Owning two homes in the county

[Anonymous]

We own two homes in Prince George's county - one that we'd like to live in and one where we'd like to enroll in the schools. Obviously, we would have to provide our own transportation, but what are the major risks/downsides if any? I was wondering at what grade the kids need to know and write their addresses?

[Anonymous]

I think you will be okay. I am not sure public schools even teach kids to write their addresses. If your kids are not already enrolled with address you are planning to use go on the website and make sure you have all the documents you need to use that address. If you have a tenant in that property, that could complicate things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you will be okay. I am not sure public schools even teach kids to write their addresses. If your kids are not already enrolled with address you are planning to use go on the website and make sure you have all the documents you need to use that address. If you have a tenant in that property, that could complicate things.

I will say that our public school in PG county is teaching kids to write their address in first grade. Not sure on all the residency stuff in terms of housing but their is an affidavit you have to sign and proof to provide for enrollment that was pretty intense.

[Anonymous]

APS teaches it in K. I wouldn't worry about it. You own the home and are paying taxes to the county. You have a right to go to that school.

[Anonymous]

you will need to prove you live in the home and in theory the primary residence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We own two homes in Prince George's county - one that we'd like to live in and one where we'd like to enroll in the schools. Obviously, we would have to provide our own transportation, but what are the major risks/downsides if any? I was wondering at what grade the kids need to know and write their addresses?

I'm not sure about other schools, but our ES staff really doesn't care where you live once you are enrolled at the school. The County cares and will occasionally do an audit which largely requires families to provide updated leases or shared housing affidavits. Home owners were not contacted when our school was audited.
I can't imagine that the teaching staff have the time to cross check your official address with what you child learns in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

When you go to the school to enroll your kids, you will be need show proof of residency -- typically the title of the home and utility bill with your name and address on it. I can't remember if you have to show anything more than that, such as tax return where you list primary residence.

[Anonymous]

We already have the kids enrolled in the school we like. Will they ask us to submit residency paperwork every year, or just the first year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We already have the kids enrolled in the school we like. Will they ask us to submit residency paperwork every year, or just the first year?

Just first year. We have had to show proof of residency each time our kids started at a new school (elem, middle, high) but only at the beginning of the first year at the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We already have the kids enrolled in the school we like. Will they ask us to submit residency paperwork every year, or just the first year?

Just first year. We have had to show proof of residency each time our kids started at a new school (elem, middle, high) but only at the beginning of the first year at the school.

As another person who owns two properties, you only have to show proof of residency once per school, but you do have to maintain a mailing address for official communication throughout your term in the school. So, after the first grade, they may not check proof of residency, but they will still send official mail to the address on record and you'll need to be able to receive mail within boundaries. If you only keep the second residence for the first year, and they send mail to your address in later years and the mail bounces or is returned to sender, then you'll get flagged and they may start an inquiry to determine if you still live in bounds for the school.

So, just make sure that you can somehow still receive mail at the inbounds address.

[Anonymous]

The only mail we get from PGCPS is the report card at the end of each school year and the postcard with the bus stop info. You can see both of those things on SchoolMax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only mail we get from PGCPS is the report card at the end of each school year and the postcard with the bus stop info. You can see both of those things on SchoolMax.

Yes, but if the report card gets returned to sender back to the county or school, then the school may start an investigation if you actually live at the listed address. If you have a way to get the mail from the school so that it does not get returned, then great. But all it takes is for mail forwarding to expire after about 6 months and then the mail to your name may get returned to sender. If that happens, your child could end up unregistered for their school mid year and not be allowed to return there. You would then have to enroll them in the school where you actually live.