Registration
Central Registration Office 203-235-1507 | Registration@meridenk12.org
165 Miller St. 1st Floor Hours | Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Registration appointment times may differ from office hours.
**Important Registration Information**
***In order for your child to begin school, registration needs to be completed. Being fully registered means that no required registration documentation is missing and all required medical documentation has been provided to the Meriden Health Department in order for your child to be medically cleared to enter the school.
Children who are born in 2018 or January 1, 2019, are eligible to start Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year.
Welcome to the Meriden Public Schools
We are excited to welcome you and your family into our school community. The Meriden Public Schools are committed to ensuring that every child residing within the school district is registered for school, including students who are homeless, have recently immigrated from other countries, and/or speak limited English.
Assignment of students to elementary, middle, and high school follows Board Policy 5040.
Elementary
Students are assigned to an elementary school of the designated school attendance area in which the parent/guardian resides.
Middle School
Middle school students have the opportunity to participate in a lottery for school assignment each year. Current students in Grade 5 who do not participate in the lottery are assigned to the designated school attendance area where the parent/guardian resides. Once a student is placed in a middle school through the lottery, the student shall continue in attendance through the middle school grades. Students who would like a change in school assignment may participate in the lottery for the coming year. Placement is based on enrollment numbers. New students will be placed at one of our three middle schools based on availability.
High School
Students are assigned to a high school of the designated school attendance area in which the parent/guardian resides.
Please be sure to read all of the information below before going to the online registration link. Understanding this information will provide clarification and minimize any confusion in the enrollment process.
New Student Registration
Registration is for incoming Kindergarten through 12th grade students who are new to our district. This includes students that have previously attended a Meriden Public School, withdrew to another school district, and are returning to Meriden. In addition, 3 and 4 year old children who have been found eligible for our PRIDE (Preschoolers Receiving Individualized Developmentally-appropriate Education) Program and those attending a magnet school for Preschool are registered as students in the Meriden Public Schools.
Kindergarten Registration Information
In the Meriden Public Schools, children who are born in 2018 or January 1, 2019, are eligible to start Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year. Proof of age must be provided at time of registration.
Middle School Lottery/Placement
School Assignment for Middle Schools (Policy 5040)
Middle school students have the opportunity to participate in a lottery for school assignment each year. Students who do not participate in the lottery are assigned to the school of the designated school attendance area where their parent/guardian resides. Once admitted to a school through the lottery, students shall continue in attendance in that school through the middle school grades, subject to their right to participate in the lottery for school assignment for the coming year. Students seeking to enroll in middle school after school is out for the summer will be assigned for the coming year to the middle school that best serves the district’s interests (e.g., space available, resources) as determined by the Superintendent. Once assigned, such students shall continue in attendance in that school through the middle school grades, subject to their right to participate in the lottery for school assignment for the coming year.
Residency / Age Requirements
No child shall be enrolled in school until the criteria of age and residency are met. Residency forms must be completed and verified before a student is admitted. The burden of proof in determining residency shall be on the party claiming residency. Without proof of residency, the registration process cannot be completed.
Steps to Register your Child
Step 1 - Gather all required documentation.
Compile all of the required documentation in order to make sure you have everything so the registration process will go smoothly and efficiently. This will prevent any unnecessary follow-ups or delays in the student’s registration. Please consider using this checklist to track the documents you need to collect. You will need the following;
- Proof of Residency Documents (see below for accepted proof)
- Parent or legal guardian's Photo ID
- Guardianship papers (if applicable)
- Child's long form birth certificate (birth certificate card is not acceptable)
- Most recent physical and immunization records (Kindergarten, grades 7 & 10 and out of state physicals have date requirements. Please contact the Meriden Health Department for further information.)
- Special Education Records (if applicable ie: IEP, 504 plan, evaluations, etc.)
- New 9th Grade High School Registration need to provide their 8th grade report card when registering for the start of the school year.
- High School Registrations; Withdrawal paperwork from previous school; transcripts; current schedule (if transferring during the school year).
Accepted Proof of Residency Documents
These documents can be uploaded once you begin the online registration process. If they are not uploaded, you must bring them with you to your registration appointment. We require one document from Category A and one document from Category B.
Current is defined as within the last 60 days from the date of the appointment. All documents from both categories must have a matching address of listed residence. Pictures of envelopes with the address of listed residence are not acceptable. If you are unsure whether you have the appropriate documents to register your child for school within the Meriden Public School District or you need additional information, please contact the Central Registration Office for assistance.
| Category A | Category B |
| Deed to home | Current Utility Bill (Electricity, Gas, Oil, Cable) |
| Current Mortgage Bill | Automobile Insurance |
| Homeowner's Property Tax Statement | Current bank or credit card statement |
| Most recent quarterly City Water Bill | Current Pay Stub or Paycheck |
| Mortgage Closing Statement | |
| Valid Rental Agreement/Lease | |
| Homeowner's or Renter's Insurance Policy | |
| (Policy must be valid and up to date.) |
If you have recently moved and have not yet received an electricity bill, you can contact Eversource at 800-286-2000 and ask the billing department to email you a Service Verification Letter. This letter will suffice for a Category B Proof of Residency document if you have not yet received your first electricity bill.
If a rental agreement or lease is not available, a Residency Declaration Form must be completed by the landlord affirming tenancy and a copy of a current rent payment is needed. Documentation from Category B will still be required. Below are links to the form.
Residency Declaration Form Formulario de Declaración de Residencia
Other living situations
If you do not own home or rent an apartment and are living with a Meriden resident, an Affidavit #2 Form will need to be completed by the Meriden resident. In addition to this form, we will need the Proof of Residency Documents mentioned above in the Meriden resident’s name. Below are links to the form.
Affidavit #2 (English) Affidavit #2 (Español)
If your child is living with a Meriden resident and you are residing at a different location, an Affidavit #3 Form will be needed. This affidavit will need to be notarized. In addition to this form, we will need the Proof of Residency Documents in the Meriden resident’s name. Below are links to the form.
Affidavit #3 (English) Affidavit #3 (Español)
You can obtain any of the mentioned forms by clicking on the links provided or by contacting the Central Registration Office via phone at 203-235-1507.
If you have other living situations not described above and are not sure what documents you will need, please contact the Central Registration Office.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was created to reduce barriers that have prevented many homeless youth from enrolling, attending and succeeding in school. It defines “homeless children and youth” as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term includes children and youth who are:
- Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, fleeing an abuser, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as a double-up)
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, bus or train station, or camping ground due to lack of alternative adequate accommodation
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned in hospitals; or similar settings
Step 2 - Fill out online registration application.
All eligible students must have their registration information submitted online. There will be a link below to start the online registration. There are required fields that must be filled out before moving one page to the next. You will be able to save your information and return if needed. If you have more than one child that needs to be registered, you must complete a registration for each child. After you complete the first child’s registration, it will give you the option to fill out another child’s registration or schedule an appointment.
The online registration information can be filled out using a smartphone. If you feel more comfortable using a computer and do not have access to one please visit the Meriden Public Library at 105 Miller St. If you do not have a Meriden Public Library card, a guest pass can be provided at the library to be able to use the computer.
Step 3 - Schedule an office appointment online. Registrations are by appointment only.
After completing the application for your child’s online registration, you will be given an opportunity while online to make an appointment to complete the process at the Central Registration Office. Appointments are available in 20-minute increments. If you are registering multiple children, we ask that you schedule an appointment for each child. Please arrive on time. If you arrive too late to an appointment, you may be asked to reschedule. We may have multiple appointments and one late appointment will create a delay in the schedule for others.
Language Testing
Some students may require a language dominance test after the registration has been reviewed. If so, you will be contacted by the Office of Bilingual Education to set up an appointment for you to bring your child in for the test. We will do our best to coordinate this appointment with your Central Registration appointment and your Clinic appointment if at all possible. For questions about the Bilingual Education Program, please call 203-630-4192.
Online Registration Link
Click on the appropriate link below to begin the registration process
Children who are born in 2018 or January 1, 2019, are eligible to start Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year.
2023-2024 School Year Online Registration Links
- Online Registration Link (English) for 2023-2024 School Year, which begins on August 30, 2023
- Registro en línea (español) para el año escolar 2023-2024 que comienza el 30 de agosto de 2023
Our office is located on the first floor of 165 Miller Street. If you have any questions, you can contact the Central Registration Office via phone at 203-235-1507 or via email at Registration@meridenk12.org.
Medical Registration Requirements
Before admission to the Meriden Public Schools, each parent or guardian must give proof of a recent physical examination and immunization records for their student by a physician and contain all the pertinent information that is on the State of Connecticut blue Health Assessment Record. Students entering Kindergarten need a phyical examination within 12 months before the first day of school. Students entering 7th or 10th grade need a physical examination within the 18 months preceding the first day of school. Any student new to the State of Connecticut will need a current physical exam. All new students entering the Meriden Public Schools shall be required to be immunized against poliomyelitis, mumps, measles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and rubella in accordance with administrative regulations and state law.
Incoming Kindergarten students and students transferring from out of the state need to provide their immunization records and a physical dated within the last twelve months of their first entry into the district.
For specific questions about health requirements for entry into the Meriden Public Schools, please contact the Meriden Health Department. The clinic's phone number is 203-630-4234.
