Laws regarding military connected high school students?

So, we have a handful of military-connected students at my school, and I've heard there are some specific laws or policies related to them. Can anyone explain what these are and how they might impact the school or those students?

Great question! Yes, there are a few significant laws that pertain to military-connected students in high school, one of which is the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. This compact specifically addresses some of the challenges that military-connected students might face when transitioning between states or school districts.

The interstate compact does a few key things. Firstly, it aims to ensure that military students are able to enroll in school even if they lack necessary documents due to a recent move. In these cases, the school may provisionally enroll the student, and necessary records and documents can be received after enrollment.

Secondly, the compact deals with course placement and graduation requirements. For instance, if a high school student is taking a particular course in School A and they transfer to School B in the middle of the academic year, School B should strive to place that student in the same (or similar) course.

For graduating seniors, if the student has fulfilled the graduation requirements in the sending state's school, the receiving state's school should aim to accommodate the student so they could still graduate on time.

Another law relevant to military students is the Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires states to break down data and record the academic proficiency of military-connected students separately. This doesn't alter the student's experience directly, but can help schools understand if this group of students has specific needs.

Finally, many states have their own laws that offer additional support for military families, such as tuition waivers or particular career counseling services. It's always a good idea to look up the local laws in your state related to military-connected students!

It's important that schools understand these laws. They are here to protect the rights of military-connected students and to ensure they obtain consistent and high-quality education, despite the challenges they might face due to their unique circumstances.