RD3 - 2014 Executive Summary of the Interim Activity and Work of the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
Executive Summary: The Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (Virginia Council) was created in 2009 to consider any and all matters related to the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The Compact seeks to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents. The Compact addresses such issues as timely enrollment and placement, on-time graduation, and sharing of information between states to ensure a smooth educational transition for dependents of military families as they move from and to other states. Given that Virginia is home to some of the nation's largest and most important military installations, it is not surprising that the Commonwealth's schools educate more military children than any other state. As of August 2014, the Defense Manpower Data Center estimated that there are 75,285 school age military-associated children of active duty members in Virginia. The average military student faces transition challenges more than twice during high school, and most military children will attend six to nine different school systems from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The Compact, therefore, seeks to make transition easier for the children of military families so that they are afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children and are not penalized or delayed in achieving their educational goals. The Virginia Council membership changed drastically in 2014, providing new expertise and experience, additional opportunities to spread the word regarding the Compact, and outreach to new partners. A continued focus of the Council in 2014 was providing training for educators and military families on the components of the Compact and resources available to assist military-connected students. The Virginia Council held three meetings in 2014, and has taken on an advocacy role in supporting initiatives, such as the military student identifier, to better serve military-connected children. The military family education liaison, on behalf of the Virginia Council, participated in numerous professional development events to share information about the Compact and answer questions about its implementation in the Commonwealth. This executive summary provides an overview of the work of the Council in 2014. |
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