Families arrange themselves in all sorts of ways. A grandmother raising a grandchild, an aunt taking in a nephew, two households merging after a separation — and sooner or later every one of those arrangements meets a form that has to be sworn in front of a notary.
The school enrollment affidavit
Pennsylvania makes specific provision for this. Where a resident of a school district keeps a school-age child who is not their own in their home, and supports that child gratis, the child is entitled to all the free school privileges of a resident child.
What the district requires first is a sworn and notarized statement — commonly called a 1302 affidavit, after the section of the Public School Code that creates it.
What you are swearing to
Four things, and each one is a distinct assertion rather than boilerplate.
| You swear that | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| You are a resident of the school district | Establishes the entitlement in the first place |
| You support the child without personal compensation | The support must be gratis, not paid for |
| The child lives with you continuously | Not merely for the school year |
| You accept all responsibilities for the child’s schooling | You become the point of contact and authority |
“Continuously and not just for the school year” is the clause people gloss over. It is aimed squarely at arrangements set up to obtain a school place rather than to care for a child. If the living arrangement is genuinely temporary, this is not the right form — and swearing to it anyway is the offence described below.
The penalty is real
Knowingly providing false information in the statement, in order to enroll a child in a district they are not eligible for, is a summary offense.
The sentence is a fine of up to $300, paid for the benefit of the school district, or up to 240 hours of community service, or both.
Three hundred dollars is not ruinous. Being convicted of making a false sworn statement, in a document you signed in front of a notary, is a different matter — and it sits on the record of the adult who signed it.
Medical consent forms
The second document these families need has no single statutory form. When a child lives with an adult who is not their parent, somebody has to be able to authorise treatment.
Pennsylvania does not generally require a medical consent form to be notarized. In practice, providers and facilities frequently ask for it — because a notarized document has a verified signer behind it, and an unnotarized one is a piece of paper anyone could have typed.
| Element | Why |
|---|---|
| The child’s full name and date of birth | Identifies who it concerns |
| The parent or guardian granting consent | Establishes authority to grant it |
| The adult authorised to consent | Identifies who may decide |
| The scope — routine care, emergency treatment, or both | Prevents argument at the point of need |
| A period of validity | An open-ended consent invites questions |
| Insurance details and known conditions | Practically useful in an emergency |
| Contact details for the parent | So they can be reached |
The same reasoning applies to the travel version of this document, covered in notarized consent letters for child travel — not legally required, routinely requested, and far more useful notarized.
What usually does not need a notary
Not every school form does, and it is worth not paying for notarizations you do not need.
Sports participation forms, field trip permissions, photograph releases and emergency contact cards are ordinarily signed by a parent and handed in. They need a signature, not a notarial act. If a form has no notarial certificate block printed on it, that is usually a sign none is expected.
When in doubt, ask the school. They deal with this constantly and will tell you in one phone call.
What to bring
- The completed form, every blank filled in, unsigned
- Current government photo identification for whoever is signing
- Both parents, where the form requires both signatures
- The child’s details exactly as the school or provider holds them
- Payment for the notarial fee — capped, as set out in what a notary may charge
A 1302 affidavit involves swearing to the truth of what it says, which makes it a verification on oath rather than a simple acknowledgment. That means it must be signed in front of the notary, not beforehand.
What a notary cannot do here
These situations are often difficult, and the questions people ask are understandable. They are also outside what a notary may answer.
A notary cannot advise whether the 1302 route fits your circumstances, whether you need guardianship instead, what a custody order permits, or what to write in the form. Those are legal questions — the same boundary described in notary public versus notario público.
What a notary can do is make sure the document is executed properly, so the district or the provider accepts it first time.
We notarize school and medical forms for families across the Lehigh Valley at our Bethlehem notary office. The Pennsylvania Department of Education publishes its guidance and the model affidavit under enrollment of students.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 1302 affidavit?
It is the sworn, notarized statement Pennsylvania requires when an adult keeps a school-age child who is not their own and enrolls them in the local district. It takes its name from 24 P.S. § 13-1302 of the Public School Code.
What does the affidavit say?
That the signer is a resident of the school district, is supporting the child without receiving personal compensation, that the child lives with them continuously and not just for the school year, and that they accept all responsibilities relating to the child’s schooling.
What is the penalty for a false statement?
Knowingly providing false information to enroll a child in a district they are not eligible for is a summary offense, carrying a fine of up to $300 for the benefit of the school district, or up to 240 hours of community service, or both.
Do I need a court order to enroll a child I am caring for?
Not necessarily. The 1302 affidavit route exists precisely so that a resident supporting a child gratis can enroll them without formal guardianship. Whether it fits your situation is a question for the district and, if it is complicated, a lawyer.
Does a medical consent form have to be notarized?
Not by law in most cases, but many providers and facilities ask for it, and a notarized form is far more persuasive to someone deciding whether an adult may authorise treatment for a child who is not theirs.
Can a notary tell me which form I need?
No. Choosing the right document is legal advice, which a notary may not give. Ask the school district, the provider, or a lawyer what they require, then bring it in to be notarized.
Enrolling a child in your care?
Bring the district’s form unsigned with your photo ID. If you are not sure which form you need, ask the school first — then come to us. Hablamos Español.