Military life isn’t easy for anyone, especially not children. They move often, skipping from school to school. Some of them quickly become comfortable with the curriculum and teachers at a new school. Some need more time to adjust. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission offers a way to help make this repeated transition just a little easier for military dependents. A seminar on the Compact was given by California Compact Commissioner, Kate Wren Gavlak, May 7, for the Liberty County School System. Two sessions were held, one for parents and military and community family support providers, and another for LCSS administrators, counselors, registrars and district superintendents.

The seminar covered the Compact as a whole, including its history, importance, who it does and does not cover and how it can help military families. The Compact covers children of active duty service members, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Children in pre-kindergarten and children who are enrolled in private school or are homeschooled are not covered by the compact.

The Compact, for those who are covered, helps military children and families with educational transition issues. An example that Gavlak gave was about a child who transferred to a new school in their senior year. The school that the student was transferring to required two extra physical education classes in order to graduate, along with a U.S. history class. The overall outcome of the transition, with the aid of the Compact, was the school waiving the two PE classes and the student having to take the U.S. History class. The student was ultimately able to graduate. This was just one case out of many that Gavlak mentioned during the seminar, highlighting the importance of the Compact and how it gives schools the flexibility to make certain accommodations.

For more information about the Compact, visit www.mic3.net