who are medically discharged or retired for one year; Servicemembers who die while on active duty for a period of one year after death; and uniformed members of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and the United States Public Health Service (USPHS). Specific areas addressed by the Interstate Compact include the transfer of records, immunizations, kindergarten and first-grade entrance age, graduation requirements, course placement, educational program placement, special education services, and extracurricular participation. There are more than one million school-age (5-18) dependent children in the U.S. military, worldwide. Florida has almost 39,000 military children, making it the fifth-largest concentration in the country. The Compact was adopted by states through legislation, so it has the force of law. Florida was in the first group of states to adopt it, in 2008. By 2014, all 50 states had signed on, which was key, because the requirements only apply between states that are signatories.
IN SUPPORT OF TRANSITIONING MILITARY STUDENTS: The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children By Bob Buehn, Florida Commissioner to the Interstate Compact
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ctive-duty military families with children in public K-12 schools should know about the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children. It represents an effort by all 50 states and the District of Columbia to commit to legislation that seeks to prevent military kids from being disadvantaged when they move with their military parents from state to state on orders. Military kids move a lot, sometimes eight or nine times, or more, during their K-12 school years. The Interstate Compact provides consistency across states and was drafted with the intent to avoid conflict with existing state codes, where possible. It replaces widely varying policies that affect transitioning military-connected students and supports uniform treatment for them as they transfer between school districts and member states.
States pay dues to the national organization based on how many military children reside in the state, providing a budget for training materials and an annual business meeting. One way MIC3, and a multitude of other organizations, honor military children is by participating in the annual April celebration of the Month of the Military Child. Established by former U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger in 1986, the Month of the Military Child acknowledges the significant role military youth play in our communities. Purple Up! For Military Kids Day is held on April 15 for military and Department of Defense communities to wear purple to show support for military children and acknowledge their challenges and adventures. Why purple? Purple is the color that symbolizes all branches of the military, as it is a combination of Army green, Marine red, and the blue of the Coast Guard, Air Force, and Navy. Purple Up events include state proclamations, school district events, celebrations, and other recognition. To learn more about the Interstate Compact and how it advocates for children in military families, visit www.MIC3.net. There, you’ll find a great deal of information, including Florida and Georgia’s MIC3 council profiles, resources for parents, the actual text of the Compact, and parent FAQs. -More on Page 18 Bob Buehn is a retired Navy captain who was appointed as Florida’s MIC3 commissioner by Gov. Rick Scott in 2010. He is also director of the Military and Veterans Resource Center at the University of North Florida.
While the Compact is not exhaustive in its coverage, it does address the four key issues military families encounter: eligibility, enrollment, placement and graduation. As the Florida commissioner to Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3), appointed by the governor, I coordinate with the Florida Department of Education, military school liaison officers (SLOs), and commissioners from other states, as well as the national Interstate Compact office in Lexington, Ky. We work to resolve transfer issues and publicize the Compact so that everyone, from parents to school officials, is aware of the Compact’s contents. Florida has an active council to the MIC3, with representatives from military concentration areas around the state, uniformed members, and representatives from the governor’s office, state legislature, and Florida Department of Education, which administers the program. The Florida Council meets via phone conference at 10 a.m. on the first Friday of each quarter; meetings are open to the public. A key partner to the council and MIC3 is the military SLO, employed by the different services. These experts are the first line of defense for military parents if there is a school transfer issue. They know the Compact intimately and often resolve issues immediately. If someone contacts me about a Compact issue, my first question is usually, “Have you talked to the SLO?” If the SLO cannot resolve the issue, MIC3 has resources to support the military family, as long as the issue is covered by the provisions of the Interstate Compact. Limitations of the Compact are that it only covers public schools K-12 in the following service categories: active-duty Servicemembers, including members of the National Guard/Reserve on active-duty orders; Servicemembers/Veterans 16 | LibertyLifeMedia.Com | MARCH 31, 2021 VOL. 1 / ISSUE 14
Photos provided by MIC3.Org
