San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education
Administrative Regulation 5111.1
District Residency
This Administrative Regulation applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.
Special Situations
A student shall be deemed to have complied with district residency requirements for enrollment in a district school if he/she meets any of the following criteria:
- The student’s parent/guardian resides within district boundaries. (Education Code 48200)
- The student is placed within district boundaries in a regularly established licensed children’s institution, a licensed foster home, or a family home pursuant to a court-ordered commitment or placement. (Education Code 48204)
- The student is admitted through an interdistrict attendance option, such as an interdistrict attendance agreement, “school district of choice” transfer, or Open Enrollment Act transfer. (Education Code 46600, 48204, 48301, 48356)
(cf. 5117 – Interdistrict Attendance)
(cf. 5118 – Open Enrollment Act Transfers)
- The student is an emancipated minor residing within district boundaries. (Education Code 48204)
- The student lives with a caregiving adult within district boundaries and the caregiving adult submits an affidavit to that effect. (Education Code 48204) Enrollment in a particular school may be denied if District staff determine that the student resides with a caregiver rather than the parent solely for the purpose of attending a particular school.
- The student resides in a state hospital located within district boundaries. (Education Code 48204)
- The student is confined to a hospital or other residential health facility within district boundaries for treatment of a temporary disability. (Education Code 48204, 48207)
(cf. 6183 – Home and Hospital Instruction)
- The student’s parent/guardian resides outside district boundaries but is employed within district boundaries and lives with the student at the place of employment for a minimum of three days during the school week. (Education Code 48204)
- The student’s parent/guardian, while on active military duty pursuant to an official military order, is transferred or is pending transfer to a military installation within the state while on military duty pursuant to an official military order. (Education Code 48204.3)
(cf. 6173.2 – Education of Children of Military Families)
Proof of Residency
The district shall not solicit or collect information or documents regarding the citizenship or immigration status of students or their family members for the purpose of determining residency within the district. (Education Code 234.7)
Evidence of residency may be established by documentation showing the name and address of the parent/guardian within the district, including, but not limited to, any of the following: (Education Code 48204.1)
- Property tax payment receipt
- Rental property contract, lease, or payment receipt
- Utility service contract, statement, or payment receipt
- Pay stub
- Voter registration
- Correspondence from a government agency
- Declaration of residency executed by the student’s parent/guardian
- If the student is an unaccompanied youth as defined in 42 USC 11434a, a declaration of residency executed by the student
- If the student is residing in the home of a caregiving adult within district boundaries, an affidavit executed by the caregiving adult in accordance with Family Code 6552
(cf. 5141 – Health Care and Emergencies)
These documents also will be required for any change of address and may be requested for transitional students entering 6th or 9th grade.
A parent/guardian seeking residency status on the basis of his/her employment within district boundaries shall submit proof of the employment which may include, but not be limited to, a paycheck stub or letter from his/her employer listing a physical address within district boundaries. Such evidence shall also indicate the number of hours or days per school week that the parent/guardian is employed at that location.
A parent/guardian who is transferred or pending transfer into a military installation within district boundaries shall provide proof of residence within 10 days after the published arrival date provided on official documentation. For this purpose, he/she may use as his/her address a temporary on-base billeting facility, a purchased or leased home or apartment, or federal government or public-private venture off-base military housing. (Education Code 48204.3)
Any homeless or foster youth or student who has had contact with the juvenile justice system shall be immediately enrolled in school even if he/she is unable to provide proof of residency. (Education Code 48645.5, 48852.7, 48853.5; 42 USC 11432)
(cf. 6173 – Education for Homeless Children)
(cf. 6173.1 – Education for Foster Youth)
(cf. 6173.3 – Education for Juvenile Court School Students)
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the enrollment of a homeless or foster child or a child of military family is not delayed because of outstanding fees or fines owed to the child’s last school or for his/her inability to produce previous academic, medical or other records normally required for enrollment.
When a student or parent/guardian participating in the Safe at Home program requests that the district use the substitute address designated by the Secretary of State, the Superintendent or designee may request the actual residence address for the purpose of establishing residency within district boundaries but shall use the substitute address for all future communications and correspondence and shall not include the actual address in the student’s file or any other public record. (Government Code 6206, 6207)
Change of Residency
If the parent/guardian who has physical custody of the student(s) moves to a new address at any time after submitting the application for enrollment, s/he must submit a Change of Address form to the Education Placement Center within 14 days following the move. Students who move out of San Francisco but wish to remain in a SFUSD school may apply for an interdistrict permit from the new district of residence. Interdistrict permits shall be processed in accordance with District Board Policy 5117.
If the parent/guardian fails to submit a Change of Address form within 14 days of their move, the student’s enrollment may be revoked.
Denial or Revocation of Enrollment Based on False Claims of Residency
- Non-Residents
If the District finds that the student is not a resident of San Francisco, the student will be dropped from enrollment in the District and required to enroll in school in the student’s actual district of residence. The student may remain at the assigned school for the duration of the school year if his/her family lost residency due to a no-fault eviction.
The student will not be eligible to apply for an interdistrict permit to any oversubscribed school for one year after revocation. However, the student will be immediately eligible to apply for an interdistrict permit to attend an undersubscribed school that has space at the time of application, including their original school if it is undersubscribed. Such applications will be processed in accordance with District Board Policy 5117.
- Residents
If the District finds that the student is a San Francisco resident, but has obtained a particular school assignment based on other false information or moved to San Francisco after the District’s discovery of their non-residency, the student will be dropped from the assigned school that was obtained with false information and will be re-enrolled in an undersubscribed school that has space at the time of re-enrollment. San Francisco residents found to be in violation of this policy may remain in their assigned school if (1) it is an undersubscribed school, and (2) there is seat capacity and there are no outstanding choice requests from other students for those seats at the time of revocation. Residents who have had their enrollment revoked due to violation of this policy shall not be eligible to participate in any choice placement process into an oversubscribed school for one year after revocation.
“Undersubscribed school” is defined as a school that was not full and did not have outstanding choice requests at the beginning of the current school year. Oversubscribed school is defined as a school that was full and had outstanding choice requests at the beginning of the current school year.
Please note that compare references, or “cf”, refer to CSBA model policies and do not necessarily indicate that the San Francisco Unified School District has adopted the referenced policy.