Can schools require verification of proof of residency, such as seeing a lease in the case where a family is hosting a student who is not a family member?
No. Schools may not require verification of proof of residency as a condition of enrollment. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C). Due to their living situations, it frequently will be impossible for families and youth experiencing homelessness to provide such verification. Further, schools must not contact the landlords of host families to discuss living arrangements. Residence information provided by parents or youth to schools is part of the student’s educational records and protected by federal privacy laws. Such contact could also lead to eviction of the host family. However, the Act does not prohibit schools from requiring parents, guardians, or youths to submit emergency contact information. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(H).
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