Residency Requirements

Palos School District 118 will use the CLEAR public database to automatically verify current family address information annually. This process was implemented to streamline the process for district families while still assuring that students enrolled in our school are residents within the boundaries of District 118.

CLEAR uses parent's name and address to crosscheck the information against public electronic databases such as utility companies. This process is completed prior to the registration and residency kickoff in early spring.

If your residency is verified through the CLEAR process, you will not need to submit any additional documentation to certify that you live within the district.

If your residency is not verified through the CLEAR process, you will be notified to submit the documents through the process listed below.

Online Residency Verification For new students (or if notified to do so)

New students to the district and students that have not been verified through the CLEAR process must provide documentation showing residency at an address within district boundaries.

You must provide 1 document from Category 1 and 2 documents from Category 2, totaling 3 documents.

You should black out any account and social security numbers on the documents. All documents must be current and show your name and address.

WARNING: A person who knowingly or willfully presents to the School District any false information regarding the residency of a student for the purpose of enabling that student to attend any school in that district without the payment of a nonresident tuition charge is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor (105 ILCS 5/10-20.12b(f)).

If a student is determined to be a nonresident of the District for whom tuition must be charged, the persons enrolling the student are liable for nonresident tuition from the date the student began attending a District school as a nonresident.

Required Documents

1. Birth Certificate - Original/certified copy of birth certificate for student

2. Driver's License/State Identification

Proof of Residency Category 1 - Must Provide One (1)

Homeowners:
- Current mortgage statement
- Recent closing-HUD I Settlement
Renters with Lease: Signed & dated 12-month lease (that goes through at least the first day of school) AND
proof of last month’s payment (e.g. renter’s canceled check or receipts)
Renters without a Lease:
- Letter of Residence from Landlord in Lieu of Lease (Form E1)
- Along with the Letter of Residence, the Landlord must also provide their most recent Property Tax Bill or Mortgage Statement.
Living with a District Resident: Signed and dated by individual responsible for the residence. Proof of occupancy from owner and parent/guardian.
- Letter of Residence to Be Used When the Person Seeking to Enroll a Student is Living with a District Resident (Form E2)
Non-Parental Custody:
- Evidence of Non-Parent's Custody, Control, and Responsibility of a Student (Form E3)

Proof of Residency Category 2 - Must Provide two (2)

Other Documents Required for Registration

Student in Good Standing Form from prior school
Current Physical
If your child has special needs, any records necessary for a special placement should be provided, Copies of any IEP or 504 documents from the previous district
To complete registration please also submit copies of your child's:
- Physical/Immunization Form
- Vision Form
- Dental Form

For more detailed information regarding registration please click HERE.

Homeless Resources

View resources for homeless families HERE.

Military Exemption

When a student's change of residence is due to the military service obligation of the student's legal custodian, the student's residence is deemed to be unchanged for the duration of the custodian's military service obligation if the student's custodian made a written request. The District, however, is not responsible for the student's transportation to or from school. If, at the time of enrollment, a dependent child of military personnel is housed in temporary housing located outside of the District, but will be living within the District within 60 days after the time of initial enrollment, the child is allowed to enroll, subject to the requirements of State law, and must not be charged tuition, in accordance to policy 7:60.

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