SCHOOL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The State of Mississippi provides for a uniform system of free public schools for students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade who have reached the age of five (5) on or before September 1 of the calendar year and have not reached the age of twenty-one (21) on or before September 1 of the calendar year.

"Compulsory-school-age child" means a child who has attained or will attain the age of six (6) years on or before September 1 of the calendar year and who has not attained the age of seventeen (17) on or before September 1 of the calendar year. An attendance officer is appointed by the Mississippi Department of Education to investigate all cases of nonattendance and unlawful absences by compulsory-school-age children. (Mississippi Code 37-13-91)

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

1. Any minor child who seeks to enroll in any school in the Oktibbeha County School District must be accompanied by the parent, natural or adoptive, who is legally responsible for said child, or by the guardian. (Mississippi Code 37-15-11)
2. No child may enroll in any school in the Oktibbeha County School District who is not a resident of the Oktibbeha County School District, unless such child has been lawfully transferred from the school district in accord with the statue of this state. However, those children whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) are instructional personnel or certified employees of the Oktibbeha County School District may, at such employee's discretion, enroll and attend the school or schools of their parent's or legal guardian's employment regardless of the residence of the child. (Mississippi Code 37-15-29)
3. All students seeking to transfer in the Oktibbeha County School District from a private school or home instructional program within or outside of the State of Mississippi may be required to take a test to determine the grade and class to which the student shall be assigned at the time of transfer. The principal or their designee shall administer the test or tests to the student within thirty(30) days after the filing of application for transfer. Notice of the giving of such test shall be given to the applicant not less than five (5) days prior to the date of the administration of such test. No student shall be assigned to a grade and class more than three (3) grades above or below the grade or class that the student would have been assigned to had the student remained in the school from which the transfer is being made. (Mississippi Code 37-15-33)
4. An enrollment form will be completed for a student entering the Oktibbeha County School District that contains the name, address, telephone number, date of birth, social security number, parent or guardian, family doctor, emergency contacts, and other pertinent data.

Immunization

All students in grades K-12 must have on file a Certificate of Compliance stating that the student has received the required inoculations. This form may be secured from the health department or a private physician. If the student has not had the inoculations, or if there is no record of the inoculations, the health department or physician will issue a temporary certificate which is valid for ninety (90) days after issuance. If the series is not completed at the end of the ninety (90) days, the student will be suspended from school until the inoculations are completed. REMEMBER: No student may register or attend school until his/her certificate of compliance has been received by the school.

Residence Requirements

Each parent or guardian when enrolling a student in the Oktibbeha County School District must present documents that reflect the residence street or designated road address inside Oktibbeha County. No post office box address will be accepted.

Verification of Residence

As a result of the Residency Verification Procedure adopted as a policy of the Mississippi Board of Education on April 20,1990, each parent or legal guardian or other adult with whom a student lives must provide to the school administration the following documents:

1. A copy of two of the following items of verification of residence. No post office box address will be acceptable. These items must reflect a street address or designated road address. All documents must be for present address only; documents for rental or other commercial property will not be accepted.
   a. Filed Homestead Exemption Application Form
   b. Mortgage document or property deed
   c. Apartment or home lease
   d. Utility bills
   e. Driver's license listing present address
   f. Voter precinct identification
   g. Automobile registration
   h. Affidavit or residence and/or personal visit by designated school district official at district option.
   i. Any other document that in the determination of the School Board will objectively and unequivocally establish that the parent or guardian resides within the school district.
2. A student's legal guardian must also provide a copy of the guardianship court order. If a petition for guardianship has been filed and the decree is pending, a certified copy of the filed petition for guardianship must be provided. NOTE: Any legal guardianship formed for the purpose of establishing residency for school purposes shall not be recognized by the Board. (Legal reference: Mississippi Code Ann. Section 37-15-31, 1998 Supplement.)
3. Students living with adults other than parents or legal guardian must provide:
   a. Two of the nine items of verification as stated above, and
   b. A sworn affidavit stating the relationship of the adult to the student and that the student is living in the affidavit's home full-time and fully explaining the reasons (other than school attendance zone or district preference) for this arrangement.
4. If you fail to provide the necessary document, your child will not be allowed to attend school in the Oktibbeha County School District. No temporary enrollment will be processed.
5. If the Oktibbeha County School District receives a complaint regarding the residence of a student, the district is required to take action to further verify residence, including but not limited to follow-up visits to the resident's address by school officials.
6. A student residing in the district who enrolls after the first of the school year in the district must make up all work missed because of late enrollment. Failure to make up such work will be cause for withholding credit for the term's work. All make-up work due to late enrollment must be completed as established under the make-up policy.
7. A student who transfers into the District from a school within the continental boundaries of the United States shall be allowed five (5) school days for travel which shall not be counted in his/her total absences.
8. A student who transfers into the District from a school outside the continental boundaries of the United States shall be allowed ten (10) days for travel which shall not be counted in total absences.

Any child who transfers from an out-of-state accredited public or private school in which the state's law provides for first grade enrollment date subsequent to September 1 shall be allowed to be enrolled in the district if: (a) the parent or guardian of the child was a legal resident of the state from which the child is transferring; and (b) such child was legally enrolled in a public or private school of that state for a minimum of four weeks; and (c) the Superintendent of the District determines that the child was making satisfactory progress in the school from which he/she is transferring.

 

Visitors