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FAQs - Enrollment & Custody Issues

Questions?

Throughout the process, should you have any questions we are here to help!

Custody and Legal Guardianship

Question: I live within the South Western City School District (SWCS) boundaries and a child who is not my biological child is coming to live with me. His/Her custodial parent resides elsewhere. Can I enroll the child in the SWCS?
Answer: No. You need to obtain custody or guardianship of the child and, as required by Ohio Law, proof of custody must be provided at the time of enrollment. Please contact the Franklin County Clerk of Courts office at (614) 525-4410 for further details.

Question: I have a motion for custody. Can I enroll my child with a court-ordered motion?
Answer: Yes, IF the motion is court-filed, stamped, and has a future hearing date (typically within 60 days). The Student Enrollment Center can accept this motion until the final court documents are completed.

Question: I am the biological father of a child and want to enroll him/her in school. The biological mother and I were never married. What do I need to do?
Answer: In the State of Ohio, if parents were not married at the time of birth, the mother is the sole custodial parent unless the father goes to court and obtains an order of custody (Ohio Revised Code 3109.042). Proof of custody must be provided at the time of enrollment. Please contact the Franklin County Clerk of Courts office at (614) 525-4410 for further details.

Question: I have a court order/judgment entry giving me custody of a child, but it is not signed by a judge. Is this acceptable?
Answer: No. The court order must be signed by a judge/magistrate, dated, and time-stamped to be valid and accepted.

Question: A friend/relative provided me a notarized statement giving me custody of his/her child. Is this acceptable as proof of custody?
Answer: No. SWCS will not accept notarized statements for custody. You must obtain official custody/guardianship of the child through the court system and provide proof at the time of enrollment. Contact the Franklin County Clerk of Courts office at (614) 525-4410 for further details.

Question: My former spouse and I live in two different school districts. Can my child attend school in either school district?
Answer: No. The child must attend school in the district of the “residential parent for school placement purposes” as explicitly stated in the divorce/separation agreement and/or shared parenting plan.

Question: I am divorced, have sole custody, and the children live with me. I do not want the non-custodial parent to have access to the children’s school records. Is this acceptable?
Answer: No. According to Ohio Law, a non-custodial parent has the same rights as a custodial parent pertaining to student records. The only exception is if you have a active protection order or restraining order. The enrollment center MUST have a copy of the protection order on file to restrict access; otherwise, the school district cannot deny access to the non-custodial parent.

Question: I do not live within the boundaries of the SWCS. Can my child(ren) attend a SWCS school?
Answer: No. SWCS is not an open-enrollment school district. You must live within district boundaries to attend. You can review your home address and school assignment using the interactive Find My School map on our website.

Question: I have moved in with a friend/relative and do not have proof of residency in my name. How can I enroll my child in SWCS?
Answer: If you are living with a friend or relative, two notarized forms must be completed:

The renter/owner must provide their required proof of residency at the time of enrollment. This grants the registering family thirty (30) days to provide the district with their own proof of residency at that address.

Question: My child has been expelled from another school district. Can I enroll him/her in the SWCS?
Answer: No. SWCS honors all suspensions and expulsions from other school districts. Additionally, if a student is expelled from SWCS, the expulsion applies to all schools within the district. The student must re-enroll at the Welcome Center once the expulsion period is completed.

Question: My child currently attends school in the SWCS. Due to financial hardship, we lost our home and are currently homeless, without a permanent address, or living in a shelter. What do I do?
Answer: Contact the SWCS State & Federal Programs Department at (614) 801-8390 for immediate assistance and enrollment support under the McKinney-Vento Act.

Question: How do I know if I need to provide a TB Test for my child(ren)?
Answer: If you are enrolling a student who is entering from a World Health Organization (WHO) identified country or international region of risk, you must provide official TB test results upon enrollment. Please refer to the WHO high-risk country list link on our site for details.