Thank you for considering VITAL for your child's education. Many families have found our online school program to be a better fit for their students. The information on this page will help you prepare for enrollment.
Students will need to let their current school know they would like to transfer to the Putnam County VITAL School.
After the review process, students who are selected to attend the Putnam County VITAL School will have their data automatically transferred by the VITAL office.
Students selected to attend the Putnam County VITAL School, entering grades 7 and 11, will need to submit updated shot records.
Do you have everything you need? Because VITAL is a public school, parents must submit state-required information and documentation for each student. You will save time and enrollment will go more smoothly if you are prepared and have the needed documentation!
Use the Enrollment Checklist below to gather the documents you will need. The checklist includes the state of Tennessee requirements, plus tips to help you find documents you may not have. Once you have your documents ready, it’s easy to create an account and complete the enrollment forms in our online system.
Students who are currently suspended or expelled from their local school or district may not be eligible to enroll.
Please have the following documents below available and ready to upload.
The documents below are required for enrollment in VITAL. Please submit or transfer information from the following:
A copy of one of the following must be provided for each child in order to verify age eligibility:
Official birth certificate
Passport
To avoid unnecessary delays, provide a copy of one of these official documents along with your other enrollment documents.
If you need a copy of your child's birth certificate, you can obtain it from your county health department or order it online through Tennessee’s Public Health Department.
If your child was born in another state, please visit the CDC’s Where to Write for Vital Records webpage for more information. When using this tool, please remember to follow the CDC's Application Guidelines.
Have questions about your U.S. passport? Visit the U.S. Department of State FAQs page.
According to the Tennessee State Department of Education, you must reside in the state of Tennessee. You will be asked to provide TWO unique and acceptable proofs of residency to be eligible for enrollment in Tennessee Connections Academy. There are many verifiable forms of documentation, which are detailed below.
Gas, electric, water or sewage bill, from the last 90 days, that includes your name and service address
Mortgage statement (from the last 60 days) or an annual lease agreement
Property tax statement
W-2
Rent Receipt with date and names of persons who made/received payments
State or Government Identification Card such as a TN Driver’s License
Voter’s Registration Card
Deed
All VITAL students must provide evidence of their immunizations on the Tennessee Certificate of Immunization.
Immunizations can be obtained from doctor’s offices, clinics, or hospitals. Pediatricians and family doctors or their nurses or medical assistants can give your student the shots they need to meet the requirements for school enrollment or by online request.
A student may be exempt from immunizations for the following reasons: medical exemption, religious beliefs, or laboratory evidence.
Religious Exemption: This exemption requires a signed statement by the parent/guardian that vaccination conflicts with their religious tenets or practices. If the child needs documentation of a health examination for the school, it must be noted by the healthcare provider on the immunization certificate. In that case, the provider should check the box that the parent has sought a religious exemption to explain why immunization information is absent or incomplete.
Medical Exemption: If needed, this is completed on the Tennessee Certificate of Immunization by the Physician (MD, DO) or Public Health Nurse authorized to indicate specific vaccines medically exempted (because of risk of harm). Other vaccines remain required. The medical reason for the exemption does not need to be provided.
All students who have previously attended public school, private school, or homeschool are eligible to enroll and will be requested to submit academic records for placement.
For students applying for grades 3–9: Please submit a copy of the report card from the most recent school year.
The following items should be included on the report card:
Student Name
Grade Level
School Year (example: 2019–20)
School Name
Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)
For students applying for grades 10–12: Submit an unofficial transcript that includes the complete end-of-year grades from the prior school year and any academic documentation (such as a progress report/interim report, class schedule, or marking period/semester report card) issued for the current school year. Additional documentation may be requested for placement.
The following items should be included on the unofficial transcript:
Student Name
Grade Level
School Year (example: 2019–20)
School Name
Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)
Credits Earned
Contact your student's previous school and request the document, providing them with the information outlined above, OR contact your school's district office with the request.
If your child(ren) are currently homeschooled and will be entering grades 3-9 a transcript of courses must be submitted.
If your child(ren) are currently homeschooled and will be entering grades 10-12 placement tests will be required. These tests will be administered by the Putnam County VITAL School.
Though not applicable to all families, please submit the documentation requested if the information below is specific to your student.
You may need to provide additional documentation if any of the following circumstances apply:
Custody order: If your legal guardianship is determined by a court order, please submit a copy of the order.
Special Education Documentation: If your student has had an Individualized Education Program (IEP) within the past three years, please submit a copy of the most recent IEP and the most recent Evaluation Report.
IEP Documentation: Please submit a copy of the most recent IEP from within the last year.
Supporting Evaluation Documentation: Please submit a copy of the most recent Evaluation Report.
Additional Special Education Documentation:
IEP Exit Documentation: If your student has been formally exited from special education services, please submit a copy of the formal exit documentation.
504 Plan: If your student has had a Section 504 Plan within the past three years, please submit a copy of this document.
Once you have all of the required documentation (outlined above), you are ready to proceed with enrollment into the Putnam County VITAL School.