.

The local school board has the right and responsibility to establish the age at which a child can begin the kindergarten program. Once the age requirement is established, districts cannot refuse admission to a child who meets the age requirement. See Admission to Kindergarten and Beginners BEC.

During the time a child is of school age, the child is entitled to attend the public schools of the resident school district or a charter school, or to attend other school districts as an eligible nonresident.

Non-special education students who turn 21 during the school term are entitled to finish that school term. If a student is under the age of 21 and has a high school equivalency credential (e.g., a Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma), the student may enroll in school and work toward a diploma. For subsidy purposes, students who reach age 21 after the school term begins are eligible to be counted for the entire school term.

Entitlement to Education

Every child of school age who is a resident of a Pennsylvania school district is entitled to a public-school education. This entitlement and the requirements to secure enrollment discussed throughout this BEC apply equally to:

• resident students residing with their parent(s)/guardian(s);
• emancipated minors residing in the district;
• non-resident students living with a district resident who is supporting the child gratis and seeking enrollment under section 1302(a.2) of the School Code;
• nonresident students living in a facility or institution; and
• nonresident students living in a foster home.

Provided that the required enrollment documentation described herein is provided, the school district or charter school must enroll resident and eligible non-resident children and permit them to attend school. A child shall normally be permitted to attend school on the next school day after the day on which the child is presented for enrollment, and in all cases within five (5) business days. However, enrollment is conditioned upon the receipt of the school district’s or charter school’s receipt of the required enrollment documentation (22 Pa. Code § 11.11(b)).

Required Enrollment Documentation

Whenever a child of school age is presented to a school district or charter school for enrollment by:

• a parent(s) or guardian(s),
• school district resident, or
• any other person having charge or care of the child,

the school district or charter school shall require that the following information be documented before enrolling the child and allowing the child to attend school:

1.    Proof of the Child's Age
Any one of the following constitutes acceptable documentation:

1. birth certificate;
2. notarized copy of birth certificate;
3. baptismal certificate;
4. copy of the record of baptism (notarized or duly certified and showing the date of birth);
5. notarized statement from the parents or another relative indicating the date of birth;
6. a valid passport;
7. a prior school record indicating the date of birth.

This list is non-exhaustive; schools should be flexible in consideration of the child’s circumstances.

2.    Immunizations Required by Law

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) promulgates immunization regulations (28 Pa. Code §§ 23.81-87) that require parents or guardians of students enrolled in grades K-12 to have their children immunized against various communicable diseases. The regulations, which implement section 1303a of the School Code, apply to kindergarten, elementary, and secondary students enrolled in a public school, private school, other nonpublic school, and home education. While recommendations on immunization requirements may be made at the federal level, the authority to establish immunization requirements for school enrollment remains with DOH.

Any one of the following constitutes acceptable documentation:

1. the child’s immunization record;
2. a written statement from the former school or from a medical office that the required immunizations have been administered, or that a required series is in progress; or
3. verbal assurances from the former school or a medical office that the required immunizations have been completed with records to follow.

There are certain exceptions to this requirement for students who have medical/religious exemptions, who are experiencing homelessness, who are moving or transferring into a school in the Commonwealth, or who are in foster care and are not able to provide immunization records at the time of enrollment.

Please consult the School Immunization Requirements BEC for more information.

3.    Proof of Residency

The School Code defines a student’s school district of residence as the school district within the Commonwealth in which the parents or guardians of a child reside. With limited exception as detailed further in this BEC, proof of residency must be provided when enrolling a student in school.

When enrolling in a school district, charter school, regional charter school or cyber charter school, any one of the following containing the name and current address of the child’s parent or guardian constitutes acceptable documentation:

1. A current deed;
2. A mortgage statement no more than three months old;
3. An active residential lease agreement;
4. A utility bill no more than three months old;
5. An internet bill no more than three months old;
6. A credit card bill no more than three months old;
7. A bank statement no more than three months old;
8. A tax bill no more than three months old;
9. An insurance document no more than three months old; or
10. A piece of mail sent in the past three months by the federal or state government such as benefits information, voter registration, or tax documents.

A school district, brick-and-mortar charter school or regional charter school may request that more than one form of residency confirmation be provided. However, provision of additional documentation should not delay enrollment. School districts, brick-and-mortar charter schools and regional charter schools should consider what information is reasonable in light of the family’s circumstances.

Section 1748-A of the School Code, as amended by Act 47 of 2025, limits cyber charter schools to requesting only one of the documents listed. (24 P.S. § 17-1748-A(b))

Parents or guardians of students experiencing homelessness, as defined under applicable federal and state law, are exempt from this requirement. See Additional Considerations section below.

Additional guidance pertaining to the enrollment of students in cyber charter schools can be found below and in the Cyber Charter Schools BEC.

4.    Parent Registration Statement

For a student to be admitted to any public school, the parent or guardian must submit a sworn statement (See Parental Registration Statement (PDF)) attesting to the following:

• whether the student has been or is suspended or expelled for offenses involving drugs, alcohol, weapons, infliction of injury or violence on school property (24 P.S. § 13-1304-A); and
• whether the student has been or is expelled under section 1318.1 of the School Code for being convicted or adjudicated delinquent of committing a sexual assault upon another student enrolled in the same school.

A school may not deny or delay a child’s school enrollment based on the information contained in a disciplinary record or sworn statement. However, 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 (24 P.S. § 13-1317.2(e.1)). If a student is or was expelled for an act or offense involving a sexual assault conviction or adjudication of delinquency, the school can provide the student with alternative education services. (24 P.S. § 13-1318.1(f)).

If the disciplinary record or sworn statement indicates the student has been expelled from a school in which they were previously enrolled, for reasons other than a weapons offense, it is recommended the school review the student's prior performance and school record to determine the services and supports to be provided upon enrollment.

5.    Home Language Survey

All students seeking first-time enrollment in a school shall be given a home language survey in accordance with requirements of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Enrollment of the student may not be delayed in order to administer the Home Language Survey. The Home Language Survey (PDF) is found on the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) website.

6.    Attendance and Truancy Records (FOR ENROLLMENT IN A CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL ONLY)

Section 1333 of the School Code prohibits a child who is habitually truant, meaning the student has six or more unexcused absences during the school year, from transferring during the school year to a cyber charter school unless a judge determines that the transfer is in the best interest of the child.

Accordingly, cyber charter schools should ask, at the time a student presents for enrollment in the cyber charter school, Cyber Charter Schools BEC.

Documents Which May Be Requested But Not Required As A Condition Of Enrollment

Items Which May Be Requested

School districts and charter schools often seek to obtain information from families in addition to the mandatory items discussed above. Although schools may ask for any of this information, they may not require it as a condition of enrolling or admitting a child and they may not delay a child’s enrollment or attendance or mark a child absent until these documents are provided.

Below are documents that a school district, charter school, regional charter school or cyber charter school may request but may not require as a condition of enrollment:

1. picture identification
2. health or mental health history;
3. physical or dental examination records;
4. academic records;
5. attendance records, except that cyber charter schools must collect and maintain information regarding a student’s prior attendance and truancy status prior to enrollment;
6. Individualized Education Program (IEP) and other special education records;
7. documentation of physical examination; and
8. documentation from other sources (i.e., Registration Form, Student Education Records, and Disciplinary Records).

Registration Form

School districts and brick-and-mortar charter schools  may ask parents and guardians to complete a registration form when enrolling a child. However, failure to complete the form developed by the school district or brick-and-mortar charter school cannot be made a condition of the student’s enrollment. These registration forms for student enrollment in a school district or brick-and-mortar charter school may include the following: name, address, telephone number, name of parent(s) or guardian(s) or resident adult(s) with whom the student is living, emergency contact information, former school information, and other locally required information.

Except for cyber charter schools, there is no standard form for enrolling students in Pennsylvania schools. Parents and guardians must submit the Cyber Charter School Enrollment Form and Residency Verification Form (PDF) when initially enrolling a student in a cyber charter school and by March 1 and November 1 during each year the student is enrolled in the cyber charter school. This form is developed by PDE and is available on the PDE website. The Cyber Charter School Enrollment Form and Residency Verification Form (PDF) of a newly enrolled cyber charter student shall satisfy the first November 1 or March 1 notification deadline, whichever is sooner. This documentation must be provided to both the cyber charter school and the student’s school district of residence. See Cyber Charter Enrollment section of this BEC.

Documentation Required From Other Sources

A school district or charter school is entitled by law to receive the educational records, including disciplinary records, of an enrolling student from the student’s previous school. However, providing this information rests with the educational entity and not the student’s family. The receiving school district or charter school also may not require this information as a precondition to enrollment and may not delay a student’s enrollment for lack of this information.

Student Education Records

Upon enrollment, the school district or charter school is to contact the student’s former school for a copy of the student’s education records. The former school district or charter school, if within this Commonwealth, is required to respond by forwarding the records within 10 business days of the date upon which a student’s records are requested by another Commonwealth school district or charter school. School districts and charter schools shall enroll students within five (5) business days regardless of receipt of records from the previous school. (22 Pa. Code § 11.11(b)).

School districts, charter schools, and career and technical centers must provide students who meet the definition of habitually truant with a school attendance improvement plan and pursue remedies to mitigate the student’s habitual truancy for the remainder of the school year or until the student is no longer of compulsory school age, regardless of whether the student was enrolled in the school district, charter school, or career and technical center at the time of truancy. All schools should seek the attendance records, including any school attendance improvement plan, from a student’s former school.

Children of active-duty military families may present unofficial or “hand-carried" educational records for enrollment. Upon receipt of the unofficial educational records, the school must enroll and place the student based on information presented in the unofficial records pending validation by the official records as soon as possible. Official records must still be forwarded to the receiving school within 10 business days (22 Pa. Code Chapter 721).

Disciplinary Records

Whenever a pupil transfers to another Pennsylvania school entity or nonpublic school, a certified copy of the student’s disciplinary record shall be transmitted to the school entity or nonpublic school to which the pupil has transferred. The school entity or nonpublic school to which the student has transferred should request the record. The sending school entity or nonpublic school shall have 10 days from receipt of the request to supply a certified copy of the student’s disciplinary record.

Failure to receive the student’s disciplinary record cannot be used to deny or delay the student’s enrollment or school attendance. A school district or charter school may not deny or delay a child’s school enrollment based on the information contained in a disciplinary record or sworn statement.

However, if a student currently is expelled for a weapons offense, the school district or charter school can provide the student with alternative education services during the period of expulsion (24 P.S. § 13-1317.2(e.1)). If the disciplinary record or sworn statement indicates that the student was expelled from their prior school for reasons other than a weapons offense, school districts and charter schools are advised to review the student's prior performance and school record to determine the services and supports to be provided upon enrollment in the district or charter school.

Prohibited Requests

Items Which May Not Be Requested

A school district or charter school may neither request nor require any of the following for enrollment and for residency determinations:

1. a social security number;
2. the reason for a child’s placement if not living with natural parents;
3. a child’s or parent’s visa;
4. immigration status;
5. agency records;
6. a court order or records relating to a dependency proceeding, except in the limited circumstances described in this BEC; or
7. Legal address for families enrolled in the Address Confidentiality Program (PDF).*

A child’s right to be admitted to school may not be conditioned on the child’s immigration status. A school may not inquire regarding the immigration status of a student as part of the admissions process. Plyler v. DOE, a U.S. Supreme Court decision, held that it is unconstitutional to deny free public education to children who are not legally admitted into the United States. See Foreign Students' Eligibility for Enrollment BEC.

* Some families may enroll a student using an ACP card which lists a post office box as their address. This is their legal address and school districts shall not require additional information about their residence. School records from the student's former school will be forwarded through the ACP. If there are questions about the family's eligibility for enrollment, contact the ACP at 1-800-563-6399. Review the ACP Flyer (PDF) and reach out to Office of Victim Advocate at 800-563-6399 or email ra-avainfo@pa.gov.

Cyber Charter School Enrollment

The parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a cyber charter school must submit proof of the student’s residency upon initial enrollment and by March 1 and November 1 annually using the Cyber Charter School Enrollment and Residency Verification Form (PDF).The notification form of a newly enrolled cyber charter student shall satisfy the first November 1 or March 1 notification deadline, whichever is sooner. This documentation must be provided to both the cyber charter school and the student’s school district of residence. In addition, a cyber charter school may request residency verification from a parent or guardian at any time. (24 P.S. § 17-1748-A)

In addition to completing the Cyber Charter School Enrollment and Residency Verification Form (PDF), a parent or guardian must provide acceptable documentation containing their name and address. A list of acceptable documentation for students enrolling in a cyber charter school is found in the Cyber Charter School Enrollment and Residency Verification Form (PDF).

The requirement to provide proof of residence under section 1748-A of the School Code does not apply to a student identified as experiencing homelessness.

A child who is habitually truant is prohibited from transferring during the school year to a cyber charter school unless a judge determines that the transfer is in the best interest of the child. (24 P.S. § 13-1333(c.1)). This law applies to habitually truant students transferring from any school to a cyber charter school, including other cyber charter schools, and applies to students identified as experiencing homelessness.

A child is "habitually truant" if the child is subject to compulsory school attendance and has incurred six or more school days of unexcused absences during the current school year. A conviction for violating compulsory attendance laws is not necessary for a child to be habitually truant.

Because a child who is habitually truant is prohibited from transferring during the school year to a cyber charter school unless a judge determines that the transfer is in the best interest of the child, cyber charter schools should ask whether the student who presents for enrollment during the school year has had six or more unexcused absences during that school year at their prior school and should confirm the student’s attendance and truancy record upon receipt of the student’s records from their prior school.

For additional guidance on truancy and habitual truancy, see the Compulsory School Attendance, Unlawful Absences, and School Attendance Improvement Conferences BEC. For more information on cyber charter enrollment and residency verification, see the Cyber Charter Schools BEC.

Additional Considerations

Emancipated Students

An emancipated student is a student who is otherwise entitled to enroll in school and who has established a domicile apart from the continued control and support of parents or guardians or who is living with a spouse.

The school district in which the student is living is the student’s school district of residence, and the student may enroll without any additional assistance from an adult.

Foster Students

Nonresident children placed in foster care must be educated in accordance with 24 P.S. § 13-1305(a), which provides that a nonresident child in paid foster care is "entitled to all free school privileges accorded to resident children of the district. . . in the same manner as though such child were in fact a resident child of the district." A school district or charter school may request verification that the child is residing with a foster parent or is in a pre-adoptive or adoptive home in the form of a letter or the Identification of Students in Foster Care to School Points of Contact form (PDF) from the appropriate agency, but the school cannot require a court order or agency records.

Children placed into foster care often move from one foster home to another and such moves may involve school changes as well. If an entry into foster care or change in placement occurs, a best interest determination (BID) must occur. Children in foster care should remain enrolled in the school of origin unless there is a determination that it is not in the child's best interest to attend the school of origin. If it is determined to be in the child's best interest, the child has the right to remain in the school of origin during the pendency of their time in foster care.

If a determination is made that remaining in the school of origin is not in the child's best interest, the child’s new school must ensure that a child in foster care is immediately enrolled in their new school even if the student does not have the required documentation. The enrolling school must contact and collaborate with the student's prior school for relevant records.

Students experiencing homelessness

Educational agencies shall ensure that all children experiencing homelessness have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youth. Homeless students may reside in shelters, hotels, motels, cars, tents or be temporarily doubled up with a resident family because of lack of housing. In the case of homeless students, traditional concepts of "residence" and "domicile" do not apply. Homeless children and youth lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence.

Unaccompanied homeless youth may enroll without documents and without the help of an adult. Unaccompanied homeless youth include any child who is "not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian." Falling within this definition are students who have run away from home, been thrown out of their home, or been abandoned or separated from their parents or guardians.

Homeless youth are entitled to immediate enrollment, and their families are not required to prove residency regarding school enrollment. These students should be enrolled without delay in the district where they are presently residing or continue their education in their school of origin. See the McKinney-Vento Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11431 et seq. and the Education for Homeless Youth BEC for additional guidance.

Homeless youth remain subject to compulsory attendance and truancy requirements under the School Code.

Pre-Adoptive and Adoptive Students

The Federal Adoption Assistance Program, among other things, provides for adoption assistance payments to encourage the placement of certain hard-to-place children with adoptive parents (42 U.S.C. § 673). Children living with pre-adoptive parents who are receiving adoption assistance subsidies, pre-adoptive foster payments, or other payments such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Transitional Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), are entitled to attend school in the school district in which the pre-adoptive parents reside.

Notwithstanding receipt of any of the above payments, children living in pre-adoptive situations are considered residents of the school district in which their pre-adoptive parents reside under section 1302 of the School Code. Children living with adoptive parents are entitled to all free school privileges accorded to resident school children of the district under section 1302.

Re-Enrollment Of Students Returning From Delinquency Placements

When a student returns to a school district or charter school from a delinquency placement, the school cannot automatically place the child in an alternative education program for disruptive youth merely because the child had been adjudicated delinquent. Like any other student being transferred to an alternative school, students returning from delinquency placement are entitled to an informal hearing prior to being placed in an alternative education program.

The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether the student currently is fit to return to the regular classroom or meets the definition of a disruptive student. Factors a school should consider include whether the incident causing the adjudication occurred at school or at a school-sponsored event, the child's behavior in placement, and the recommendations of teachers and other adults (such as juvenile probation officers) who have worked with the youth.

Resident Students and Court Orders or Custody Agreements

Every school-age child is entitled to attend the public schools of the child’s district of residence, which is the school district where the child’s parent(s) or legal guardian resides. In addition, based on specific circumstances described in this BEC, a school-age child may be entitled to attend the public schools in a district as a non-resident.

When parents reside in different school districts due to separation, divorce, or other reasons, the child may attend school in the district of the parent with whom the child lives for a majority of the time, unless a court order or court-approved custody agreement specifies otherwise. If the parents have joint custody and the child’s time is evenly divided between the parents, the parents may choose which of the two school districts the child will attend for the school year. If the parent who is enrolling the child is relying on a court order or custody agreement as the basis for enrolling the child, then the school district or charter school may require that the parent provide a copy of the order or agreement.

As stated below, a school district may also require a resident to provide a custody or dependency order when the resident is seeking to enroll the child under section 1302(a.2)(1) of the School Code which requires “appropriate legal documentation to show dependency or guardianship.” A school district or charter school may not, however, require a custody order or agreement as a condition of enrollment in any circumstances other than the two circumstances specified above.

School-Age Children of Military Personnel

When Pennsylvania residents who are military personnel are deployed and their school-age children are living with relatives or family friends in a school district for that period of time, the students are entitled to attend school in the school district in which they are residing. These students should be enrolled using the Section 1302 Statement/Affidavit process described in this BEC, except that the resident is to be presumed to be supporting the child without personal compensation or gain (gratis).

Under section 1302.1 of the School Code, a child whose parent or legal guardian is an active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the reserves, and who has received official military orders to transfer into Pennsylvania is allowed to enroll in a school district before establishing residency. The parent or guardian must provide a copy of the official military orders and proof of their intention to move into the school district. Proof of intention includes a signed contract to purchase a home, a signed lease agreement, or a statement from the parent or guardian stating their intention to move into the school district. The parent or guardian must provide proof of residency in the school district to the school district no later than 45 days after the arrival date stated in the military orders.

Students Experiencing Education Instability

Section 1331.1 of the School Code requires school entities to identify eligible students who experience "education instability" and provide certain supports for these students. A student experiencing "educational instability" is a student who has one or more changes in school entity enrollment during a single school year as a result of any of the following:

• Homelessness, as defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and as determined by the school entity;
• An adjudication of dependency under 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to child protective services) and 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to juvenile matters);
• An adjudication of delinquency under 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 and 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 as disclosed at the discretion of the parent or guardian of the student; or
• An adjudication as part of court-ordered services under a voluntary placement or custody agreement.

See Act 1 of 2022: Supporting Graduation for Students Experiencing Education Instability BEC.

Students Living In Institutions

School districts in which children's institutions, including detention homes, drug and alcohol treatment centers and other similar facilities, are located (referred to as host school districts) are required to provide an education and, when appropriate, special education to nonresident students of the host district who are placed into the institution. This includes the right to attend the school district's public schools if appropriate for the child. Enrollment of these students follows the same requirements as resident students of the school district. See 24 P.S. § 13-1306 Nonresident Students in Institutions BEC.

Students Living With A Resident Adult Other Than A Parent

When a child is living with a district resident who is supporting the child without personal compensation (gratis), the child may attend the public schools of that resident’s school district, provided that resident makes application and supplies the required enrollment information noted in the Required Enrollment Documentation section of this BEC. In addition, before accepting the child as a student, the district shall require the resident to file only one of the following:

1. A sworn and notarized statement from the resident of the school district consistent with the requirements of section 1302(a.2) of the School Code, indicating that the signer is a resident of the school district, is supporting the child without receiving personal compensation, that the child is living with the resident continuously and not just for the school year, and that the resident will accept all responsibilities relating to the child’s schooling (see the model Sworn Statement by Resident Under § 13-1302 (PDF)); or
2. Appropriate legal documentation to show dependency or guardianship, which may include a custody order.

The school district may, pursuant to PDE guidelines (PDF), require other information to be submitted by the resident to substantiate the sworn statement. 

The natural parent(s) or former guardian(s) of the student may not be required to provide information.

Once the requested information is provided, the school district must enroll the child as it would enroll a resident student and permit the child to begin to attend school without delay, but in no case more than five (5) days after the requested information is provided. If the school district determines the resident is not supporting the child gratis or the student is not continuously living with the resident, the school district does not have to enroll the student.

A resident’s receipt of payments, such as SSI, TANF, pre-adoptive or adoptive support, maintenance on public or private health insurance, support from the military or military personnel or other payments for or on account of the child such as child support, shall not be deemed to be personal compensation or gain.

Twins And Multiple Siblings

Twins or higher-order multiple siblings are to be enrolled in the same manner as all other students. The School Code provides for parental discretion in the classroom placement of twins or higher-order multiples. A parent or guardian of twins or higher-order multiples who attend the same grade level at the same school may request that the children be placed in the same classroom or separate classrooms. The parent or guardian must make the request no later than 10 days after the beginning of the school year or 10 days after the first day of the student's attendance, if the students are enrolled after the school year commences.

The school may recommend classroom placement to the parents and provide professional education advice to the parents to assist them in making the best decisions for their children's education. The school shall provide the classroom placement requested, unless, after consultation with the school district superintendent or their designee, the principal determines that alternative placement is necessary. The law affords the parents the opportunity to appeal that denial. A school is not required to place twins or higher-order multiples in separate classrooms if the request would require the school district to add an additional class to the grade level of the siblings. (24 P.S. § 13-1310.1)

Disenrollment Of Students

Section 1302 of the School Code, as amended by Act 67 of 2024, specifies that, if a school district determines that the parents, guardians, or other person having charge of a child who is enrolled as a resident of the school district does not reside in the school district, the school district may not disenroll the child until the child’s parents, guardians, or other person having charge of the child: are provided an opportunity to appeal that decision through the school district’s relevant grievance policy and any appeal has been exhausted; after being provided notice, declined to participate in the appeal process; are provided information related to the educational rights of homeless students; or a court enters an order directing the child to be disenrolled and enrolled in another school district.

Additionally, if it is found that the information contained in the sworn statement provided to the school district consistent with the requirements of 24 P.S. § 13-1302(a.2) is false, a child may not be disenrolled from the school district until the child’s parents, guardians, or other person having charge of the child: are provided an opportunity to appeal that decision through the school district’s relevant grievance policy and any appeal has been exhausted; after being provided notice, declined to participate in the appeal process; are provided information related to the educational rights of homeless students; or a court enters an order directing the child to be disenrolled and enrolled in another school district.

Enrollment Complaints

When a dispute arises regarding the enrollment of a student, the person attempting to enroll the child or the school district or charter school may bring the dispute to the attention of PDE’s School Services Office.

To file a complaint, email, call or mail the PDE School Services using the following contact information:

School Services Office
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
607 South Drive Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: 717-787-4860 Fax: 717-214-4389
Email: RA-PDE-SchoolService@pa.gov

After receiving a complaint, a PDE representative will contact the school, family or other involved parties to gather information and to try to help resolve the dispute. These contacts, whenever possible, will occur within five (5) school days of receipt of the complaint.

Resources

• Frequently Asked Enrollment Questions and Answers
• ACP Flyer
• Address Confidentiality Program
• Cyber Charter School Enrollment Form and Residency Verification Form (PDF)
• Department of Health – School Vaccination Flyer for parents / caregivers (PDF)
• Department of Health – Immunization Requirements and FAQs (PDF)
• Guidelines for Reasonable Information to Substantiate Sworn Statement by Resident Under 24 P.S. § 13-1302 (PDF)
• Home Language Survey (PDF)
• Identification of Students in Foster Care to School Points of Contact form (PDF)
• Parental Registration Statement (PDF)
• Sworn Statement by Resident Under § 13-1302 (PDF)
• Transcripts From a Closed Nonpublic/Private K-12 School

References

Related Basic Education Circulars

• Act 1 of 2022: Supporting Graduation for Students Experiencing Education Instability
• Admission to Kindergarten and Beginners
• Compulsory School Attendance, Unlawful Absences, and School Attendance Improvement Conferences
• Cyber Charter Schools
• Disciplinary Exclusions of Students Who Are Eligible for Special Education
• Education for Homeless Youth
• Foreign Students' Eligibility for Enrollment
• Guidelines for Reasonable Information to Substantiate Sworn Statement by Resident under 24 P.S. § 13-1302 (PDF)
• 24 P.S. §13-1306 Nonresident Students in Institutions
• School Immunization Requirements
• Student Records Being Retained by a Private School
• Transfer of Records

State Statutes

• 24 P.S. § 13-1302
• 24 P.S. § 13-1302.1
• 24 P.S. § 13-1303a
• 24 P.S. § 13-1310.1
• 24 P.S. § 13-1305(a)
• 24 P.S. § 13-1317.2(e.1)
• 24 P.S. § 13-1318.1
• 24 P.S. § 13-1331.1
• 24 P.S. § 13-1333
• 24 P.S. §§ 13-1371 et seq.
• 24 P.S. § 13-1304-A
• 23 PaC.S. Chapter 63
• 42 Pa.C.S. Chapter 63

State Regulations

• 22 Pa. Code Chapter 11
• 22 Pa. Code, Chapter 14
• 22 Pa. Code Chapter 16
• 22 Pa. Code Chapter 711
• 22 Pa. Code Chapter 721
• 28 Pa. Code §§ 23.81-87

Federal Statutes

• 20 U.S.C. § 1703
• 42 U.S.C. § 673
  42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq.

Bureau/Office Contact

School Services Office
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
607 South Drive Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: 717-787-4860 Fax: 717-214-4389
Email: RA-PDE-SchoolService@pa.gov