Changing stations: New legislature allows standardization

  • Published
  • By Mary Brown
  • 90th Force Support Squadron
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  The daughter of a Navy commander attended sixth grade in Florida, seventh grade in Japan and then moved to Virginia for eighth grade. 

Each school had different curriculums, grading systems and sets of standardized tests. She took pre-algebra twice and world history three times, but missed U.S History entirely. She also had to take several Virginia standardized tests. In addition, she arrived a month too late to try out for cheerleading. 

Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon scenario. 

Active-duty military families move on a regular basis. Although a new assignment can be a great career move for the military member, it may cause turmoil for the family members. 

Children must part with friends and move to new schools, bases, and cities -- a challenging adjustment. The average military student attends six to nine schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. This is an especially difficult transition in the junior high and high school years. 

Spouses who have jobs outside the home must quit and perform another job search at the new location. More than half of all military members have families, and the many moves can be a key factor in determining career options. 

There's now a move to reduce the impact of changing station on the military family. Two initiatives will be sponsored by Senator Tony Ross in the Wyoming legislature the first part of 2009. The idea is not for military members to receive special treatment, but rather, to level the playing field. 

First there's an Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. It will address, transfer of records, course sequencing, graduation requirements, exclusion from extra-curricular activities, redundant or missed entrance and exit testing, kindergarten and first grade entrance age variations, and power of custodial parents while parents are deployed. 

For instance, the new high school officials shall waive specific requirements for graduation if similar course work has already been satisfactorily completed at another high school. If for some reason the waiver can't be granted, the current school will look for an alternative means of achieving the required credits so the student can graduate on time. This may include providing the appropriate coursework so the student can receive their diploma from their previous high school. 

In the case of age requirements for kindergarten and first grade, the Compact provides a student be allowed to continue their education at a grade level in the new school, commensurate with their grade level in the previous school. For example, if the student could attend kindergarten at age 5 at the previous location, they don't have to repeat kindergarten at the new location if the age requirement there is 6. 

Regarding extracurricular activities, the schools shall facilitate the opportunity for military children's inclusion to the extent they are otherwise qualified. 

For absence related to deployment activities, prior to departure or upon returning, the military member's students shall be granted additional excused absences at the discretion of the local superintendent.