Delaware School Enrollment by County and District for Relative Caregivers

The Statewide Rule That Applies Everywhere

Every public school district in Delaware — all 19 of them, plus charter schools — must accept the DSAAPD Relative Caregivers' School Authorization Affidavit under 14 Del. C. § 202(f). No district can require a court custody order if you have the properly executed affidavit with your Column A proof of relationship and Column B proof of caregiving. That's state law, not district policy, so it applies whether you're in downtown Wilmington or rural Bridgeville.

What varies by district is the registration process itself: where you go, what portal you use, and how the front-desk staff handle the paperwork.

New Castle County Districts

New Castle County has the highest concentration of school districts in the state. The major ones — Christina, Red Clay Consolidated, Brandywine, and Colonial — each manage their own registration process.

Christina School District covers Newark, Bear, and parts of Wilmington. Registration is available through its online portal or in person at the assigned school by appointment. Its standard registration list asks for proof of residency, and the district says additional forms or information may be required; confirm the caregiver-affidavit documents with the district.

Red Clay Consolidated serves north Wilmington, Hockessin, and Pike Creek. Registration is available online or with a paper packet delivered to the attendance-zone school; the district also directs families to the feeder school's main office for registration questions. Bring the original notarized affidavit — they may want to photocopy it rather than accept a scan.

Brandywine School District covers Claymont through north Wilmington. Their portal accepts digital uploads, but for a caregiver affidavit enrollment they often ask you to come in person so a registrar can review the Column A and Column B proofs directly.

Colonial School District covers New Castle and the Route 13 corridor. They operate a central enrollment center and accept both online and in-person registrations.

If any front-desk staff in these districts tells you the affidavit isn't sufficient and you need "legal guardianship," that's incorrect. The statute explicitly allows enrollment without a court order. Ask to speak with the district's enrollment coordinator and reference 14 Del. C. § 202(f).

Kent County Districts

Kent County is centered on Dover, the state capital. Its residential districts include Capital, Caesar Rodney, Lake Forest, Milford, and Smyrna; this section focuses on Capital and Caesar Rodney.

Capital School District serves Dover proper and surrounding areas. The district office is at 198 Commerce Way. Its enrollment page offers online registration and downloadable paper forms, and directs families to the registering school if they need a printed copy. Being the capital-area district, staff here tend to be more familiar with the caregiver affidavit process, since DHSS and DSAAPD offices are nearby.

Caesar Rodney School District covers Camden, Wyoming, and the communities south of Dover. New students register online; the district says families without computer access can pick up a paper enrollment packet at a school. For enrollment questions, contact the child's school. Rural families in the western parts of the district may have longer drives to the central office — call ahead to confirm which documents you need so you don't make the trip twice.

For both Kent County districts, bring your notarized affidavit, the two-column proofs, proof of your address within district boundaries, the child's immunization records (or a provisional-enrollment request if records are in transit), and proof of the child's age.

Sussex County Districts

Sussex County is the largest county geographically and the most rural. Limited public transit means registration often requires a car trip to the district office.

Indian River School District covers the Selbyville, Millsboro, and Dagsboro area. The district provides an online registration route and a paper process through the student's home school; its district office is in Selbyville. Staff here may see caregiver affidavits less frequently than New Castle County districts, so bring a printed copy of the relevant statute (14 Del. C. § 202(f)) in case you need to explain the process.

Other districts serving Sussex County include Cape Henlopen, Delmar, Milford, Seaford, Sussex County Vocational Technical, Woodbridge, and Laurel.

Across all Sussex County districts, the same documents apply. If you're in a rural area without easy access to a notary, check your local public library — many Delaware libraries offer free or low-cost notary services. Banks are another option.

Spanish-Language Families

The DSAAPD publishes the school authorization affidavit in both English and Spanish (Afidávit para la Autorización Escolar). If your household's primary language is Spanish, you can complete the Spanish-language version. Districts must accept it — it's the same official state form.

What to Do If a District Gives You Trouble

If a registrar refuses your completed, notarized affidavit, don't argue at the counter. Ask for the name of the enrollment coordinator or assistant superintendent, put your request in writing, and cite 14 Del. C. § 202(f) specifically. Our complete guide to school and medical consent for Delaware relatives includes escalation letter templates and a district documentation checklist that walks you through the entire process for any county.

See more Delaware guides →