San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education
Board Policy 5111
Admission
This Board Policy applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.
The Board of Education encourages the enrollment and appropriate placement of all school-aged children in school. The Superintendent or designee shall inform parents/guardians of children entering a District school at any grade level about admission requirements and shall assist them with enrollment procedures.
The Superintendent or designee shall announce and publicize the enrollment application process and timelines for registration of students at District schools. Applications to request a change of general education school placement or interDistrict enrollment shall be subject to the timelines specified in applicable Board polices and administrative regulations.
(cf. 1112 – Media Relations)
(cf. 1113 – District and School Web Sites)
(cf. 1114 – District-Sponsored Social Media)
(cf. 5116.1 – IntraDistrict Open Enrollment)
(cf.5117 – InterDistrict Attendance)
(cf. 5118) – Open Enrollment Act Transfers)
All appropriate staff shall receive training on District admission policies and procedures, including information regarding the types of documentation that can and cannot be requested.
Verification of Admission Eligibility
Before enrolling any child in a District school, the Superintendent or designee shall verify the child’s age, residency, immunization, and other applicable eligibility criteria specified in law, the accompanying administrative regulation, or other applicable Board policy or administrative regulation.
The Superintendent or designee shall immediately enroll a homeless student, foster youth, student who has had contact with the juvenile justice system, or a child of a military family regardless of outstanding fees or fines owed to the student’s last school, lack of clothing normally required by the school, such as school uniforms, or his/her inability to produce previous academic, medical, or other records normally required for enrollment. (Education Code 48645.5, 48850, 48852.7, 48853.5, 49701; 42 USC 11432)
(cf. 6173 – Education for Homeless Children)
(cf. 6173.1 – Education for Foster Youth)
(cf. 6173.2 – Education of Children of Military Families)
(cf. 6173.3 – Education for Juvenile Court School Students)
The District shall not inquire into or request documentation of a student’s social security number, or the last four digits of the social security number or request documentation of a student’s citizenship or immigration status.
(cf. 0410 – Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)
(cf. 5145.13 – Response to Immigration Enforcement)
(cf. 5145.3 – Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
However, such information may be collected when required by state or federal law or to comply with requirements for special state or federal programs. In any such situation, the information shall be collected separately from the school enrollment process and the Superintendent or designee shall explain the limited purpose for which the information is collected. The District shall not deny a student enrollment in a District school on the basis of the citizenship or immigration status of the student or his/her parents/guardians, the lack of a social security number or the student’s or parent/guardian’s refusal to provide any such information to the District. Any information obtained about a student’s or parent/guardian’s citizenship or immigration status shall not be shared without parent/guardian consent or a lawful judicial order, in accordance with laws pertaining to the confidentiality of student records.
School registration information shall list all possible means of documenting a child’s age for grades K-1 as authorized by Education Code 48002 or otherwise prescribed by the Board. Any alternative documents allowed by the District shall be one that all persons can obtain regardless of immigration status, citizenship status, or national origin and shall not reveal information related to citizenship or immigration status.
When enrolling in any District school, including a school in their attendance area, children whose parents/guardians reside within District boundaries shall be subject to the timelines established by the Board for enrollment. Children whose parents/guardians do not reside within the District or who are not otherwise eligible for enrollment in the District may apply for interDistrict attendance in accordance with the timelines specified in applicable Board policies and administrative regulations.
(cf. 5117 – InterDistrict Attendance)
The District’s enrollment forms shall include information about the health care options and enrollment assistance available to families within the District. The District shall not discriminate against any child for not having health care coverage and shall not use any information relating to a child’s health care coverage or his/her interest in learning about health care coverage in any manner that would harm the child or his/her family. (Education Code 49452.9)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
46300 Computation of average daily attendance, inclusion of kindergarten and transitional kindergarten
46600 Agreements for admission of students desiring interDistrict attendance
48000 Minimum age of admission (kindergarten)
48002 Evidence of minimum age required to enter kindergarten or first grade
48010 Minimum age of admission (first grade)
48011 Admission from kindergarten or other school; minimum age
48050-48053 Nonresidents
48200 Children between ages of 6 and 18 years (compulsory full-time education)
48350-48361 Open Enrollment Act
48850-48859 Educational placement of homeless and foster youth
48645.5 Enrollment of former juvenile court school students
49076 Access to records by persons without written consent or under judicial order
49408 Information of use in emergencies
49452.9 Health care coverage options and enrollment assistance
49700-49704 Education of children of military families
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
120325-120380 Education and child care facility immunization requirements
121475-121520 Tuberculosis tests for students
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
200 Promotion from kindergarten to first grade
201 Admission to high school
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 17
6000-6075 School attendance immunization requirements
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 5
552a Note Refusal to disclose social security number
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
11431-11435 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
COURT DECISIONS
Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982)
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.