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**Information on the Rights of All Children to Enroll
    in School**

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All children in  the United States are entitled to a basic public elementary and secondary  education regardless of their actual or perceived race, color, national origin,  citizenship, immigration status, or the status of their parents/guardians. School districts that either  prohibit or discourage, or maintain policies that have the effect of  prohibiting or discouraging, children from enrolling in schools because they or  their parents/guardians are not U.S. citizens or are undocumented may be in  violation of Federal law.

Below are  some examples of acceptable enrollment policies, such as requesting proof of  residency in the school district, as well as policies that may not be  used by schools to deny enrollment to your child.

- **Proof of Residency in the School District.**
- School officials may request proof that  you live within the boundaries of the school district. School districts typically  accept a variety of documents for this purpose, such as copies of phone and  water bills, lease agreements, affidavits, or other documents. A school  district’s requirements to establish residency must be applied in the same way  for all children.
- A school district may not ask about your  or your child’s citizenship or immigration status to establish residency within  the district, nor may a school district deny a homeless child (including a homeless  child who is undocumented) enrollment because he or she cannot provide the  required documents to establish residency.

- **Proof of Age.**
- School officials may request  documentation to show that a student falls within the school district’s minimum  and maximum age requirements. School districts typically accept a variety of  documents for this purpose, such as religious, hospital, or physician’s  certificate showing date of birth; an entry in a family bible; an adoption  record; an affidavit from a parent; or previously verified school records.
- A school district may not prevent or  discourage your child from enrolling in or attending school because he or she lacks  a birth certificate or has a foreign birth certificate.

- **Social Security Numbers.**
- Some school districts request a student’s social  security number during enrollment to use as a student identification number.  If a school district chooses to request a  student’s social security number, it must: (1) inform you and your child that providing  it is voluntary and that refusing to provide it will not bar your child from enrolling  in or attending school, and (2) explain for what purpose the number will be  used.
- A school district may not prevent your  child from enrolling in or attending school if you choose not to provide your  child’s social security number.
- A school district may not require you to  provide your own social security number in order for your child to enroll in or  attend school.

- **Race or Ethnicity Data.**
- School districts have some Federal and state  obligations to report race and ethnicity data about the students in their  schools. A school district may request that you provide your child’s  race or ethnicity for this purpose.
- However, a school district may not bar  your child from enrolling if you choose not to provide your child’s race or  ethnicity.



If you want to learn more about your rights and the rights of your child when
  enrolling in public school, or if you believe that a school district is violating
  Federal law, you may contact the following government agencies:

- Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Educational Opportunities
    Section
	Telephone: (877) 292-3804 (toll-free)
  Fax: (202) 514-8337
  Email: education@usdoj.gov

- Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
  Telephone: (800) 421-3481
  Email: ocr@ed.gov
  If you wish to fill out a complaint form online with the Department of Education,
  you may do so at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html.

Revised  June, 2012

|**U.S. Department of Justice***Civil Rights Division* | **U.S. Department of Education***Office for Civil Rights*
|----------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------

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