Idaho Department of Education

Idaho is committed to assisting military-connected youth as they transition in and out of the state. Military families face additional challenges when they transition between duty stations or are activated from the National Guard or Reserve. Some barriers include the ability to enroll military-connected students in a timely manner and transferring credits for high school graduation. To address this, Idaho signed on to the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children on April 9, 2013 and passed it’s own legislation during the 2013 session to help to remove barriers to educational success because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents. The compact has been adopted by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity.

The Military Compact is focused on the following key topics:

• Educational records and enrollment
• Course and program placement and attendance
• Eligibility (student enrollment and extracurricular participation)
• Graduation

Compact Provisions

The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military provides consistency across states to avoid conflict between schools in both sending and receiving states to ease the transition of the military-connected student. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) is the organization that manages the compact.

Student Eligibility

The compact applies to the children of service members under the following conditions:

• Active-duty members of the uniformed services, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active-duty orders;
• Service members or veterans who are medically discharged or retired for one year;
• Service members who die on active duty, for a period of one year after death; and
• Uniformed members of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and United States Public Health Services (USPHS).

Compact Rules

The compact contains four articles that sending and receiving states must follow. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission has the complete compact rules. The information below includes a summary of the rules contained in the compact rules.

Article IV: Transfer of Education Records and Enrollment

• Unofficial or Hand Carried Records: Schools and districts in Idaho shall enroll and appropriately place a military-connected student if the family brings unofficial records. The student's placement is temporary pending the receipt of official education records confirming placement.
• Official Education Records: Districts will request records from the sending school. The sending school has 10 business days to furnish official records to the receiving school.
• Immunizations: Transferring military-connected students have 30 calendar days from the date of enrollment to obtain all required immunizations.
• Kindergarten Entrance Age: A student arriving in an Idaho LEA shall be allowed to continue their enrollment in their assigned grade from their sending state. This includes kindergarten, even if there is a difference in the entrance age to start kindergarten. For this to apply, the student must have an active enrollment in their previous school.

Article V: Placement and Attendance

• Course Placement: Idaho districts shall initially place a military-connected student in courses based on their previous enrollment and assessment data. The course placement includes, but is not limited to, Honors, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, vocational, technical, and career pathway courses. The Idaho school may perform evaluations to ensure the proper placement of the student.
• Program Placement: Schools in Idaho shall initially place a military-connected student in programs based on their previous enrollment and assessment data. The program placement includes, but is not limited to, English Learner and Gifted and Talented programs. The Idaho school may perform evaluations to ensure the proper placement of the student.
• Placement Flexibility: Local schools and districts have the flexibility to waive prerequisites or other preconditions for placement in courses or programs
• Special Education Services: Districts in Idaho receiving a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) shall initially provide comparable services to that student, including extended school year services when applicable. Schools will make reasonable accommodations and modifications if the student has an existing 504 plan. Idaho schools may perform further evaluations to ensure appropriate placement and services. Due to the high mobility of military-connected students, districts should ensure timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations. Military families can receive support for family members with special needs through the Exceptional Family Member Program.
• Absence as Related to Deployment Activities: Military-connected students shall be granted additional excused absences to visit their parent or guardian if the service member has been called up for active duty or is about to, or just returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting. The additional excused absences are at the discretion of the superintendent or head of school.

Article VI: Eligibility

• Eligibility for Enrollment: A custody order, special power of attorney, or other applicable document relative to the guardianship of a child of a military family shall be sufficient for the purposes of enrollment. If a transitioning military-connected student resides with non-custodial parent or guardian who lives outside the district they are enrolled, the school is prohibited from charging tuition. The student may continue to attend the school of residence of the custodial parent. Transportation to the district of residence is the responsibility of the family.
• Eligibility for Extracurricular Participation: Districts receiving a military-connected student shall facilitate the opportunity for the student to be included in extracurricular activities, regardless of application deadlines. Consult the Idaho High School Athletic Association’s rule 8 for participation eligibility.

Article VII: Graduation

• Waiver of Course Work: An LEA in Idaho may waive specific courses for graduation if a student has satisfactorily completed similar course work in another state. If the waiver is denied, the district shall provide an alternative means of completing coursework so graduation may occur on time. Districts may also waive additional requirements such as graduation projects, community service hours, or other local requirements.
• End-of-Course Exams: An Idaho school will accept the exit or end-of-course exam score from the receiving state if there is sufficient evidence the student achieved a passing score on the sending state’s exam. Students eligible for the compact's provisions may be exempt from Idaho’s graduation assessment requirements if they met the sending state's graduation requirement for the course.
• Transfers During Senior Year: If a military-connected student transfers during their senior year and is not able to meet Idaho graduation requirements and all alternatives have been considered, an Idaho school may request a diploma from the district that student transferred from. They must still meet the graduation requirements from the sending district.

References

• MIC3 Idaho State Webpage
• MIC3 Idaho Statute
• Idaho State Profile
• Compact Rules and Resources
• Free Training: Monthly Compact 101 Webinars, Online Learning Portal

Idaho is committed to serving military members and their families. Idaho schools and districts can welcome and support military-connected students and their families by properly identifying them as members of the school community. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires districts to identify and report these students who have a parent or legal guardian who is a member of the Armed Forces or National Guard each year.

With the adoption in 2015 of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), military-connected students are required to be recognized as a distinct subgroup. Military-connected students are those with a parent who is a member of the Armed Forces on active duty or who serves part-time or full-time in the National Guard or Reserve Force of the United States military.

Reporting the Military Student Indicator

This coding is similar to our efforts with other Student Demographic subgroup metrics such as 504, special education, gifted and talented, private/home schooled, economically disadvantage, homeless, etc. Ensuring students are appropriately labeled as military-connected in an educational institution's student information system is crucial for accurate representation in the Idaho System for Educational Excellence (ISEE). It is reported under the field name “militaryConnected” as outlined in the “Items and Options Sets” document found on the Idaho Board of Education's ISEE page.

Best Practices for Identifying Students

To collect accurate information, schools and districts may include a question on the district’s enrollment form. Consider the following best practices outlined by MCEC (Military Child Education Coalition).

Proper identification can only happen when an LEA establishes and follows proper protocol in coding students who fit in this category. When registering new students, consider incorporating the following questions into the information that parents provide:

“Is the student a dependent of a member of the United States military service in the Active Duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard?”

Check “yes,” “no,” or decline to answer.

Is the student a dependent of a part-time or full-time member of the National Guard, or Reserve Force of the United States military (Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Air Force).”

Check “yes,” “no,” or decline to answer.

Parents/Guardians may decline to respond to this voluntary question. If a parent declines, the answer is reflected as “no.”

When enrolling new students, if an LEA currently doesn’t have a similar protocol in place to identify military-connected students, the SDE would ask you to start this process moving forward. Specifically, LEAs would need to initiate a process where you identify and code existing military-connected students in your school. If parents live in Idaho but work at a military facility that is not within Idaho borders, they still need to be coded as such in your student demographic system.

Some schools and districts may wish to collect additional information about military connections beyond what is reported in the Military Student Indicator. For example, schools and districts may ask if a parent or guardian is a veteran. Veterans deserve our support and have connections to the military that may serve as a bridge to assist military families that are currently serving. Some schools choose to expand this to include immediate family members such as grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings. This information should not be reported as part of the Military Student Indicator.

Supporting Identified Students

Military-connected students face challenges that are unique to other students and families. Active-Duty service members typically change duty stations every two to three years. Reserve and National Guard members can be activated for time frames stretching from months to years at a time. Active, Guard and Reserve members can be deployed out of the state or country for months at a time. The average military family moves six to nine times over the course of their time in school. This video outlines the importance of the Military Student Identifier and its impact on schools.

Through identification, schools can better serve and support the needs of military-connected students. Identification supports military-connected students in many ways:

• Promotes visibility of military-connected families and students. Identification of military-connected students is the first step for school staff to understand how their unique circumstances may be impacting academic performance and overall well-being. Identification also allows school staff to communicate with families about any concerns.
• Allows for implementation of the Interstate Compact for Military Children. Idaho is part of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The compact eases educational barriers for military families that transition due to military service.
• Helps determine if schools and communities are eligible for financial aid. Communities and schools that are directly impacted by military installations receive Federal Impact Aid to offset these costs and lost tax revenue. That funding is determined by the number of students a district identifies.
• Facilitates continuous improvement in serving military-connected students. Information on the identification of military-connected students can be used by schools to improve and personalize academic and whole child responses for the unique military student population. Schools can create welcoming practices and transition plans for military-connected students. The Military Child Education Coalition offers an overview on the importance transition planning.
• Meets an eligibility requirement for schools to earn the Purple Star Award. Identifying military-connected youth is one of the requirements to earn the Purple Star Award. The award is open to schools that identify and develop programming for military-connected students. Please visit the Purple Star Designation application for more information.

Idaho Code 33-525 outlines a requirement for Idaho LEAs to establish a process allowing children, who are dependents of members of the United States armed forces with transfer orders to Idaho, to enroll or register for courses in the LEA regardless of their current residence.

This statute aims to facilitate the education of military-dependent children during relocation.

The Purple Star Award recognizes schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military.

A school will be honored with the Purple Star Award if it completes all the required activities, plus one optional activity, listed below. Representatives from Idaho’s State Council will decide a school’s eligibility for the award.

How to Qualify

A school will be honored with the Purple Star Award if it completes all the required activities, plus one additional activity, listed below.

Required Activites

1. The school must designate a staff point of contact (POC) and alternative contact that serves as primary liaisons between military students and families and the school. The contacts could be counselors, administrators, teachers or other staff members. Both contacts must receive appropriate training:
1. Primary Contact – Name, email address, work number, cell phone, title
2. Alternative Contact – Name, email address, work number, cell phone, title
1. If the point of contact or alternative contact is no longer able to serve in this capacity, briefly explain the process by which a new point of contact will be chosen
3. Please provide evidence that the primary point of contact and alternative contact have completed the Purple Star School Support virtual training provided by MCEC and Compact 101 and 201 training by MIC3.
2. The school maintains a dedicated page for the Purple Star Program on its website featuring resources for military families.
1. Please provide the website address.
2. What is the process for keeping the website current?
3. The school develops and maintains a student-led transition program with a faculty or staff advisor. This program should provide peer support for newly enrolled and transitioning students.
1. Outline the details of your student-led transition program including but limited to the number of students on the team, how they are trained in their responsibilities, how new students are selected to be a part of the transition team,
2. Explain how the faculty/staff member over the student-led transition program is selected and trained.
4. The school provides professional development for additional staff on overcoming unique challenges and possible resources provided by school personnel for military students and families. Please provide evidence that one of following resources have been reviewed by additional school staff:
1. Compact 101 training offered by MIC3 (60 minutes)
2. Reviewing series of eight TedEd Lessons (50 minutes)
3. Other training as recommended by a school and approved by the Idaho Purple Star Committee

Additional Activities

Additional activities (must include at least one):

1. The local school board passes a resolution publicizing the school’s support for military children and families.
2. The school hosts a military recognition event that demonstrates a supportive culture.
3. The school establishes a partnership with a local military installation that provides opportunities for military members to volunteer at the campus, speak at an assembly, or host a field trip.
4. The school implements social and emotional development programs with the military child in mind. Examples of these programs may include a monthly club for military-connected students, lunch groups and regular check-ins between the liaison and identified students.
5. The school celebrates the Month of the Military Child (April) with events or programming honoring military-connected students.

Application

Schools that are interested in becoming a Purple Star School will need to submit an application.

Applications are only accepted by individual schools only. Exceptions may be considered if LEAs have 600 or less students.

Please allow 30 days for all applications to be reviewed.

LEA will need to reapply every 3 years.

If you have any questions, please email PurpleStar@sde.idaho.gov.

Renewal Applicants

Schools need to renew their Purple Star designation every three years.

Information Hubs

Military One Source
Department of Defense funded program providing information on military life at no cost to active duty, Guard, and reserve service members, and their families.

U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)
Provides outreach to local education agencies to support academic achievement and positive educational opportunities outcomes for military children.

Military Impacted Schools Association
This site provides online access to a comprehensive range of information about veteran's benefits, education, employment, and health services.

National Military Family Association
A nonprofit organization that provides: spouse scholarships, camps for military kids, and retreats for families reconnected after deployment and for the wounded, ill, or injured.

Parent-Specific Resources

Ask for Help from the MIC3 National Office
Graphic flowchart for parents and educators on asking for help from the MIC3 National Office.

Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission Parent Guide
The Compact helps parents solve the unique challenges of military children and their frequent relocations.

MIC3 Know Your Military Child’s Rights Webinar
This webinar from the Military Child Education Coalition helps parents understand their rights.

Transition Resources

A military-connected student can move six to nine times over the course of a military career. Below are resources to assist families during transitions from one school to another:

• Military Onesource: Changing Schools Support for Military Child
• Military Onesource: Education Directory for Children with Special Needs
• Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission
• SchoolQuest - Military Child Education Coalition
• Military Student Consultant - Military Child Education Coalition

Month of the Military Child in April

Military families form the backbone of our nation's defense, providing crucial support to the service members who ensure our security and safety. April is recognized as the Month of the Military Child, also known as “Purple Up! For Military Kids,” a time when states and school districts across the country honor the vital role of military children. During this month, special events are organized, and individuals are encouraged to wear purple to show support for the children of service members as their parents fulfill their duty to our nation.

Purple Up! Toolkit
This document provides ideas and resources to celebrate Month of the Military Child in April.

Special Education

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
EFMP is available to active-duty Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, and Reserve service members when a family member has special needs. They are located on military installations and offer help with: navigating and educating families about ARD, IEPs, and 504 process, help organize paperwork, prepare families for meetings, address concerns, and help resolve issues.

EFMP + Special Needs | National Military Family Association (NMFA)
NMFA provides additional information and resources on the Exceptional Family Member Program for military families with special needs family members. .