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District steps up residency checks for cyber-charter students after staff flag potential overpayments
Summary
District staff described a new residency-verification effort for students enrolled in cyber charter schools, noting the district pays roughly $15,000 per general-education cyber student and uses a vendor (Clear) plus field checks to confirm residency when records or addresses appear invalid.
District staff told the committee they have increased residency verification for students enrolled in cyber charter schools after finding instances where students listed with a cyber charter did not appear to live within the city. Staff said the district pays approximately $15,000 per general-education cyber student (roughly $30,000 for special-education placements) and must pursue recovery when the student is not a city resident.
The district purchased a verification tool called Clear to validate addresses, but staff said that automated checks do not replace fieldwork: visits sometimes show vacant lots, abandoned buildings, or no one present at the listed address. Staff described the process of sending attendance officers and school police to verify residency and said additional paperwork is required to pursue reimbursement when overpayment is suspected. The district also noted the administrative burden of annual charter renewals and regional charter authorizations when multiple districts share oversight.
The report emphasized that when a student is legitimately homeless, McKinney–Vento protections apply and the district will document eligibility rather than pursue recovery. Staff asked the board to note the resource intensity of verification and the need to recover funds where appropriate.
