School Residential Zoning

Updated on January 26, 2013
T.R. asks from Altamonte Springs, FL
10 answers

Have you ever used a friend or family's address to get your child into a certain school? If so, how did that go? I'm curious if the school would ever find out a child doesn't actually live there? TIA!

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So What Happened?

I knew it sounded too easy, Lol...Of course all that you have said makes TOTAL sense! I had 2 friends offer their address, and I knew it sounded too easy to be true! I have been overwhelmed with a lot lately and obviously not thinking through to the details- Thanks for putting the logic back into that lofty idea! We have applied to the school's Magnet Program and will find out in April if my daughter will get a seat, so hopefully she will be able to attend (fingers crossed!!!).

Featured Answers

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

Nope. There are options for intra district transfers and I opt to be honest... MOST especially if an athlete is involved and the school is governed under the UIL

4 moms found this helpful

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L.A.

answers from Austin on

Not a good idea.. My sister tried this in high school. Got caught....my mom warned her....

There are many ways that they track addresses...all through the school year.. And what does lying teach your child?

What if your child slips and tells the truth.. How do you invite children to your home for play dates....for parties?

6 moms found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

Most of the time you have to present a utility bill or other proof of address in order to enroll your child. In my school district the name of the parent must be on the form or you have to have a court affidavit saying the child lives only with the person whose name is on the forms you use to show proof of address.

4 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

It wouldn't work here. You need THREE proofs of residence, things like property tax bill, lease agreement, utility bill, etc. Stuff that's really only verifiable if you actually live in the home. It's very strict, no exceptions. Not sure what it's like where you are, have you actually called the district office and asked?

4 moms found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

Most schools require proof of residency- like a current utility bill in your name in order to be able to enroll your students in a school. If you are outside their school district zone, sometimes they will let you attend with a fee since you are not paying taxes to support their school district. The child might just give out their correct address one day and you would be highly embarrassed. There are some instances of a school allowing a child to enter because a family member will be babysitting for that child after school. If this were to have anything to do with changing schools to play on another sports team, the player and the team would be severely penalized.

3 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Yeah there is this crazy thing called property taxes. Pretty easy to figure out who lives where.

2 moms found this helpful

M.B.

answers from Tampa on

When I lived in Orlando last school year the required proof of residency. So I had to show a utility bill or lease with my name on it.

2 moms found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Most school administrations are starting to really move towards the open concept for zones. It makes so much more sense since all someone had to do was show a bill from a house and say they lived with that person to be able to go to the school they wanted.

Ours is open and the only drawback is that if they don't have an opening in one of their classrooms they send the children to a different school in the district. That means a child that lives across the street from the school could actually get enrolled at a school across town. If the parents don't have transportation the kids have to walk to school an hour or so ahead of everyone else and they ride the school bus to this or that school the change to another bus. Same coming home.

If the parent doesn't want their child walking to the school building in the dark of winter they have to find someone to take them across town to their school.

So open enrollment does have some draw backs. A person might find the are taking a neighborhood child's place at this school. So that child basically has to go to the school you left behind and they fill your child's empty spot.

I do like open enrollment. It serves a very good purpose. I hope you can get your kids in the school you like. It's important for all of them.

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C.S.

answers from Miami on

Orange County is very liberal with allowing students to be reassigned to another school. I am not sure why you want your child's school changed but they allow a reassignment for work reasons, child care reasons, etc. Please read this info and see if any of it applies to you as the deadline is in February!
https://www.ocps.net/es/legislative/pupil/Pages/StudentTr...

I am in Broward County and we only have "hardship" reassignments. My son has one for elementary school - it is essentially a combination of the childcare and workplace reassignment that Orange County allows.

Best wishes,
C.

PS Fraudulently using an address is a felony in Florida! Don't go there if you want a future!

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N.B.

answers from Sarasota on

We had to move to a certain county to get my daughter into a gifted school. My husband wanted to use our rental property address, but I said no. I didn't want my daughter to have to lie every time someone asked her where she lived. I also didn't want to teach her that it is ok to lie to get what you want. It really hit home when, at 6, when we were discussing this, she said that "I guess I am following one of God's rules to obey my parents, but I would be breaking another by lying". Out of the mouths of babes.

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