owning home but renting elsewhere for school system (rental, schools)

[xo_kizzy_xo]

The exam schools will let a student live outside the Boston city limits as long as the student 1) has attended the exam school since 7th grade, and 2) the student is either a junior or senior. I worked with a couple of kids attending BLS whose families had moved to Quincy the summer before their senior years. I don't know if the exam schools still allow this, however.

[MTQ3000]

Originally Posted by vs123

Is it ok to own a home in one city and rent in another city that has better schools to send your kids to the city you are renting in (for the better schools)? This is assuming pick up and drop off are not an issue.

This is from the Somerville School District, but most districts in MA have similar language, IIRC:

Q How is Somerville “residency” defined?
A In order to attend the SPS, a student must actually reside in the City of Somerville. “Residence” is the place where a person dwells permanently, not temporarily, and is the place that is the center of his or her domestic, social and civic life. Temporary residence in the City of Somerville, solely for the purpose of attending a Somerville public school, shall not be considered residency. The residence of a minor child is presumed to be the legal residence of the parent(s) or guardian(s) who have physical custody of the child. This presumption, however, may be rebutted, if there is evidence that the child actually resides elsewhere.

This is common sense, isn't it? If it's so easy to circumvent the residency requirement by simply renting a shack in Lexington or Newton (that should only be $3,000 per month), everybody would be doing it, no?

But, of course, like everything else in life, it's all legal unless you get caught.

Mick

[EasternMassREGal]

Who asked about legal ramifications? Cause here it is Ohio Mom Kelley Williams-Bolar Jailed for Sending Kids to Better School District - ABC News

Granted that didn't happen in Mass. but don't assume it couldn't happen here.

[Amontillado]

I said "You could get sued or prosecuted" but I think it's unlikely. Probably once the kid was out of their school, they'd feel as if they'd done enough. But there you are, it can get worse if you aggravate the situation the way that Ohio woman did. It's sad to hear her say "I did it for my children" but that's the way it goes.

[Amontillado]

I'm posting to this old thread because this local incident is exactly on the topic. The case sounds outrageous, but school districts don't like it when they think that a student belongs in some other town!

Judge: Superintendent doing residency check didn't trespass - Massachusetts news - Boston.com

[chicagoliz]

How is it possible that a Superintendent is allowed to bust into the house and rifle through belongings? There has to be more to the story. At the very least there must be some sort of probable cause standard and/or a court issued warrant.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Amontillado

I said "You could get sued or prosecuted" but I think it's unlikely. Probably once the kid was out of their school, they'd feel as if they'd done enough. But there you are, it can get worse if you aggravate the situation the way that Ohio woman did. It's sad to hear her say "I did it for my children" but that's the way it goes.

What happened here when one school system found literally several hundred students attending its schools was to send the students back to their home district and then file suit to collect out of system tuition for the time the students were there, around $14K/year/student.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

What happened here when one school system found literally several hundred students attending its schools was to send the students back to their home district and then file suit to collect out of system tuition for the time the students were there, around $14K/year/student.

Good idea!

[SpringMom3]

"She said Hyde couldn’t be convicted of trespassing because he wasn’t forbidden from the home." whaaat? lol

[BostonMike7]

It's all fine until you get caught and blame the school system rather than yourself for breaking the rules.


My G/F is a teacher. This has come up before in casual convo and she has told me she was aware of a few students who were not really residents of said city being found out, and forced to leave.


Might be a huge deal to a child who grows up around good friends in said good school system, to all the sudden be separated and forced into a crappy school.