501.01 – Resident Students
Resident students are those students who are actual residents of the District. The actual residence is determined from the facts of each circumstance. In the absence of information to the contrary, District officials may assume that students seeking enrollment are residents of the District unless the application is made under open enrollment provisions. Open enrollment students are not considered resident students when counting students for certified enrollment.
Two factors must be considered in determining residence for school purposes. First, the child must establish a physical presence in the District, including times other than when school is in session and may not have an established residence in another district by operation of law. Second, the physical presence in the school district must be for a primary purpose other than school attendance.
Whenever a question of actual residence arises, a factual determination of the main reason for the student’s presence in the school district must be made. If the primary reasons for enrollment are something other than school attendance, the child will be considered a resident provided he/she is living in the Colfax-Mingo Community School District.
If the primary reason for the presence in the District is obtaining a tuition-free education, a student is not a resident for school purposes, even when a guardianship has been established. The mere existence of a guardian residing in the District does not establish residence for educational purposes.
Actual residence requires that the student resides within the District’s boundaries with a manifested intent to be resident and create a home. A student who returns at night to live with parents residing in another District is not an actual resident of this District.
District officials need not challenge a legally established guardianship. When information is received that disputes the assumption of a student residing with a guardian, District administrators will determine the student’s actual residence.
Persons visiting the United States on a student visa do not meet the two basic criteria for tuition-free residence in Iowa’s public schools. They must, therefore, pay tuition to attend school in the Colfax-Mingo Community School District. Exceptions are approved for foreign exchange students who qualify under Board Policy #501.70.
Resident students whose families move from the District and who wish to continue their education in the Colfax-Mingo Community School District, must complete an open enrollment application and turn it into the Superintendent of School’s office. For information please refer to the Iowa Department of Education website on open enrollment.
Registration Requirements for Colfax-Mingo Community School District:
- Completed online registration application;
- Acceptable form of Proof of Residency
- Required District Registration Forms, i.e. Home Language Survey;
- Health documents such as immunization records, physicals, dental screen, vision screen, etc.;
- Proof of birth date such as a birth certificate
- Special program documents that will assist the District in the placement of student;
(Example: Individualized Education Plan/lEP, 504 Plan, Gifted and Talented/Enrichment Plan, Individualized Health Plan IHP, etc.)
- Previous school information (for record request purposes)
Falsification of any information or document required for residency verification or the use of the address of another person without actually residing there may result in the revocation of student enrollment, being held liable to pay tuition for the time in attendance as a non-resident student, and/or filing a complaint with the appropriate law enforcement agency for criminal prosecution against all parties involved.
Date of Adoption: July 1, 1985
Reviewed & Revised: September 3, 1991; August 15, 1994; April 17, 2000; January 27, 2003; January 21, 2008; March 15, 2019