Matt Keenan
In the Chicago area, there is enormous pressure for parents to find good school alternatives for their children. Some parents resort to a form of deception in order to insure that their child goes to a suburban school. Suburban school districts are well aware of this deception and are always looking to rid themselves of nonresident students. But sometimes, the school district makes a mistake. A legitimate resident may be told that their child can no longer attend school in their district. Worse yet, the school may present the parent with a tuition bill.
In Illinois, a child has a right to attend school tuition free in the district where his or her parent(s) reside. The child can attend school in another district if the child lives in that district for a reason other than attending school.
If you have received a notice from your school district that your child is not a resident, feel free to contact me to discuss your options. In most cases, the school district must give you a hearing. I strongly recommend that you retain legal counsel for this hearing since unrepresented parents can find themselves walking into a trap. Often, a parent contacts me after the hearing when it is too late for me to help, and you can no longer present favorable evidence.
I can help you by presenting your situation in its most favorable light at hearing within the rules of school residency law. At times, I have been able to work with the district to have the residency challenge dismissed before a hearing. At other times, I have helped negotiate a settlement.
See our related blog: Why You Need An Attorney for a School Residency Hearing.
See also: The Importance of the Hearing in a School Residency Case and Your Child’s Messy Room May Help Prove School Residency.
