Ohio Connections Academy Enrollment Checklist for the 2020-21 School Year

Do you have everything you need? Because Connections Academy is a public school, parents must submit state-required information and documentation for each student. You will save time and enrollment will go more smoothly if you are prepared!

Use the Enrollment Checklist below to gather the documents you will need. The checklist lists your state's requirements, plus tips to help you find documents you may not have. Once you have your documents ready, it’s easy to create an account and complete the enrollment forms in Connexus^®, our online system.

Eligibility Requirements

You must meet specific state and program requirements to attend Ohio Connections Academy, an online school in Ohio. Student eligibility requirements in Ohio are determined by the Ohio Council of Community Schools, which is the authorizing body for Ohio Connections Academy. Before enrolling, review the eligibility requirements carefully to determine whether your student(s) is eligible to participate in grades K–12.

Students who are suspended or expelled from their current school are not eligible to enroll.

A copy of a proof of age document for each child must be provided to verify age eligibility. We can accept:

• Official birth certificate
• Passport

To avoid unnecessary delays, provide a copy of this document along with your other enrollment documents.

Not Sure Where to Get That?

• If you need a copy of your child's birth certificate, you can order it online through the Ohio Department of Health. Please visit the Ohio Department of Health for more information.
• If your child was born in another state, please visit the CDC’s Where to Write for Vital Records webpage for more information. When using this tool, please remember to follow the CDC's Application Guidelines.
• Have questions about your U.S. passport? Visit the U.S. Department of State FAQs page.

As a reminder, the age eligibility is as follows:

• Kindergarten: Any student enrolling in kindergarten must be five (5) years old on or before August 1 in the school year in which they are enrolling.
• First Grade: Any student enrolling in first grade must be six (6) years old on or before September 30 in the school year in which they are enrolling.
• Maximum Age: Any student who turns twenty-two (22) years old on or before the first day of school will not be eligible to enroll in Ohio Connections Academy.

According to the Ohio Connections Academy Proof of Residency Policy, you must reside in the State of Ohio and provide acceptable proof of residency to be eligible for enrollment in Ohio Connections Academy.

Not Sure What is Accepted as Proof?

• Utility bill
  A gas, electric, water, sewage, home phone, cable, garbage/trash, or internet bill that is dated within 90 days of the enrollment date and that includes your name. *Please note: A disconnect, “final notice,” and shutoff notices are not acceptable.
• Mortgage statement from the last 90 days or lease agreement
• Rent receipt from the last 90 days 
• Property tax statement
• Voter registration card
• Bank statement from the last 90 days 
  
• Paycheck or paystub from the last 90 days 
• Letter from a government agency dated within 90 days

• If you do not have any of these documents, please contact the enrollment team at 800-382-6010 to discuss acceptable alternatives.

All Ohio Connections Academy students must provide evidence of their immunizations on either a state of Ohio official immunization form, the Connections Academy Immunization form, an official school record, a healthcare provider or Health Department printout, or an immunization booklet with all doses stamped or signed. These forms must be stamped or signed by a health care provider.

Not Sure What Immunizations Are Required?

According to the Ohio Department of Health, the Immunization Program seeks to prevent 17 vaccine-preventable diseases with currently available vaccines.

For a complete list of required vaccines please visit the Immunization Summary for School Attendance in Ohio page of the Ohio Department of Health website.

Where Can I Get Immunizations for My Student?

Immunizations can be obtained from doctor’s offices, clinics, or hospitals. Pediatricians and family doctors or their nurses or medical assistants can give your student the shots they need to meet the requirements for school enrollment. In addition, some large chain pharmacies offer immunizations for older children and adults.

What if I Need Assistance Paying for Vaccines?

If you need assistance paying for shots/vaccinations, you may be able to get free or reduced immunizations through this program:

• Vaccines for Children (VFC) program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. Children who are eligible for VFC vaccines are entitled to receive pediatric vaccines that are recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Immunization Exemptions

• Legal Immunization Exemption

A student may be exempt from immunizations for medical reasons, religious beliefs, or personal reasons. All exemptions require a signature and date on the Legal Immunization Exemption. Letters must be submitted each year.

• Religious Exemption: According to the state of Ohio, "A pupil who presents a written statement of his parent or guardian in which the parent or guardian objects to the immunization for good cause, including religious convictions, is not required to be immunized".
• Medical Exemption: According to the state of Ohio, "A child whose physician certifies in writing that such immunization against any disease is medically contraindicated is not required to be immunized against that disease."
• Personal Exemption: According to the state of Ohio, "A pupil who presents a written statement of his parent or guardian in which the parent or guardian objects to the immunization for good cause, including personal reasons, is not required to be immunized".

All students who have previously attended public school, private school, or homeschool are eligible to enroll and will be requested to submit academic records for placement.

• Report Card
  For students applying for grades K–9: Please submit a copy of the report card from the most recent school year.
  
  The following items should be included on the record card:
  • Student Name
  • Grade Level
  • School Year (example: 2019–20)
  • School Name
  • Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)
• Unofficial Transcript
  For students applying for grades 10–12: Submit an unofficial transcript that includes the complete end-of-year grades from the prior school year and any academic documentation (such as a progress report/interim report, class schedule, or marking period/semester report card) issued for the current school year. Additional documentation may be requested for placement.
  
  The following items should be included on the unofficial transcript:
  • Student Name
  • Grade Level
  • School Year (example: 2019–20)
  • School Name
  • Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)
  • Credits Earned

Not Sure How to Get Your Child’s Report Card or Transcript?

• Contact your student's previous school and request the document, providing them with the information outlined above, OR contact your school's district office with the request.

If after attempting these steps you still cannot obtain your student's report card or transcript, please contact the academic placement services team at 800-382-6010 to discuss acceptable alternatives.

Have Your Child(ren) Been Formerly Homeschooled?

• Prior Academic History Form
  For homeschooled students in grades K–12: Complete the Prior Academic History Form indicating what courses were completed through a homeschool curriculum. This form will be available to you in Connexus.

Ohio Connections Academy has a new regulatory requirement to have parents complete an Emergency Medical Authorization Form. This form enables parents and guardians to authorize the provision of emergency treatment for children who become ill or injured while under school authority, when parents or guardians cannot be reached. This form will be available to you in Connexus.

Other Documentation

You may need to provide additional documentation if any of the following circumstances apply:

• Custody order: If your legal guardianship is determined by a court order, please submit a copy of the order.
• State Testing Documentation: If your student is applying for fourth grade, the reading portion of the state assessment is used for promotion criteria and will be reviewed by an academic placement advisor during the course placement process. Please submit a copy of the results for this assessment to expedite your student’s course placement.

Ready to Enroll?

Once you have all of the required documentation (outlined above), you are ready to proceed with enrollment in Ohio Connections Academy.