Residency Requirements for Enrollment

Residency Requirements

To attend Somerville Public Schools, a student must live in the City of Somerville. Residency means the place where a student and their family live permanently and maintain their home, not a temporary address used only for attending school. A child’s residence is generally considered to be the home of their parent(s) or guardian(s) with physical custody, unless there is evidence that the child lives elsewhere.

Families enrolling a child in Somerville Public Schools or reporting a change of address must provide proof of Somerville residency by submitting one document from each of the two required residency categories. The district may request additional documentation or verify residency at any time, including during the school year. Families who move must notify their child’s school immediately and provide updated residency documentation if requested.

Residency Affidavit forms:

Required Documentation

Enrollment Checklists

Click on the 2025–2026 link in your preferred language: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Chinese, or Arabic. The second page of the document lists the items you will need to present to the Enrollment Office in order to enroll your child in Somerville Public Schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

The proof of residency requirements do not apply to students who qualify under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act . Contact Regina Bertholdo, McKinney Vento Homeless Education Liaison at 617-625-6600 ext. 6994, for assistance, if you believe that you qualify as homeless under the Act.  If you are staying in a shelter, bring a letter from the shelter staff stating that you are living there.

If you are a tenant without a written lease (also known as a month-to-month or tenant-at-will arrangement), you and your landlord must complete and notarize a Landlord/Shared Tenancy Affidavit. The completed affidavit, along with proof of a recent rent payment or a utility bill in the landlord’s or leaseholder’s name, satisfies the residency verification requirement. Families who need assistance with notarization can contact the Enrollment Office to schedule an appointment for support.

You may present a copy of a money order, canceled check, or rent receipt. You also may present a copy of a bank statement that shows an automatic deduction for rent payment.

If you no longer pay a mortgage on your home, you must submit a copy of the property deed, or  a copy of the discharge of the mortgage. Contact the financial institution that handles your mortgage or the Middlesex County Registry of Deeds. This will satisfy your proof of residency requirement for the Proof of Residency column (see list at the bottom of this page.)

If you do not pay utilities then you may submit another Proof of Occupancy listed on the residency requirement document.

To fulfill the requirements of the proof of occupancy column, you may submit a work order from any utility company stating that your service has been ordered or installed.

If you share housing with a friend or relative, you may use the landlord/shared tenancy residency affidavit to fulfill the proof of residency requirement. This form is available by visiting or calling the Enrollment Office and it can be downloaded from the top of this page. Ask your friend or relative to complete and sign the affidavit to affirm your residence.

Families, staff, students, and others can report possible residency violations by calling the Supervisors of Attendance, 617-625-6600 x6857 or x6854.

Any student who is discovered not to reside in the City of Somerville will be dismissed from SPS. Additional penalties – including fines and legal action – may be imposed on families found to be in violation of the residency policy.