Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children: 14 down, 37 to go

School House Rock: I'm Just a Bill

Back in November when I first covered this story, eleven states had signed the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.  In March, Virginia became the 12th state to sign the bill into law. 

Because military children will average 6-9 school systems in their K-12 years, and two high schools, The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children seeks to provide ease of transition in the following areas:

• Transfer of Records
• Course Sequencing
• Graduation Requirements
• Exclusion from Extra-Curricular Activities
• Redundant or Missed Entrance/Exit Testing
• Kindergarten and First Grade Entrance Age Variations
• Power of Custodial Parents While Parents are Deployed

According to CSG.org, The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children addresses these issues, as well as compact enforcement, administration, finances, communications, data sharing and training.

If your PCS takes you to the following states, your children will be covered by the compact: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina and Oklahoma, Virginia.

Ideally, the Compact will ultimately be effective in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia.

You can monitor the legislative progress across the country regarding adoption of the Interstate Compact, by visiting the Council of State Governments website.