Maryland County Kinship Care School Enrollment Forms

Maryland has 24 local school systems, and while state law (Education § 7-101(c)) gives every qualifying relative caregiver the right to enroll a child, each district handles the paperwork differently. Some counties have their own printed forms. Others rely on the standard statutory affidavit language. Knowing which form your county expects before you walk into the enrollment office saves you a wasted trip.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)

Montgomery County uses MCPS Form 334-17 ("Affidavit: Children in Informal Kinship Care"), revised July 2017. This is a district-specific form; follow MCPS's instructions for submitting it.

You'll also need:

• MCPS Form 560-24 ("New Student Information") for general enrollment
• Proof of residency: property deed, lease, or MCPS Form 335-74 ("Shared Housing Disclosure") plus two supporting utility bills
• Staff track the arrangement internally using MCPS Form 560-40A

Montgomery County residency verification is handled by central residency officers, not the individual school.

Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS)

Frederick County uses FCPS Regulation Form 80 ("Informal Kinship Care Affidavit"). The form is a fillable PDF that requires Adobe Acrobat. Pair it with standard residency proof — tax bill, lease, or utility statement.

Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS)

Baltimore City has its own kinship affidavit and enrollment packet, governed by Board Policy JFBC ("Informal Kinship Care"). Central intake reviews and verifies hardship. You'll need your lease, a utility bill, or housing authority documentation alongside the city's kinship forms.

Baltimore County, Prince George's County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County

Contact the district enrollment office before your visit to confirm whether it has a district-specific kinship form, which version to use, and what residency documents to bring.

Rural Maryland Counties

Smaller districts across the Eastern Shore, Western Maryland, and Southern Maryland typically use the standard state statutory affidavit. Your local pupil personnel worker (PPW) handles kinship enrollment questions and can walk you through the process.

What Every District Requires

Regardless of which form your county uses, you'll need to bring:

• The completed, notarized kinship care affidavit (county-specific or state statutory)
• Proof of your residency at a Maryland address
• The child's birth certificate or alternative proof of age
• Immunization records (Maryland Department of Health Form MDH 896)
• Blood lead testing certificate (Form MDH 4620) for Pre-K through 1st grade

Under state law, the school must enroll the child immediately upon receiving a valid sworn affidavit, even while verifying hardship documentation. No district can keep a child waiting at home during a verification period.

For a complete walkthrough of every form — including the companion health consent affidavit (DHS/SSA/554) — see our Maryland School and Medical Consent Guide.

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