Schools and Kids · Checklist · Reviewed July 14, 2026
School, child care, and student paperwork
School paperwork has many front doors. Name the task first, from enrollment to a work permit, and start at the right one.
The short version
The student's age and task point to the right desk
Start public-school enrollment with the district that serves the home address. California offers free transitional kindergarten to a child who turns four by September 1, kindergarten at age five, and attendance is generally required at six. A parent can inspect pupil records within five business days. Special education runs on two clocks: the district generally has 15 calendar days to offer an assessment plan. Then, after written consent, it has 60 days to finish the first assessment and hold the IEP meeting. Child-care licensing stays with CDSS, not the school district.
What changes the answer: Enrollment and a transfer request are separate jobs. So are pupil records, an IEP referral, and child-care licensing. A student without stable housing can have a right to enroll at once. A qualifying foster student can have the same right even when normal papers are missing.
These offices do different jobs. The school and district handle most student papers. Health and child care offices handle other tasks.
How it works
Age sets the ordinary school starting point
A child who turns four on or before September 1 can attend free transitional kindergarten. A child who turns five by that date can attend kindergarten. Both programs are a choice. School is generally required at age six.
Use the California School Directory to find the home district. Then let the district match the exact address to a school. A mailing city can contain more than one district. State law does not promise the closest school.
Some students enroll before missing papers arrive
A student covered by homeless-education rules can enroll right away. The school cannot wait for the usual proof of address, shot record, old school record, or guardian paper. This can include a family in a motel, shelter, car, or campground. It can also include a shared home after housing was lost.
A qualifying foster student can also enroll right away after a move. Tell the new school's liaison about the housing or foster-care facts at the start. The school can gather the old records later.
Records have short and useful clocks
A parent generally can inspect and review a child's pupil records within five business days after asking. Put the request in writing and name the records or date range. Keep the sent copy and the school's response.
When a student changes schools, the former school generally has 10 schooldays after the new school asks to send the permanent record or a copy. A normal transfer request is different from asking to see the record.
An IEP referral starts a defined process
Put a special-education assessment referral in writing and describe the learning, speech, health, behavior, or access concern. The district generally has 15 calendar days to provide a proposed assessment plan. The parent then has at least 15 calendar days to decide whether to consent.
After the district gets written consent, it generally has 60 days to finish the first assessment. It must also hold the IEP team meeting in that time. School breaks and a late-year referral can change the count. Consent to assess is not consent to start special-education services.
Child-care licensing uses its own records
CDSS's facility search shows license and complaint-investigation information and generally displays five years of history. Use it as a first check, then visit the program and ask to see the current license, capacity, inspection information, and parent notices.
A small family child-care home usually serves up to six children. It can reach eight under added rules. A large home usually serves up to 12. It can reach 14 under added rules. An ordinary center has no more than 12 preschool children per teacher. An infant center has one teacher per four infants.
Older-student papers use separate systems
A work permit for a student under 18 usually starts with the school. Federal college aid starts with FAFSA. California has a separate Dream Act Application for students who use that state-aid path.
A school transcript, graduation record, work permit, college application, and aid application are different records. Start with the office that owns the needed paper and keep the submission confirmation and deadline.
First useful action
Start with the route selector
Pick the closest task. The result will point to the focused page or official office that fits.
Route selector
Start with the school or care task.
Pick the task to see one clear first path.
First moves
- 1
Name the job first. It may be enrollment, records, an assessment, child care, cost help, or a safety report.
- 2
Write down the child's name, birth date, grade, and address. Add the school or provider, deadline, and paper already received.
- 3
Use the enrollment route for a district contact, transfer, or school records. It also covers unstable housing, foster care, and missing papers.
- 4
Use the special-education route for an assessment request, IEP, or service problem. It also covers records and dispute paths.
- 5
Use the child care route to find care or check a license. The same route separates cost help from a safety report.
- 6
For TK, kindergarten, immunization, private school, homeschool, or school meals, use the matching CDE or CDPH source and then the local school.
- 7
For college aid or a student work permit, use the official state or federal source and the school office that signs the paper.
- 8
Keep written requests, enrollment papers, assessment plans, and IEPs together. Add notices, records requests, licensing reports, and appeal dates.
Watch for
- 1
A school directory does not decide school assignment. The local district usually decides.
- 2
A mailing address can cross a district line. Charter schools, county programs, and transfers can point to other offices.
- 3
TK, immunization, private school, special education, records, meals, and work permits use different rules and offices.
- 4
Shots can involve the school, doctor, local health office, and CDPH.
- 5
A child care license check, a subsidy application, a licensing complaint, and a subsidy appeal are different steps.
- 6
A licensed child care listing is only a first check. Visit and ask questions.
- 7
Do not send a child's private papers through a random link or text.
- 8
Safety, custody, abuse, and hearing issues need prompt attention. So do IEP deadlines, homelessness, and foster-care moves.
Official sources
Where to confirm this
Use the source that matches the step you are on. Current forms, fees, deadlines, and agency decisions can change after this page is reviewed.
Use this as a map. It does not decide your rights, tell you what to file, or say someone broke the law. If a deadline, denial, eviction, firing, injury, tax bill, permit fight, or insurance dispute is on the line, use the official source or a licensed professional.