Residency - Important Information

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It is important for parents / guardians to know that the laws of the State of California require parent(s) / guardian(s) be current residents within the boundaries of the public school district they want their children to attend. Tinsley/VTP program students are required to be current residents within the boundaries of the Ravenswood City School District, also known as RCSD.

California Laws

Residency for Public School Districts

A student whose parent/guardian currently resides within the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) boundaries is qualified to attend PAUSD schools. Tinsley/VTP program students are required to be current residents within the boundaries of the Ravenswood City School District, also known as RCSD.

A current resident is defined by California law in Gov Code 244 and Ed Code 48200. In plain language, these laws, along with subsequent case law, state that the public school responsible for a student's education is the one in which the parent / guardian primary residence is located. (The Tinsley/VTP program is an exception.) There can only be one primary residence; families with multiple homes must provide documentation that demonstrates they are actually living in the home. Owning a home within the PAUSD (RCSD for Tinsley/VTP) boundaries does not qualify a student to attend PAUSD schools, unless it can be shown that the student is also living (sleeping) full-time in that home.

Parent(s) / guardian(s) must sign, under penalty of perjury, a PAUSD Residency Declaration document as part of the registration step. By California law, parent(s) / guardians(s) MUST renew this Declaration annually through the Annual Data Update (ADU).

Additionally, once a student is enrolled in a public school, the student can only remain enrolled if the student resides continually within that district's boundaries (California law: Ed Code 48201; except Tinsley/VTP families must reside continually within RCSD). Please read the "Moving" page for details. Examples include:

• If the family moves out of district boundaries (or outside RCSD for Tinsley/VTP families) for any reason, the student must be dis-enrolled from the PAUSD school and enrolled in the new district of residency.
• If the family and student move to a different address within district boundaries (or within RCSD for Tinsley/VTP families), parents must complete a Change of Address form within two weeks of moving to a new address.
• Temporary housing, for any reason including home renovation, must be within district boundaries (or within RCSD for Tinsley/VTP families) in order for the student to remain enrolled in PAUSD schools.

Joint Custody Arrangements

Student must physically reside at least 50% of the time, during the regular school year, with at least one parent who resides within the PAUSD boundary (or within the RCSD boundary for Tinsley/VTP students). If the other household is located outside of PAUSD (or RCSD for Tinsley/VTP households), parents must provide custody information as part of the Online Registration. Parents must provide court documents for any special custody circumstances.

Residency Investigations

By California law, PAUSD must annually verify that a student is a current resident, which is achieved when a parent completes the Annual Data Update (ADU). If a parent fails to complete the ADU, or if there is reason to believe a student's PAUSD residency (or RCSD residency for Tinsley/VTP students) may be in question, investigations may be conducted by the PAUSD Residency Office, allowed under California Law Ed Code 48204.2 and Board Policy 5111.1, to determine authenticity of the home address. When it is determined that a student lives outside the PAUSD boundaries (or RCSD boundaries for Tinsley/VTP students), or that residency documents or declarations have been falsified, the student will be immediately removed from the PAUSD school and the parent/guardian must enroll the student in the district of residence.

Report a Residency Violation

Complete our Suspected Residency Violation Form or please contact the PAUSD Registration Services office (650) 329-3707 for any suspected residency violations. Names will be kept anonymous, and all tips will be treated as confidential.