Under Mass. General Laws Chapter 72, Section 2, each school district must ascertain the number of students whose parents or guardians are residents of the city or town and who are enrolled for full-time attendance in grades kindergarten through twelve "in public and vocational schools and classes in the Commonwealth and nonpublic schools anywhere." [Emphasis added.] School superintendents use this information to prepare the statistical report on School Attending Children that they must file with the Department of Education each year, and to ensure that all children of compulsory school age (6-16) are receiving education as required under state law.
In order to carry out these responsibilities, superintendents need to receive timely and accurate information from private schools. Mass. General Laws Chapter 72, Section 2 specifies the reporting requirement for private schools, as follows:
The supervisory officers of all private schools shall, within thirty days after the enrollment or registration of any child of compulsory school age, report his name, age and residence to the superintendent of schools of the town where the child resides; and whenever a child withdraws from a private school, such officers shall, within ten days, notify said superintendent.
In short, Massachusetts law requires each private school to provide student enrollment information to the superintendent of schools of the town(s) in which its students reside. This information is essential to ensure complete and accurate data reporting and decision-making. Also, the enrollment information from the private school protects the student and family from unnecessary inquiry under the compulsory school attendance law. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in complying with these reporting requirements.
C: School Superintendents