202-AR. Eligibility of Resident Students

Residency Verification

Proof of Residency

Proof of residency is required at the time of registration. Residents who directly own, rent or lease in the district may register the child/children at the respective school(s), based on the appropriate grade level and attendance area. Other individuals who do not rent or lease must follow the guidelines for residency outlined in the administrative procedure. Any information provided for residency purposes may be routinely investigated by the School District.

Misrepresentation of information regarding residential status will result in due process proceedings, leading to denial of educational privileges in the School District of Springfield Township for the child/children and potential legal action. This action may include, but is not limited to, a charge for tuition and the filing of criminal charges under Theft of Services statutes by the School District against any individual(s) misrepresenting any information to the School District. The forms and information necessary for residency requirements are attached as part of this administrative procedure.

Acceptable Forms of Proof of Residency

Acceptable documents for proof of residency must include the resident’s name and Springfield Township address. The following documents are required to establish residency:

• Utility bill, or
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation identification or drivers license, or
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation vehicle registration, or
• Copy of State/Federal program enrollment, or
• Copy of paycheck stub with name and address of employee and employer, or
• Residency affidavit, or
• Government agency identification card, or
• Deed, or
• Agreement of Sale, or
  Complete the District Stipulation and Understanding Form and attach the Agreement of Sale, and you must contact the Business Administrator’s office at 215-233-6000, Extension 1005.
• Rental lease, or
  Valid lease must include lessor’s name/agency, address and telephone number. Post dated lease requires completion of the District Stipulation and Understanding Form, with the lease attached, and you must contact the Business Administrator’s office at 215-233-6000, Extension 1005.
  Expired lease must be accompanied by a recent renewal with lessor’s name/agency and telephone number, or a notarized statement from the lessor.
• Occupancy Documents—Multiple Occupancy, or
  When a parent/guardian with school-aged child/children takes up residency in the home of a school district resident (i.e., a grandparent, aunt, friend), the resident homeowner must provide certain information and identification to support the non-owner, non-tenant parent(s)/guardian. Both parent/guardian and the homeowner/lessor must be present to review the completed documents and information with the School District Business Administrator at his/her office. The parent/guardian must reside in the home of the resident continuously and not merely through the school year. The parent/guardian will be required to submit a new Certification of Residence form annually. The resident must promptly notify the Business Administrator, in writing, if the conditions of residency of the child/children should change. Parent/guardian must complete the Residency Affidavit.

Support Gratis

If a resident of Springfield Township maintains in his/her home a child of school age and supports the child gratis, as if the child were his/her own, the child shall be entitled to all school privileges accorded to a resident student of the School District of Springfield Township.

1. The child is supported by the resident and receives no funds from his/her parents or any other adult.
2. The resident assumes all personal obligations for the child relative to school requirements.
3. The resident intends to keep and support the child continuously and not merely through the school year.

For the child to qualify for Support Gratis status, the parent(s)/guardian and the resident must provide the following completed forms and information, to the School District Business Administrator:

Parent(s) must provide:

• Affidavit of Parent(s) Form;
• Agreement with the School District of Springfield Township.

Resident must provide:

• Acceptable Proof of Residency;
• Sworn Statement by Resident Form;
• Proof of support gratis, as evidenced by one of the following, which includes the current Springfield Township address.

Signer is Supporting the Child Gratis:

• Copy of completed IRS form transferring tax exemption of child to resident, or
• Copy of Federal or State tax form which lists child as a
  dependent or resident, or
• Copy of completed county form transferring child support
  payments to resident, or
• Copy of completed State form notifying Department of
  Welfare of child’s new residence, or
• Copy of insurance policy/card/statement listing child as
  eligible for services, or
• Copy of lease/rental agreement identifying the child as a
  tenant, or
• Residency affidavit.

Both parent and homeowner/lessor must be present to review
documents with the Business Administrator.

Support gratis status must be renewed each year by the resident by
completion of all forms and the submission of previous year’s federal
income tax returns evidencing support of the student. These forms should
be submitted to the Business Administrator.

The resident must promptly notify the school district in writing if any
of the conditions of residency for the child should change.

An individual who is less than eighteen years of age residing independently in the School District of Springfield Township may register as an adult in his/her own right. The individual must present proof of residency and written verification of emancipation to enroll in the school district. To ascertain that the student is emancipated and has the right to attend school in the School District of Springfield Township, the student or advocate must present a written statement that the individual:

• Has severed filial ties and is substantially free from parental supervision and control.
• Lives apart from his/her parent(s) or other responsible adult;
• Is financially independent of the parent;
• Is responsible for his/her own welfare and behavior; and/or
• Is married and living with a spouse.

Emancipation requires verification, which may include a notarized affidavit from the natural parents, a court order or documentation from other social or child welfare agencies. If the district is unable to verify emancipation, the student living independently without parental or adult supervision will be referred to an appropriate child welfare agency.

The youth or advocate must provide:

• Certification of residency with one form of identification;
• Written statement of emancipation; and
• Notarized affidavit from the natural parents or legal
  guardian, a court order or a letter from a welfare/social service agency.

RESIDENCY INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES

Proof of residency in the school district may be investigated routinely and shall follow these guidelines for investigative practices.

1. The Business Administrator shall refer residency cases to school security personnel.
2. Routine investigations of residency will be handled by School District security personnel. All investigations and reports will be returned to the Business Administrator.
3. All investigations for residential status shall be documented.
4. All investigations and reports will be maintained by the Business Administrator’s office.
5. The school district will utilize standard investigative procedures including home visits, surveillance of students, verification of information with third parties, social agencies, schools and governmental agencies.

Any parent(s)/guardian or resident shall have the due process rights to contest any allegation made by the School District regarding residency requirements, including right of legal counsel or representation, and/or a hearing before the Board of School Directors, as recommended by the Superintendent.

THEFT OF SERVICES

Any person falsifying his/her residence for the purpose of obtaining admission to the School District of Springfield Township shall be assessed the prorated tuition cost calculated from the first day of enrollment to the last day of enrollment. Failure to pay such cost when due shall result in legal action to retrieve monies owed.

The Administration shall initiate appropriate tuition collection action against the parent, natural guardian or other responsible party of any student properly found to have not been legally entitled to free educational services from the School District due to violation of School Code Section 1302. To the extent that the total amount of tuition owed is less than or equal to the District Court jurisdictional limit, the Administration, through the Solicitor, shall initiate any necessary legal action in the appropriate District Court. To the extent that the total amount of tuition owed is great¬er than the District Court jurisdictional limit, the Administration, through the Solicitor, may initiate any necessary legal action in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas for the full amount of such tuition or initiate such legal action in the appropriate District Court for an amount of tuition equal to the jurisdictional limit.

TUITION RATES AND PAYMENTS FOR THEFT OF SERVICES

Tuition rates will be calculated as follows:

1. Costs of elementary and secondary education on a per student basis will
   be determined using expenditure accounts approved by the Pennsylvania
   Department of Education on Form PDE-2061.
2. Regardless of the number of days on the school calendar, monthly tuition
   rates will be calculated by dividing annual elementary and secondary
   costs per student by nine (9); and daily tuition rates will be calculated by
   dividing annual elementary and secondary costs per student by 180, the
   legal minimum number of school days.
3. Tuition rates will be uniform for all elementary students and for all
   secondary students, regardless of the source of payment.

Tuition rates will be collected as follows (refer to Policy No. 202, adopted September 1, 1998, Section 3—Future Resident Students):

1. A monthly tuition payment must be made to the School District prior to the initial attendance of the child as a non-resident and every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter, until such time as the parents or guardians of the child become residents of the School District or have paid tuition for a full 180 days.
2. Each payment to the School District must be in the amount of the full monthly tuition.
3. Tuition charges will apply if the child is absent from school when school is in session.
4. The tuition payment for a specific year shall be for the actual number of days the student is enrolled in that school year.
5. In the event of overpayment of tuition, refunds shall be made at the conclusion of each school year or within 30 days of the student’s withdrawal from Springfield Township schools.
   

Adopted: October 7, 2003