How to Enroll a Child Living with Someone Other than A Parent

Enrolling a child who is not experiencing homelessness or is in foster care:

If a child is living with you and you are not with their parent, they have the right to attend school where you live if certain conditions are met.  Most schools have their own form to determine whether the child living with you is eligible to enroll in the school catchment where you reside. Check with the school first to see if they have a specific form they want you to use. 

If not, you may be able to use this form to establish that the child living with you is eligible to enroll in the school catchment where you reside. Your school district’s form will be similar to this form.  

Regardless of whether you use the school’s form or the sample form above, the document you will complete is an affidavit (sworn statement), which means that you are certifying that all information you provide on the form is correct. 

NOTE: You can face legal penalties if you knowingly complete an affidavit form using false information to enroll a child into school.

The Education Law Center - Pennsylvania provides the Enrollment Guide at the link explaining how to enroll a child living with someone other than a parent. (August 2024)

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