Jennifer Gonzalez-Morales, MSW
Manager of McKinney-Vento Student Services
Send Jennifer Gonzalez-Morales an Email
(413) 512-5308

Alessandra Graziani
Director of Special Education Compliance
Send Alessandra Graziani an Email
(413) 224-8411

All children have a right to public education. Some children experience barriers to accessing education as a result of always being on the move or having high mobility. The Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA, ensures unique education rights for highly mobile students, including students experiencing housing instability, students placed in foster care/homes, students of migrant workers, and military-connected students.  ESSA extends specific educational rights to these highly mobile students to ensure educational stability and their opportunity to succeed in school.   The Massachusetts Valor Act of 2012, establishes participation in the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission.  The Massachusetts Valor Act of 2012  ensures assistance with transitions for timely enrollment, placement, eligibility, on-time graduation, and attendance.  Maintaining school stability is a significant part of a child’s life. 

Student Enrollment 
All school-aged children who reside in the town will be entitled to attend the public schools, as will certain children who do not reside in the town but who are enrolled under District policies relating to nonresident students through the School Choice program or by specific action of the School Committee.

Every student seeking admission to school for the first time must present a birth certificate or equivalent proof of age acceptable to the Student Enrollment Services and proof of vaccinations and immunizations as required by the State and the District. Proof of residency and legal guardianship will also be required by the school administration.  (See below for exceptions to these documentation requirements). 

Families registering students in Holyoke Public Schools must submit proof of residency to demonstrate they reside in Holyoke (unless they are applying through the School Choice program) . “Residency” is defined as the place where a person has his/her permanent home. For minor children, this is presumed to be the legal residence of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who has physical custody of the minor child. By providing residency information and the required documentation, parent(s)/legal guardian(s) certify this is the address where the child engages in most of his family and social life during the entire week. The district reserves the right to verify residency through the District personnel or the Holyoke Police Department.

For families who have submitted a Caregiver Authorization Affidavit (based on M.G.L. c.201F), the authorizing party understands that a caregiver affidavit cannot be used solely for the purpose of attendance at a particular school, to circumvent any state or federal law, or to re-confer rights to a caregiver from whom those rights have been removed by a court of law.

Advance enrollment for pre-k and kindergarten students will take place starting in March. Pre-K and other special programs have limited capacity as well as particular eligibility requirements and application procedures.

All public schools in the Commonwealth shall admit students without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. This includes, but is not limited to, regional vocational-technical schools, and elementary, secondary, trade, and selective academic high schools.

1. No school shall discourage in any express or implied manner, applicants for admission because of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. Written materials used by a school to recruit students shall not contain references suggesting the predominant sex of the students presently enrolled or the anticipated sex of the students to be recruited. Reference to only one sex in the name of schools, programs, or activities shall not be retained.

2. The national citizenship of any applicant shall not be a criterion for admission to any public school nor shall national citizenship be a factor in the assignment or availability of courses of study or extracurricular activities.

3. Any standards used as part of the admissions process to any public school, including but not limited to testing, the use of recommendations, and interviewing, shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. Limited English-speaking ability shall not be used as a deterrent to or limitation on admissions.

4. If admission to any school, including but not limited to selective academic high schools, regional vocational-technical schools, and trade schools, is dependent upon the participation or completion of courses or programs which were previously limited to students of one sex, or if close scrutiny reveals that access mechanisms or other administrative arrangements have limited the opportunities of any racial, ethnic or religious group of students to participate in such programs, then such criteria must be abolished.

5. Nothing in 603 CMR 26.00 shall be construed as to control the interpretation of or interfere with the implementation of St. 1965, c. 641, as amended by St, 1974, c. 636, providing for the elimination of racial imbalance in public schools, all rules and regulations promulgated in respect thereto and all court and administrative decisions construing or relating thereto.

Assignment of Students to Schools

• Entrance Age:

  • A child must be at least three years old to enter a Pre-K program.

  • A child must be five years old by September 1st to enter Kindergarten.

• New students entering HPS in grades PK-8 will be assigned to schools based on designated School Attendance Zones.

• Students who leave and re-enter during the school year will be assigned to their Attendance Zone School upon re-entry.

• The Pupil Services and Special Education Department will assign new or re-entering students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for special education services to schools.

Documents Required to Enroll Your Student (All Grades)

• Enrollment form filled out and submitted on www.enrollholyoke.com

• Proof of Child’s Age (e.g. birth certificate, passport)

• Immunization records

• Lead Test (Required for kindergarten and preschool enrollment)

• Child’s physical health exam (within the last 12 months)

• Parent/Guardian Photo ID: valid driver’s license, MA ID, passport, etc.

• 2 Proofs of address in Holyoke, including 1 from EACH category:

  • Evidence of Residency: Mortgage statement, signed lease, etc.

  • Evidence of Occupancy: Utility bill in your name dated within 60 days

If Applicable:

• Special Education Documentation (copy of IEP or 504 plan)

• Legal Guardianship Documentation

• Proof that adult is seeking guardianship (copy of petition form for guardianship)

School Attendance Zones

Students entering HPS in Grades K-8 will be assigned to schools based on the Attendance Zone where they reside. Any student who leaves and re-enters HPS will be assigned to a school based on the Attendance Zone they reside in at the time of re-entry.  A new address may mean a new Attendance Zone School assignment. 

Transfers between School Attendance Zones due to Change of Address

1. If you change addresses during the school year, you will need to transfer to the school in your new attendance zone and submit proof of residence for your new address at the Enrollment Center. The Enrollment Center is located at 57 Suffolk Street on the first floor.  If you are interested in remaining in your old attendance zone school, you will need to fill out a zone appeal application, which can be found at www.enrollholyoke.com or by calling the Enrollment Center at 413.534.2000.  

School Choice

1. All school-age children who live in Massachusetts are entitled to attend a public school free of charge. Most children attend school in their home district, which is the school district in which they live. The School Choice Program at Holyoke Public Schools (HPS) allows parents an opportunity to have their children attend our schools while residing in a surrounding town. This program is made possible by the provisions of the M.G.L. Chapter 76: Section 12, otherwise known as the “School Choice Law, which allows HPS to claim a tuition reimbursement from the home district of every student enrolled in the program. As a result, HPS is able to have additional resources to better serve all students in our district.  If a student currently attending HPS moves to a surrounding town and wants to continue attending Holyoke Public Schools, the family must complete a School Choice application and submit it for approval. If the application is approved, parents/guardians are responsible for transporting their students to school on time every day.  

2. It is the policy of this School District to admit non-resident students under the terms and conditions of the inter-district School Choice Law (M.G.L. 76:12) and under the following local conditions:

   1. By May 1 of every school year, the administration will determine the number of spaces in each school available to School Choice students.

   2. That by June 1 of every school year, if consideration is being given to withdraw from the provisions of the School Choice law, a public meeting will be held to review this decision.

   3. That the selection of non-resident students for admission be in the form of a random drawing when the number of requests exceeds the number of available spaces. 

   4. Any student who is accepted for admission under the provisions of this policy is entitled to remain in the District until graduation from high school except if there is a lack of funding of the program.

   5. The District affirms its position that it shall not discriminate in the admission of any child on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, ancestry, athletic performance, physical handicap, special need, academic performance or proficiency in the English language.

3. LEGAL REFS.:  M.G.L. 71:6; 71:6A; 76:6; 76:12; 76:12B.