I know this is wrong, but…

What is the penalty if "caught?" Here, it's $10,000 per school year. I know people who do it. I couldn't live with the constant panic and fear of them catching me (and yes, I have 100% witnessed them watching if they suspect a kid doesn't live in said residence, interviewing parents, etc. because someone close to me used her mom's address until she was caught, they let her slide until the end of the school year, then she started renting in the district so it would all be on the up & up.)

Do you have any school choice programs in your area? Where my kids grew up a child could apply to a different public school thru a school choice program in our county. One school was for math & science one was for art one was for performing arts one was for robotics. Like not every school in the county could have the facilities to specialize in every area, so children with interest in that specialty can apply. If approved then the town you’re from ‘pays’ what ever portion isn’t from the state or county. You only have to provide transportation.

Just check if maybe there is a legal way to do it.

Districts around here do variances, where they'll accept enrollment for kids not wanting to go to neighborhood schools and for kids from outside the district as well. In our state, the money follows the kid, so the state per-pupil funds to go the attending districts. Maybe check and see if that is a possibility? My former district took a lot of variances. I asked for one for my youngest son so he could come to my middle school (not his neighborhood school) and then on to the high school that was a better fit for him. There were no costs, and no financial penalty if a family got "caught" using another address, just immediate removal.

I would think using a business address rather than a residential one would increase your chances of being caught more quickly. It would be pretty easy to verify that it’s a business, unless there is some kind of apartment above the business.

That’s aside from the issues of lying, asking your kid to lie, and the possible consequences.

Do you have any parochial schools in your area? Are they ranked better than her current school?

My DD did not want to send her son to the schools in the district they live in. Pre-school through 5th grade he went to private school until it got too expensive ($17,000 per year.) They transferred him to a Catholic middle school in 6th grade. They a *not* Catholic. In fact, they have no religious affiliation at all. He is now going to a Catholic High School and is just finishing his sophomore year. He has never had any trouble fitting in. He has lots of friends and there are other students that are not Catholic also attending his school. He plays junior varsity baseball and he has been dressing for the varsity team. He really likes his school and his friends. Being a non-Catholic has never been an issue for him.

If the district will accept your daughter, you might consider transferring her there, but paying tuition. Some districts will do that with the understanding that if the school becomes crowded, your daughter is bumped out by a student who lives within the district.

You two businesses in the district that you want your daughter to go to school? Any way you could create a small apartment living area to use as the address needed for her to legally enroll? Her a one parent can stay over Monday through Thursday nights during the school week going home on Friday and returning on Monday. Nothing illegal abut that.

It doesn’t seem worth it to me. Aside from the fact that you’d be lying to the district, and teaching your daughter to lie, too.

abcnews.go.com/US/ohio-mom-jailed-sending-kids-school-district/story?id=12763654

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanya_McDowell
(another mom sent to jail for falsifying residence)

Have you talked to the school district you want to transfer to? In our district, if the parents are working within the area of the district, they may be entitled to send their kids to the district schools even though they live elsewhere.

My son and grandson were living with me when he started kindergarten. No problem. His dad subsequently moved out, but my grandson stayed with me until recently (he’s about to graduate from middle school). The district was willing to work with us on keeping him in our schools until he was ready to move in with his dad in the next county.

I’d try for a transfer based on where you work.  Here they will usually grant it.

good luck!

I really think this is the best choice.

When my son was in 5th grade, we moved within the county, about 4 miles away for March 1st. It put him at a different elementary school. 6th grade started middle school. 

I drove him to school before, and I would continue to drive him to school after he moved to his middle school. It was in the same county. I saw no harm in letting him stay at his school til the end of the year. I really didn't think I was doing anything "wrong."

Well. A couple weeks in, somehow his teacher found out we moved (it never occurred to me that it mattered- and of course I wouldn't have encouraged him to lie...) and reported us. I ended up having to show the date my in-district lease expired, and the date I took possession of our new house. I then had to pay "tuition" for every damn day that my kid stayed at the the school he'd been in. IN THE SAME COUNTY! It was public school. I had NO idea!

Please don't do it. It sure as hell wasn't cheap. 

Where I live school funds go to school districts and that's what matters. You can't just switch school districts. We have probably 40ish school districts in my county.

In Illinois, a child is allowed to finish the school year in the same school even if they move during the year.