Military Children
Information for parents, counselors, educators and administrators about military children in our classrooms.Purple Star Program
The California Purple Star School Designation Program (Purple Star Program) seeks to reduce the burden on military-connected students and their families by articulating the most critical transition supports for military-connected students and their families. The Purple Star Program is a way to publicly recognize and designate schools that meet certain requirements and signals which schools are the most committed and best equipped to meet military-connected students and their families’ unique needs.
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
In October 2009, Assembly Bill 343 (Saldaña) was signed into law as Chapter 237, Statues of 2009. This legislation, codified as California Education Code (EC) sections 49700-49704 
, joined the State of California as member of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (ICEOMC). The purpose of the ICEOMC is to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families due to the frequent moves and deployment of their parents. The compact addresses key educational transition issues encountered by military families, including enrollment, placement, attendance, eligibility, and graduation.
Public Meeting Notice Agendas and Minutes
Resources
California Resources
California EC sections 49700-49704
Provisions of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools
The Building Capacity project identifies and provides support for military-connected students by creating appropriate evidence-based programs and by assisting the districts with implementation.
Legislative Reports
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children Final Report to the Legislature 2014
This report was originally required by Assembly Bill 343 (Saladana), Chapter 237, Statures of 2009; however; the reporting requirement was extended by AB 2202 (Block), Chapter 22, Statutes of 2012, which amended EC Section 49704.
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children Report to the Legislature 2009
The report was developed by the California Task Force as required by Chapter 589, Statutes of 2008 (AB 2049 [Saladana]).
Non-ICEOMC Legislation
Assembly Bill 2949: Educational Stability for Military Students
Signed by Governor Brown on September 10, 2018
- This bill would require Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), as defined, to allow a pupil who is a child of a military family to continue attending his or her school of origin, as defined, regardless of any change of residence of the military family or the end of military service of the pupil’s parent, as specified.
- A statewide policy requiring LEAs to allow military pupils to complete the duration of their current school year at the same school regardless of changes in residence would promote a higher degree of educational continuity for our children.
- This policy mirrors current state policy addressing the educational stability of foster youth, a similarly highly mobile student population.
Senate Bill 455: Remote Enrollment and Registration
Signed by Governor Brown on September 11, 2017
- This bill provides that a pupil complies with the residency requirements if the pupil’s parent is transferred or is pending transfer to a military installation within the state while on active military duty pursuant to an official military order, and would require a parent to provide proof of residence in the school district within 10 days after the published arrival date provided on official documentation.
- Remote Enrollment for all school districts in the state became effective as of January 1, 2018. Districts should be ready to receive and honor requests by developing local district policies and procedures to ensure seamless implementation.
Assembly Bill 365: Public Instruction: Coursework and Graduation Requirements
Signed by Governor Brown on October 13, 2017
- Existing law requires a school district to exempt a pupil in foster care, a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, or a former juvenile court school pupil who transfers between schools, any time after the completion of the pupil’s second year of high school from all coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of the school district that are in addition to certain statewide coursework requirements; unless the school district makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the school district’s graduation requirements in time to graduate from high school by the end of the pupil’s fourth year of high school. Existing law requires, among other things, the school district to take specified actions if it determines that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the school district’s graduation requirements within the pupil’s fifth year of high school.
- This bill extends these provisions to a pupil who is a child of a military family, as defined.
Assembly Bill 306: Public Schools Attendance Alternatives
Signed by Governor Brown on October 11, 2015
- This bill would prohibit a school district of residence from prohibiting the transfer of a pupil who is a child of an active military duty parent to a school in any school district, if the school district to which the parents of the pupil applies approves the application for transfer.
Military Student Identifier
- The ‘Every Student Succeeds Act’ (ESSA) includes a “military student identifier” (MSI) which requires school districts to assign a unique identification number to military students such as done for other special populations, such as special education, migrant, English learners, and homeless youth to allow educators to monitor their progress in order to implement strategic programs to increase academic success. Such as other identifiers, personally identifiable information is not collected or released.
- In November 2017, the California Department of Education (CDE) was given permission to implement the MSI, following months of active engagement by Commander, Navy Region Southwest, Marine Corps Installation West, several legislators, and the Governor’s Military Council. School districts are expected to identify military students within their local data systems beginning in school year 2018–19.
Update on Data Collected On Military Families
LEAs that are already collecting whether the parent or guardian of a student is a member of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard) on active duty or full-time National Guard duty should submit these data to California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) using Education Program Code 192 – Armed Forces Family Member in 2017–18. This data, submitted as part of an LEA’s 2017–18 End-of-Year (EOY) 2 data submission, will be used to meet ESSA reporting requirements.
The CDE just received permission to collect this data as required by ESSA. Given this late notification, the CDE recognizes that this year’s collection of this data may not be comprehensive. LEAs are asked to submit data if available, and if not, prepare to collect and report the data in 2018–19.
In addition, due to the late notification that the CDE must collect data in CALPADS, while LEAs can submit the data, the reports in CALPADS have not yet been modified to reflect said data. The CDE will work to make this change for 2018–19.This data can be found at CALPADS Update FLASH #13.
Outside Resources
Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (MIC3)
Department of Defense School Liaison Officers
Educator's Guide to the Military Child During Deployment
(PDF)
Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)
MCEC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, world-wide organization that identifies the challenges that face the highly mobile military child, increases awareness of these challenges in military and educational communities, and initiates and implements programs to meet the challenges. MCEC's goal is to level the educational playing field for military children wherever they are located around the world and to serve as a model for all highly mobile children.
Military Impacted Schools Association
The Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA) is a national organization of school superintendents. Their mission: to serve school districts with a high concentration of military children.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs administers a variety of benefits and services, including education and training that provide financial and other forms of assistance to Service members, Veterans, their dependents, and survivors.
Veterans and Mesothelioma Guide: Restoring Hope for Mesothelioma Patients
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides several different compensation, benefits and assistance options to veterans who develop mesothelioma, many of which are available regardless of whether the veteran's mesothelioma is service-related.
College Fee Waiver
Waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus for veteran dependents.
Contact for Military Family Assistance Requests
The California Department of Education Interstate Compact Commissioner is pending appointment. In the interim, the contact person designated to assist military families and education agencies with transitional concerns for military families requesting assistance is below:
- Lisa Clark-Devine, Education Programs Consultant
Community Schools Office
Career and College Transition
California Department of Education
Email: PurpleStarSchools@cde.ca.gov