Enrollment Related Policies
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- Category: Enrollment Related Policies
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Attendance Policy
The Lawrence Public Schools recognizes that regular attendance in class, participation in class activities and interaction between student and teacher are an essential and integral part of the learning process. Classroom participation is vital to the instructional process and must be considered in evaluating the performance and content mastery of students.
- View PK - 8 Attendance Policy (Click here for Spanish) (Bilingual)
- View High School Attendance Policy (Click here for Spanish) (Bilingual)
Attendance Record Keeping Policy
We know that attendance in school is part of the student success equation and, to the extent possible, it is incumbent on the school community to support consistent attendance, thus making accurate and timely attendance recording all the more essential.
Entrance Age and Grade Change Policy
Lawrence Public Schools, in keeping with Massachusetts State Board of Education regulations on permissible school entrance age, establishes the age at which children shall be allowed to enter school. The State Board requires that children be permitted to enter kindergarten in September of the calendar year in which they turn five years of age. Accordingly, initial admission to pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and grade 1 shall be based solely on chronological age. Admission to grades other than these shall be based on chronological age, transcript, academic readiness, or other relevant factors, as laid out in the linked policy, and as shall be deemed appropriate by the school administration.
- Entrance Age and Grade Change Policy (Click here for Spanish) (Bilingual)
- Grade Change Recommendation Form (Click here for Spanish)
School Assignment Policy
School assignment within Lawrence Public Schools, preschool through grade 8, are made based on neighborhood residence, using an index of street addresses and associating them to a proximity school. While the goal is to have students attend the schools closest to their homes, in some cases adjustments are made to respond to school or program capacity.
View Street Address Index
View Feeder School List
- Frost Elementary and Frost Middle
- Guilmette Elementary and Guilmette Middle
- Parthum Elementary and Parthum Middle
- South Lawrence East Elementary and SPARK Academy
Uniform Policy
An overwhelming majority of parents and community members have urged the District to adopt a uniform policy as a means of countering the influence of gangs, minimizing disruption and improving the learning environment. In particular, the District views safety in the schools as a top priority. The incidence of violence or theft due to the clothing a student wears to school (gang colors for example) is increasing as is the incidence of intruders in the schools who are disrupting the learning process. The use of school uniforms helps to improve school safety, enhance the learning environment, reduce race and ethnic tensions, promote good behavior, increase children's self-esteem and produce cost savings for participating families.
Variance Policy
The school assignment policy for Lawrence Public Schools is based on neighborhood schools, assigning students to the schools closest to their homes, with minimal exceptions for substantially separate specialized learning programs, or when a school reaches maximum capacity for any grade. While our district schools deliver instructional services to meet the diverse needs of students in our neighborhoods, this policy provides an orderly and thoughtful process for variances to the assignment policy to address transition grade, sibling, or proximity from home issues.
Variance applications will be accepted from May 3 through June 15, for the following school year and can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Late applications will not be considered.
