Unfortunately, divorce is a family matter. Your responsibilities as a parent do not end with a divorce or legal separation, and it’s important to understand how it will affect your child. One such way involves your child’s education. The specifics vary from district-to-district, but if you have child time sharing custody of your child who is of school age, here’s what you need to know.
Residency
If you have sole or shared custody of your child, he may attend in the district of your residence. This residence may be a single family home or an apartment or rental unit, as long as it is permanent. If you are living in a motel, shelter, etc., then the McKinney-Vento Act applies. If this is the case and your ex-spouse with shared or sole custody has what is regarded as a “permanent” residence, your child must attend a school within that district. Generally speaking, most families find value in continuing a child in whichever school he attended prior to the divorce or legal separation, if possible.
Transportation
Under most circumstances, schools are not required to providing transportation for students who are registered with a permanent mailing address within in the district but reside with a parent outside of the district. For this reason, most families choose to enroll the child in the district where he will typically live during the week. If both parents reside in the same district, check with the local school district regarding transportation procedures. State laws may prohibit students (particularly at the secondary grade levels) to be picked up and dropped off at different locations. If this is the case, you may need to petition the Board of Education for a variance. They have the authority to grant this request.
Records Access
Many schools now provide parents with access to grades, reports, and other information via online student management systems. These are helpful to keep informed of your child’s progress in school, but it may be necessary to work with your ex-spouse to assure that you have shared access. Most systems allow families to request mailings to multiple addresses and to indicate other information such as where the child resides and any important alerts that may be necessary for teachers to be aware of should they need to contact a parent.
In the role of a single parent, it’s your responsibility to make a divorce or legal separation minimally detrimental to your child. Knowing your rights with regard to school law is one way to do so. While the above suggestions are general in nature, they provide some insight into how your marital status may affect your child’s schooling. For more substantive information, contact us. We are eager to help you make the best educational decisions for your child!