Residency Verification Frequently Asked Questions

• The law does not apply to:
  • Learners who are experiencing homelessness
  • Families who completed a change of address on or after November 1, 2025
  • Families who enrolled in CCA on or after November 1, 2025

• The new law states that, in addition to providing a valid proof of address at the time of enrollment, families need to verify residency by March 1 and November 1 of each school year.
• Residency is verified by completing an Address Verification Form (1 per household) and a Charter Form (1 per student).
• The Address Verification Form will instruct you to upload a proof of residence document.
• If you have questions or need assistance, please contact: [email protected]

• The Charter School Enrollment Form was developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to communicate with school districts about a resident student’s decision to attend a charter school. This form collects key information about the student, the name and address of their parent or guardian, and the name of their local school district. The form must be signed by the parent or guardian and submitted to the local school district.
• A separate Charter Form is required for each student in the household.

• A proof of residence, also called proof of address, is a document that verifies a student’s primary residence. This information determines which local school district is responsible for paying the student’s tuition to a charter school.
• Only one (1) proof of residence per household is required.

• The new law now determines what documents can be submitted as proof of residence. You need to submit only one (1) of these documents per household. The document must include the primary caretaker’s name and address. The following documents are acceptable:
  • Currently active signed lease agreement (all pages)
  • Mortgage statement (less than three months old)
  • Bank statement (less than three months old)
  • Utility bill (natural gas, water, electricity, or internet) (less than three months old)
  • Tax bill (less than three months old)
  • Insurance document (less than three months old)
  • Valid vehicle registration
  • Valid driver’s license or Pennsylvania Department of Transportation identification card
  • A letter or document sent by the federal or state government, such as benefits information, voter registration, or tax documents.

• CCA’s system for collecting proof of residence is secure, but we understand concerns about sending personal information. Account numbers and financial information can be redacted (blacked out with a marker). It is only necessary to see the date and the primary caretaker’s name and address.

• Potentially. The new law limits the types of documents that can be submitted as proof of residence. You may not be able to use what you provided previously.

• If the requirement applies to you, you will receive an email from CCA that will take you to the Address Verification Form and Charter Form.
• We realize that the upcoming March 1 deadline is challenging, and CCA is not holding families to a strict March 1, 2026, deadline.

• Your school district may continue to contact you and insist upon submission.
• CCA will not withdraw students who do not provide proof of address; however, it is possible that school districts will refuse to pay tuition, making it more difficult for CCA to get the resources it needs.
• As we learn more about the implications of not submitting proof of residence, CCA may implement additional measures to ensure compliance.

• If your local school district contacts you separately and requests residency documentation, please provide the completed form and proof of residency directly to the district as well.

• CCA cannot prevent a school district from doing an in-person residency check. However, following CCA’s process will ensure that districts receive the appropriate address verification, so additional residency checks should be unnecessary.

• Your local school district may not do the following:
  • Force CCA to withdraw a student
  • Make you responsible for tuition payments to CCA
  • Require multiple address documents or forms of address that are not listed as acceptable proof of residence
  • Require you to meet with them to provide your proof of address
  • Require you to participate in their district’s cyber option instead of CCA
  • Demand IEP information
  • Prohibit a students from attending their district school while they are waiting for their CCA enrollment date, resulting in unexcused absences

By following CCA’s address verification process, your district will receive a completed and signed charter form. If your district has decided to run its own address verification process, they may ask you to complete a duplicate form. You should complete the charter school section on the form they give you with the following information and send it directly to the district per their guidance:

• School name: Commonwealth Charter Academy
• Address: 1 Innovation Way, Harrisburg, PA, 17110
• Contact name: Enrollment Team
• Phone: 844-590-2864
• Email: [email protected]

As of March 11, 2026, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has updated its requirements, so it is no longer necessary to get CCA’s signature before sending the form back to your district. If your local district has provided you with a form, you can complete it with the information above, and the district can sign it when it is received.

We realize these extra steps are a significant inconvenience for families and we are doing our best to improve our process to make it as easy as possible to comply with this new law.

Have one acceptable proof of residence ready to upload per household. This document must show the primary caretaker’s name and address. THE LIST OF ACCEPTABLE PROOFS OF RESIDENCY DOCUMENTS IS ON THE FORM LINKED BELOW.

• • Click HERE to complete the Charter School Enrollment Form and upload your documentation.
  • Click HERE to view a brief video that shows how to complete the form.