Eligibility & Enrollment

Eligibility Criteria for Worcester County Public Schools

  1. A student under the age of 18 years is eligible to enroll in the Worcester County Public School system without payment of tuition if the student is domiciled with one or both parents or legal guardians and they maintain their principal residence and place of domicile in Worcester County. The legal guardian of a student for purposes of this policy is the person or persons who by court order have been granted and exercise actual, bona fide custody and control over the student.

  2. Parents or legal guardians of all students who enroll in the Worcester County Public Schools must present proof that they are domiciled in Worcester County. Copies of this documentation must be placed in the student's cumulative folder. Examples of acceptable documentation include, but are not limited to the following:

    • Valid Driver's license
    • Current property tax bill
    • Current rental lease
    • Current utility bill with name and address
    • A completed Affidavit of Disclosure form

  3. Student who is domiciled with a person other than a parent or legal guardian, and has been determined to be a bona fide resident of Worcester County by the Superintendent or designee, may enroll tuition free.

  4. A student 18 years of age or older is eligible to enroll in the Worcester County school system if the student maintains his/her principal residence and place of domicile in Worcester County.

  5. In cases where the principal residence and place of domicile of the parents or legal guardians of the student is, in the opinion of the Superintendent, uncertain, the parents or guardians may be required to complete an affidavit of disclosure as a precondition for enrollment of the student in the Worcester County Public School system. The purpose of the affidavit of disclosure is limited to ascertaining from the parents or guardians their legal residence and place of domicile and the duration of that residence. Parents or guardians who complete the affidavit of disclosure shall attest to the truth of the information in the affidavit by their signature which shall be witnessed by a person designated by the Superintendent.

  6. If it is determined that a student enrolled in Worcester County Public Schools is ineligible to attend, the student will be promptly disenrolled. If it is determined that enrollment of the student was obtained by misrepresentation of the principal residence and place of domicile of the parent or guardian, the parent or guardian will be charged the applicable tuition rate prorated for the period of time the student attended Worcester County Public Schools while ineligible to do so.

  7. Handicapped students are eligible to enroll in the Worcester County school system under the standard set forth in the Annotated Code of Maryland, as from time to time amended.

  8. Students placed in Worcester County residences by a state agency, a licensed child placement agency as provided by the Family Law Article, or a court in a county other than where the child's parent or legal guardian resides are eligible to enroll in the Worcester County Public School system as set forth in the Annotated Code of Maryland.

  9. Students who are determined to be homeless are eligible to enroll in the Worcester County Public Schools tuition free.

  10. The Board of Education recognizes that unusual and unique circumstances exist for individual students from time to time. The Superintendent may admit noneligible students, tuition free, on a year to year basis, when in his judgment compelling circumstances exist.