Residency Policy

Overview

The Boston School Committee approved a new Residency Policy for all Boston Public Schools effective July 1, 2004. The policy is designed to help ensure that only Boston residents attend the City's public schools. It includes:

a more specific definition of "residency" for all Boston Public Schools;
additional and more stringent requirements for proof of residency, including at least three forms of documentation to register for schools or file a change of address; and
stricter penalties, including fines and possible legal action, for families found to be in violation of the residency policy.

Investigation and enforcement

The School Committee also approved additional and more extensive residency investigation and enforcement strategies, including:

hiring of a residency investigator to pursue cases of suspected residency fraud;
conducting of random residency audits and spot-checks of out-of-city MBTA train stations; and
establishment of an anonymous Residency Tip Line (617-635-6775) for families, staff and students to report possible residency violations.

Proof of residency for exam school applicants

In addition, the School Committee modified the policy for application to the City's three exam schools, requiring that all applicants prove City of Boston residency no later than the first Friday in February for matriculation the following September. The new policy states that applicants who have not provided proof of Boston residency by the first Friday in February will not be considered for invitation to the three schools (Boston Latin Academy, the O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science and Boston Latin School).

Under the previous exam school admissions policy, non-Boston residents could apply to the exam schools and, if invited, establish Boston residency by July 31. Today, the district will extend invitations only to qualified students already living in Boston when applications and test scores are reviewed.

All of these measures are designed to ensure that Boston families have full access to educational opportunities offered by the Boston Public Schools.

Important documents and links

NOTE: Translations of these documents are available on the "Welcome" pages of this site in the following languages: Cape Verdean creole, Chinese, Haitian creole, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Acceptable proofs of residency

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Residency Policy

Proof of Residency Form: Landlord Affidavit

If you own your home, you can request a copy of the deed on-line from the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds.