ICEOMC supports, eases transitions for military children in local schools

By U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii School Liaison Office, News ReleaseNovember 8, 2010

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Since June 2009, Hawaii joined the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, or ICEOMC, and continues this agreement to support the needs of military families.

The compact is an agreement among member states that addresses certain public school transition issues, including enrollment, placement, attendance, eligibility and graduation.

The compact doesn't impact curriculum nor require a state to waive its exit exam or any state standards.

Children of active duty service members, and National Guardsmen and reservists on active duty orders, can receive assistance under the compact.

Children of service members who die on active duty or service members who are medically discharged or medically retired for one year are also covered under the compact.

For example, the compact says that parents may request unofficial records, such as class schedules, grades and test scores from their child's sending school. The receiving school then must accept the unofficial records and program that student into appropriate classes.

The sending school, if a member of the compact, must send the official records 10 days after the receiving school makes request for the records.

"The goal of the compact is to ensure consistency in the transitioning of military students, in every school district of all states who choose to join," said Darren Dean, military family education liaison, Hawaii State Council.

Dean is also a board member of the ICEOMC. Board members include senior military leaders of all service branches, as well as state legislators and Hawaii Department of Education administrators. Dean's primary focus is to educate DoE administrators, DoE personnel and parents on the Interstate Compact.

"The Hawaii Department of Education has a long history of accommodating the special needs of transitioning military students, so the compact rules are really just some of things they already do," said Dr. Kathy Berg, a retired Air Force brigadier general, who is the vice chair of the national commission.

To learn more about the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, visit <a href="http://www.mic3.net">www.mic3.net</a> or call 808-655-9818.

(Editor's Note: Portions of this article contain information from the ICEOMC website.)

Related Links:

MIC3: Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission website