Prepare for Enrollment

Enrollment Process

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Child's Proof of Age

A copy of one of the following documents must be provided for every student to verify age eligibility.

• Official birth certificate
• Passport
• Hospital certificate

Not Sure Where to Get That?

 

• If you need a copy of your child's birth certificate, you can order it online through the Texas Department of State Health Services. Please visit the Texas Vital Statistics webpage 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:

• Maximum Age: Any student who turns twenty-one (21) years old before September 1 will not be eligible to enroll in Texas Connections Academy.

Grade Limitations

Texas Connections Academy @ Houston offers grades 3-12.

Proof of Residence

A copy of one of the following documents must be provided to verify your legal residence. If you do not have any of these documents, please contact the enrollment team to discuss acceptable alternatives.

Not Sure What is Accepted as Proof?

 

• Utility bill Gas, electric, water, or sewage bill from the last 60 days that includes your name and service address.
• Mortgage statement from the last 60 days or an annual lease agreement.
• Rent receipt from the last 60 days
• Military orders

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

Child’s Proof of Immunization

All students in Texas Connections Academy @ Houston must provide evidence of their immunizations on either a State of Texas Official Immunization Form, Connections Academy Immunization Form (downloadable in Connexus) signed or stamped by a healthcare provider, 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.

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

Not Sure What Immunizations Are Required?

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

 

The state of Texas allows for medical, personal, and religious exemption

• Religious Exemption: Parents seeking exemption from immunizations for personal or religious reasons must request a vaccine exemption affidavit form in writing by mail, fax (512-776-7544) or via a secure online request form from the Department of State Health Services, Immunization Branch. This form must be notarized and expires 2 years from the date it is signed.
• Medical Exemption: Please use the Connections Academy Immunization Form (downloadable in Connexus), signed by a healthcare provider, or other documentation signed by a healthcare provider if requesting a medical exemption.

Caretaker Proof of Identity

A copy of the enrolling parent/guardian's government issued photo identification card which includes the parent/guardian's name and date of birth (e.g. driver's license, state ID, passport) must be submitted along with your enrollment documents.

Prior Academic Records

If your student meets one of these eligibility requirements, please be prepared to submit academic records for placement. These academic records include

• Report Card

For students applying for grades 3–9: Please submit a copy of the report card from the most recent school year.

The following items should be included on the report card:

• Student Name
• Grade Level
• School Year (example: 2020–21)
• 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: 2020–21)
• 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?

If your children are currently homeschooled, please complete the Prior Academic History Form. This document will be available to you in Connexus.

• Prior Academic History Form
  For homeschooled students in grades 3–12: Complete the Prior Academic History Form indicating what courses were completed through a homeschool curriculum. This form will be available to you in Connexus.
• Credit By Exam Scores
  If your student is applying for high school, in addition to the Prior Academic History Form, your student will need to submit a Credit By Exam score for each course in which the student would like to receive prior credit. For more information on this requirement, please review the school handbook supplement.

Other Documents for Special Circumstances

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.
• Special Education Documentation: In the state of Texas, Connections Academy operates in partnership with the Houston Independent School District (HISD), which serves as our special education manager. Special Education staff at Texas Connections Academy review all special education documentation during the enrollment process. In general, students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) must be working on grade level and require minimal support or services in order to be eligible for enrollment. TCAH does not have an alternative curriculum. If your student has had an Individualized Education Program (IEP) within the past three years, please submit the following documents:
  • Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD): Please submit a copy of the most recent ARD from within the last year.
  • Evaluation Report: Please submit the signed Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) and all eligibility reports that were completed within the last three years. The evaluation report must be current for the semester in which the student is applying to enroll.
• Additional Special Education Documentation:
  • ARD Exit Documentation: If your student has been formally exited from special education services, please submit a copy of the formal exit documentation.
• Section 504 Plan: If your student has had a Section 504 plan within the past three years, please submit a copy of this document.
• ELL: If your student is an English Language Learner, providing a copy of your child’s latest LPAC meeting document will speed your student’s proper course placement.