School Residency, Attendance and Tuition Policy
SCHOOL RESIDENCY, ATTENDANCE AND TUITION POLICY
This policy has been adopted pursuant to 20-A MRS §5201(4) to clarify the circumstances under which this school administrative unit will pay tuition in accordance with 20-A MRS §§5203(4) and 5204(4).
A student will be eligible for tuition under the Maine law only if, for the school year involved, the student’s parent or guardian with legal custody is a resident (as defined in residency definition below) of the Town of Carrabassett Valley (hereinafter “the Town”) meaning that the student’s parent or guardian(s) with legal custody actually lives in the Town during the school year.
RESIDENCY DEFINED
“Residency” is defined as actual residence in the Town where a person ordinarily and primarily sleeps, has meals, and conducts leisure activities throughout the school year more than 50% of the time. Any person can be a resident of only one location at any given time.
Ownership or rental of property alone does not establish residency. Evidence of residency may include address on driver’s license, registration of vehicles, voter registration, where a homestead exemption is claimed, mailing address, legal residence as stated on State and Federal tax returns, and days per week and weeks per year that parent(s) or guardian(s) is domiciled in the Town, but these individual factors will not control if the weight of evidence does not establish residency as defined above.
To be eligible for tuition payments, an Affidavit of Residency will be required for each student. The Carrabassett Valley School Committee (hereinafter the “Committee”) reserves the right to independently verify the residency of any parent/guardian or student. The parent(s) or guardian(s) with legal custody has the burden of proving residency. If the parent(s) or guardian(s) fails to produce evidence of residency requested by the Committee, the Committee may decline to pay tuition on behalf of the student(s).
TUITION AND DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Grades Pre-K-8
Students in grades Pre-K-8 (who meet age requirements of the law) may attend a school of their choosing that is approved by the Maine State Department of Education, if the student meets the admission requirements of the receiving school. At the time of this writing, transportation is provided to Kingfield Elementary School and to Stratton Elementary School. K – 8 Transportation offerings are subject to demand and budget constraints.
Students who are in 7th or 8th grade may choose to attend Carrabassett Valley Academy (hereinafter “the Academy”) if they meet the Academy’s admission requirements.
The Committee will pay tuition as specified in any contractual agreement between the Carrabassett Valley School Committee and the receiving school. In the event that there is no agreement between the Committee and the receiving school, the Committee shall pay the State Mandated Tuition Rate, plus the Insured Value Factor for private schools. Any tuition required beyond these amounts are the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the student.
Grades 9-12
Students in grades 9-12 may attend a school of their own choosing that is approved by the Maine State Department of Education, if the student meets the admission requirements of the receiving school. At the time of this writing, transportation is provided to Mt. Abram High School. Transportation offerings are subject to demand and budget constraints.
The Committee will pay tuition as specified in any contractual agreement between the Carrabassett Valley School Committee and the receiving school. In the event that there is no agreement between the Committee and the receiving school, the Committee shall pay the State Mandated Tuition Rate, plus the Insured Value Factor for private schools. Any tuition required beyond these amounts are the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the student.
PROOF OF RESIDENCY AND ENROLLMENT
Students Already Enrolled in School
Parents are required to complete an Affidavit of Residency each school year that they have a child enrolled in school even if a child is not changing schools.
Whenever a student seeks to change schools during the school year, a new Carrabassett Valley Student Registration Form must be filled out at the Town Office. The Superintendent’s approval must be granted before the Committee will assume financial responsibility for the student’s tuition.
New Students
New residents with school age children and residents with children who are using Town-funded educational services for the first time must register their children at the Town Office and receive Superintendent approval prior to enrolling their child in school. At the time of registration at the Town Office, the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must:
The Carrabassett Valley Superintendent will review the Affidavit of Residency and the parent’s school choice, and will notify the parent(s) or guardian(s) in writing upon approval of his/her decision as to whether the Committee will accept responsibility to pay associated tuition and approval of the schools to be attended. Parent(s) or guardian(s) must not assume the Committee will pay their child(ren)’s tuition until they have received written notification from the Superintendent.
This Policy was adopted: May 19, 1997
Revised: September 15, 2021
- Last Update
- September 21, 2022