Required Registration Documentation

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For most students, the final step in the new student registration process is to present required documentation to the school that your student will attend. We recommend that this be done after you have submitted the online registration form. Only the legal parent/guardian may register your child. It is not necessary for your child to be with you when you present the required registration documentation.

In order to finalize enrollment for a student, in addition to completing the online registration form, an Original Birth Certificate and Proof of Residency are required to be provided to the enrolling school. Additionally, prior to the first day of school attendance you must provide a Certificate of Immunizations signed by a doctor. A signed doctor's Physical Examination Report is also required for children entering Preschool and Elementary school (grades PK - 6). The Physical Examination must have been performed no more than one year prior to the student's first day of school attendance. If you have scheduled the student's Doctor Appointment, bring the Appointment Reminder Card dated on or before August 31, 2023. While not required, the physical form is recommended for students enrolling in one of our secondary schools (grades 7-12).

Schools will request educational records from previously attended schools. You may be asked to provide additional information (Individualized Education Plans, Medication Information, etc.) that would assist the school in providing the best educational environment for your child. In addition, parents/guardians of secondary school students may need to schedule an appointment to meet with a guidance counselor to plan course enrollment.

State Enrollment Requirements
In order to enroll a child in a public school system in Virginia, state law requires that only the legal Parent/Guardian may register the child and must provide the school with all of the following:

  • Original State/Military Birth Certificate
    • No Hospital Birth Certificates will be accepted
    • No copies of Birth Certificates will be accepted
  • Valid Picture ID for Parent/Guardian
  • Immunization Records (see Part II - Certificate of Immunization below)
  • Street Address (see Acceptable Proofs of Residency below)
  • School Entrance Health Form (4 pages) (Directions for Completing)
    • Part I - Health Information Form (Page 1)
      If you complete the online registration form, you do not need to complete Part I of the Virginia School Entrance Health Form as these questions are part of our online registration process.
    • Part II - Certificate of Immunization (Pages 2 and 3)
      A physician signed certificate of immunization is required before a student can attend school. If you have this documentation you can bring it with you when you present the birth certificate, otherwise it needs to be presented prior to the first day of school for your child.
    • Part III - Physical Exam Record (Page 4)
      A physician signed physical examination is required for all students in grades PK-5. If you have this documentation you can bring it with you when you present the birth certificate, otherwise it needs to be presented prior to the first day of school for your child. The physical examination must be performed no more than one year prior to the first day of school for your child.
  • Expulsion Statement (completed as part of the Online Registration Form)
  • Court Ordered Custody Documentation (if applicable)

Visit the Virginia Department of Education website for more detailed information about each of the above requirements.

Acceptable Proofs of Residency
At the time of registration, the parent or legal guardian (proof of guardianship required) must submit two Proofs of Residency in Portsmouth. Post Office boxes and Driver’s Licenses are not considered Proofs of Residency. Use the information below to determine what types of documents to bring with you to prove residency in Portsmouth.

If you own/lease your home:

  • Electric bill (within the past 30 days) and one of the following:
    • Deed
    • Monthly Mortgage Statement (within the past 30 days)
    • Residential Rental/Lease Agreement dated within the last year, showing the Name, Address, and Telephone

If you do NOT own/lease and your name does not appear on the mortgage/lease:

  • Notarized Letter from the Homeowner stating that You and Your Child live in their home
  • Homeowner's Electric bill (within the past 30 days) and one of the following:
    • Deed
    • Monthly Mortgage Statement (within the past 30 days)
    • Residential Rental/Lease Agreement dated within the last year, showing the Name, Address, and Telephone

Missing Required Registration Documents
If you are unable to produce any of the required documents listed above, please contact the school where your child will be registering for information about alternative documents that can be provided in lieu of the documents listed above.

Additional Registration Documents and Information
For links to additional documents related to the registration process, please visit our Additional Registration Information page.

Note: For assistance registering a child who was not born in the United States or speaks a language other than English, or if the documents needed for school registration were issued in a foreign country, contact the Gifted and Talented, Foreign Languages and English as a Second Language (ESL) Office at 757-393-8885.

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