Residency Verification
Massachusetts General Law requires that all students attending public school must attend a school in the town where they reside. Fairhaven participates in School Choice, which allows students who reside outside of Fairhaven to attend Fairhaven Public Schools if accepted through that program. All other students must reside in the Town of Fairhaven to attend Fairhaven Public Schools.
“Residence” is defined as the place where a person lives. As stated in policy JCBA-Student Residence, the Fairhaven School Committee reserves the right to require a variety of records and documentation as well as the right to investigate where a student resides.
Do I Need to Verify My Residency?
Residency verification is required in one of two situations: during New Student Registration or as part of the Annual Residency Verification process for certain returning students.
New Student Registration
Who: All students enrolling in Fairhaven Public Schools for the first time, including those accepted through School Choice.
When: During the Online New Student Registration process.
How: Complete the Residency Statement and upload the required residency documents as part of your online registration.
School Choice Students
If your student has been accepted through School Choice, complete residency verification with Fairhaven Public Schools using your current non-Fairhaven residential address.
Fairhaven High School Students Enrolling from Acushnet
Students attending Fairhaven High School through the Acushnet tuition agreement complete residency verification with the Town of Acushnet and should not submit residency documentation to Fairhaven Public Schools.
Annual Residency Verification
Each spring (typically late March through April), certain returning students are required to verify residency again.
Who:
- Students entering Kindergarten, Grade 6, or Grade 9
- Students registered under a Resident Affidavit or Landlord Affidavit (required annually)
- Students planning to attend Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School or Bristol County Agricultural High School
How: Complete the Proof of Residency Form in Aspen using the instructions below.
What Documents Do I Need?
Whether you are registering a new student or completing Annual Residency Verification, you must submit one document from each of the following columns:
- Column A – Evidence of Residency
- Column B – Evidence of Occupancy
- Column C – Evidence of Identification (Photo ID)
Note: If the student's Residency Type is Owner, a Resident or Landlord Affidavit is not required — see Column A below for details.
Provide one of the following documents that corresponds to the student's physical address residency type:
- Owners: a recent mortgage statement or property tax bill in the parent/guardian's name.
- Renters: a notarized Landlord Affidavit, completed by the landlord, along with the landlord's mortgage statement or property tax bill.
- Living with a resident: a notarized Resident Affidavit, completed by the resident (e.g. the homeowner), along with that resident's mortgage statement or property tax bill.
A bill dated within the past 60 days showing the parent/guardian's name and physical address. Accepted documents:
- Gas Bill
- Excise Tax Bill
- Cable Bill
- House Phone Bill (cell phone bills are not accepted)
- Car Insurance Bill
- Health Insurance Statement with address
- Valid Driver's License or other valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID of all parent(s)/guardian(s) with whom the student resides
Annual Residency Verification Instructions (Returning Students)
These instructions apply only to families completing the annual Proof of Residency Form in Aspen. If you are a new student or School Choice family, use the Online Registration Page above instead.
This process must be completed on the full Aspen website using a computer (not the mobile site). If you do not have access to a computer, please contact your student's school for assistance.
STEP 1
Sign In to Your Aspen Account
If you've forgotten your login details or are unsure of your Aspen account information, refer to the guide on How to Recover Your Aspen Login ID and Password.
STEP 2
Initiate the Proof of Residency Form
On the Aspen home page, locate the Proof of Residency form in the right-hand column and click “Initiate.”
A pop-up window will appear with your student(s) name(s). If you have multiple students who require proof of residency, you will need to complete the form for each student individually, one at a time. If your student(s) name is not listed, please contact [email protected].
STEP 3
Complete the Proof of Residency Form
Use the guide below for step-by-step instructions on completing the form and uploading required documents in Aspen.
Once all sections are complete, submit the form for school review. If there are any issues with the information or documents provided, school staff will contact you directly.