Alachua County Public Schools urges parents to register students as soon as possible

Although the school year doesn’t start again for students until Aug. 12, Alachua County Public Schools is urging parents to register their children now rather than waiting until just before or just after school starts.

The advice is aimed at the families of students who will be entering an Alachua County public school for the first time and those who have moved or will be moving to a new school zone within the district. Those students can be registered Monday through Thursday at local schools during the summer.

“Summer is the best time for families to register students for school,” said district spokesperson Jackie Johnson. “School staff have more time to help families who need assistance, and the wait time is much shorter than it will be as we get closer to the start of school.”

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District and school staff are hoping to reduce the last-minute registrations that make preparations for the upcoming school year more difficult. Without accurate information on the number of students who will be attending a school, what grades they are in and what courses and services they will need, scheduling and hiring are much more complicated.

Other disadvantages of late registration include delays in starting class and fewer course options, particularly in middle and high schools.

If a child will be entering an Alachua County public school for the first time, parents should go to their zoned school with documents including the child’s birth certificate, proof of a recent physical, proof of immunizations and two proofs of primary residence.

State law says schools must ask for a child’s Social Security card, but a card is not required for registration. Records from previous schools are useful, but not required.

Students who have moved to a different school zone within the county, will need to take just the two proofs of residence to the new school.

More information about enrolling in school, including the online registration form, is available at www.sbac.edu/enrollment.

Parents who aren’t sure which school their child is zoned for or who need more information can visit the district’s website at www.sbac.edu, contact the district’s zoning office at 352-955-7700 or email zoning@gm.sbac.edu.