Enrolling Your Children in a Florida School from Colombia

If your family arrives in Florida from Colombia, your children have a right to public school, regardless of immigration status. To enroll them you’ll be asked for a set of documents, and several of the Colombian ones are worth bringing translated into English. Here is what the Florida Statutes, the Florida Department of Health, and the school districts say.

What a Florida public school asks for

There are five items:

Proof of age. Section 1003.21 of the Florida Statutes requires evidence of the child’s age. The first option is “a duly attested transcript of the child’s birth record filed according to law with a public officer charged with the duty of recording births.” For a Colombian family, that is the civil birth registration (registro civil de nacimiento) issued by the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil. If you don’t have it, the same law accepts other evidence in a set order, including a passport or a certificate of arrival in the United States.
School-entry health exam. Section 1003.22(1) requires a health exam completed within the year before enrollment. The Florida Department of Health says it must be signed by a U.S.-licensed provider and recommends its DH 3040 form.
Certificate of Immunization, DH 680. Florida law (s. 1003.22(4)) requires immunization certification on the Department of Health’s form, the DH 680. According to the Department of Health, only a licensed Florida physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or the county health department can complete it.
Proof of residence. This isn’t in state law: the district asks for it to assign the neighborhood school. Orange County asks you to verify residence, and Miami-Dade asks for two proofs, for example an electric bill and a lease.
Records from the previous school. Orange County asks for a “transcript, withdrawal form, or last report card” to place the student in the correct grade.

They can’t ask for immigration papers

Under Plyler v. Doe (1982), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a public school cannot deny a child an education because of immigration status. The U.S. Department of Education adds on its equal-rights page that the parents’ or guardians’ status doesn’t matter either.

The Orange County enrollment page puts it plainly: “Under no circumstances shall staff request a passport, visa, or any other documentation to verify the immigration status of any student.” If a school asks for that kind of paper, show them this rule or ask for help.

Which Colombian documents are worth translating

Florida law doesn’t explicitly say you must translate these papers, but the person receiving them needs to read them in English. There are three:

The civil birth registration. It serves as proof of age and legal name. The registrar must read the child’s name, date of birth, and parents. A certified translation speeds up enrollment.
The vaccination card. The DH 680 is filled out by a Florida doctor. To transfer each dose from the Colombian card to the form, the doctor or health department needs to understand the vaccines and dates. The Department of Health recommends bringing the complete immunization history. With the card translated, it’s easier to avoid repeating vaccines the child already has.
The report cards. Orange County asks for the last report card or transcript to place the child in a grade. Translated, the school can read the subjects, the grades, and the grading scale.

Always bring the originals together with the translations: the school wants to see the original.

Forms and where to get vaccinated

School entry health exam (DH 3040): form in English and in Spanish. The provider fills it out; bring it printed to the appointment.
Certificate of Immunization (DH 680): it can’t be downloaded. According to the Department of Health, only a licensed Florida physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or the county health department can issue it. Bring the child’s complete Colombian vaccination card to the appointment.
Vaccines Florida requires for school: Department of Health requirements.
Your county health department: office finder.
Community health centers near you: federal finder (HRSA).

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Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can the school ask me for a passport or visa to enroll my child?

No. Under Plyler v. Doe (1982), the Supreme Court held that a public school cannot deny a child an education because of immigration status; the U.S. Department of Education adds that the parents' or guardians' status doesn't matter either. The Orange County enrollment page states that staff will, under no circumstances, request a passport, visa, or other documentation to verify a student's immigration status.

Does Florida law require me to translate a Colombian civil birth registration?

Section 1003.21 of the Florida Statutes accepts the birth record as proof of age but does not mention translation. In practice the school registrar needs to read the child's name, date of birth, and parents, so many families bring a certified English translation together with the original.

What do I do with the Colombian vaccination card so someone fills out the DH 680?

The DH 680 can only be completed by a Florida physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or the county health department. Bring the original card and, if you can, an English translation, so each dose and date can be transferred to the form without repeating vaccines.