National University Back-To-School Strategies Military-Connected Students

1. National UniversityBack-To-School StrategiesMilitary-Connected Students Please do the following: 1. Be sure your speakers are on 2. Say hello in the chat window below and tell us a little about yourself. Ideas: Location, student age group, military-connected background, reason for interest in this topic. We will start shortly

2. Participating in Today’s Session Type your questions in the chat window below Download the documents in the file share window below

3. National University NBC Teacher Leadership Center We serve educators in all 50 states and internationally. The National University NB Leadership Center believes that National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) represent accomplished educators who are role models of excellence in teaching, learning, leadership, and service.

4. White House Initiative “Operation Educate the Educators” Dr. Jill Biden urges teacher-preparation universities to prepare educators to serve military-connected students. The emphasis of the program is to inform and train military-connected teachers on how to best support over 1.3 million military-students who are found across America in every school district. The vast majority of students are public school students, not in DoDEA schools

5. National University Teacher Leadership Center’s fit? • Partnerwith PK-12 schools • Develop networks • Offer Support-training and tools

6. Military Life is often a positive experience:allowing for personal growth for children and military families.

7. MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS Active duty families move every two to three years. Children often experience six to nine moves during their PK-12 school career

8. Suddenly Military-ChildrenGUARD & RESERVE CALLED TO DUTY Since 2001, over 205,000 students who never before considered themselves to be military-connected had a parent suddenly deploy in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

9. Fast Facts • There are currently 2,000,000 military-connected children in America; of those : • 1,381,584 of the military-connected children are 4-18 years old

10. Fast Facts • There are currently 2,000,000 military-connected children in America; of those : • Over 80% of these children – 1,105,267 students – attend PK-12 public schools

11. Fast Facts • There are currently 2,000,000 military-connected children in America; of those : • Approximately 10-12% of military-connected students are served in special education programs.

12. Fast Facts • There are currently 2,000,000 military-connected children in America; of those : • Every school district in the country has military-connected students. **

13. Personal Background – Who am I? Military Spouse Mother of Four National Board Certified Teacher NBC Program Ambassador Doctoral Student

14. Student concerns I see daily • Calendars: Start/end dates and Holidays • Schedules: Traditional vs Block schedules or Semester vs. Trimester • Interpretation of Grades • Repeated and Missed Content: • Extra-Curricular Activities:

15. Student concerns I see daily • Housing equals registration • Rank and Public life • Identity/culture of military life

16. Connecting with peers • Leaving old friends, sustaining relationships • Making new friends • Breaking into existing social networks • Adjusting to new community • Dealing with deployment • Pre-deployment • Deployment • Return from deployment Social-Emotional Issues For All Students

17. 1 military family+1 change of duty station A Changeof address, change of school and teachers A Changeof friends, change of place of worship, AChangeof weather, change of scenery A Changeof schedules, change of neighborhood, A Changeof sports, and change of routine

18. Education of the Military Child in the 21st Century http://www.militarychild.org/emc21-report Deployments Homeschooling Secondary Education Transition Study Education of National Guard and Reserve Children

19. Deployments DO Impact “business” of running a school. • Parents who shared a high support from the school reported back a positive or neutral deployment impact on education; • Parents who shared that a school was not helpful or ambivalent during a deployment created a negative educational impact due to deployments. Teachers

20. “One of my kids had a hard time in school, did not have a lot of teacher support during the deployment of my husband. He’s an average student and needed a little bit more attention.” --Parentpg 12 “[Deployments have] demanded for me to be more compassionate, and identifying the difference between an excuse and reason. We talk a lot about that in my class… excellence, consistency, not over reacting without knowing what’s going on.” --Teacher pg. 23

21. Move To Homeschooling: • A desire to provide religious or moral instruction 32% • A concern about the school environment 20% • A dissatisfaction with academic instruction in the public school 32% • Provide a non-traditional approach to education 8% • Other reasons (travel, family time, distance to school, financial) 20% • Child has special needs the parents feel the school cannot meet 24% • Child has physical or mental health need 4% • Continuity in education during transition 28% • Pg. 12

22. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Childrenhttp://www.mic3.net/

23. Children of • Active duty members of the uniformed services. • National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders. • Members or veterans who are medically discharged or retired for (1) year. • Members who die on active duty. Who Is Eligible for Assistance Under the Compact?

24. Article IV - Enrollment:Educational Records What’s included: Parents can receive a copy of unofficial records Receiving school must accept the unofficial records to enroll and place the student pending reception of official records What’s notcovered: Giving parents the right to request a copy of every paper in the student file Receiving unofficial records free of charge

25. Article IV - Enrollment:Kindergarten and First Grade Entrance Age What’s included: A student can continue in the same grade in the receiving state regardless of entrance age requirements if he or she has already enrolled in kindergarten or 1st grade in an accredited public school What’s not covered: A student who has not been enrolled in kindergarten even though they are of eligible age to have started

26. Article V - Placement and Attendance:Course and Educational Program Placement What’s included: Receiving state will initially honor placement in courses or programs based on the student’s enrollment in the sending state Receiving state may subsequently perform an evaluation to ensure the appropriate placement and continued enrollment What’s not covered: Guarantee of continued enrollment if not qualified Although the receiving school must demonstrate reasonable accommodation, there is no requirement to create a course or additional space

27. Article V - Placement and Attendance:Absence Related to Deployment Activities What’s included: Flexibility for additional excused absences to visit the parent or legal guardian due to deployment Note: Deployment window is defined as one month before the member’s departure from her/his home station through six months after return to her/his home station What’s not covered: Requiring more than “reasonable accommodation” Note: this provision provides discretion and flexibility to the LEA and school superintendent during state testing periods or if the student has already missed so much school that additional absences will be detrimental

28. Article VI – Eligibility:Eligibility for Extracurricular Participation What’s included: State and local agencies shall facilitate the opportunity for inclusion in extracurricular activities regardless of deadlines as long as the child is otherwise qualified What’s not covered: State student athletic associations, some of which are not affiliated with state or LEAs Although the receiving school must demonstrate reasonable accommodation, there is no requirement to hold open or create additional spaces

29. Article VII – Graduation What’s included: Waiving courses required for graduation if similar course work has been completed in another LEA Flexibility in accepting sending state exit or end of course exams, national achievement tests, or alternative testing in lieu of testing requirements What’s not covered: Mandatory waivers ….although LEA must show good cause for a denial of waiver Mandatory waiver of the exam or acceptance of alternative results

30. Effective Date 10 States adopted in July 2008. This summer: All 50 states have officially adopted the Compact! August 4 New Hampshire made 49 August 20 New York made 50! (**Oregon becomes effective January 1, 2015) http://www.mic3.net/

31. Impact of MIC3? • Officially binding Interstate Compact • Has ‘teeth’ to ensure Compliance • Problem? • Call your School Liaison Officer http://www.militaryk12partners.dodea.edu/ • Call your MIC3 State Commissioner • http://www.militaryk12partners.dodea.edu/ • Call MIC3 Executive Director • http://mic3.net/pages/contact/contactmic3.aspx

32. Common Core State Standards How does it affect military-connected students?

33. “Common Core” or “Common Core State Standards • For our military-connected children, CCSS are a dramatic shift from an education experience.

34. Problems before CCSS • Students in the same grades but different states are likely to learn vastly different material • Causing a mismatched patchwork of ability across the nation.

35. School Liaison Officershttp://www.militaryk12partners.dodea.edu/resources.cfm?colId=liaison Coordinate and assist school aged children of military parents with educational opportunities and information necessary to succeed in an academic environment.

36. School Liaison Officers (SLO) • Network, educate, and work in partnership with local schools to provide caring adults to enhance the education experience.  http://www.militaryk12partners.dodea.edu/resources.cfm?colId=liaison

37. School Liaison Officer Goals: • Identify barriers to academic success and develop solutions; • Promote parental involvement and educate local communities and schools regarding the needs of military children;  • Develop and coordinate partnerships in education; and • Provideparents with the tools they need to overcome obstacles to education that stem from the military lifestyle. Responsibility: • Serves as the primary point of contact for school-related matters. • Represents, informs, and assists Command. • Assists military families with school issues. • Coordinates with local school systems. • Forges partnerships between the military and schools. http://www.militaryk12partners.dodea.edu/resources.cfm?colId=liaison

38. Individual level - YOU • Think military-connected student • Think non-traditional military-connected students • (friends & family members) *Maybe your school is not a “traditional” military-connected school. We need YOUR SUPPORT too!

39. How can YOUR school environment beMILITARY SUPPORTIVE? Not just military friendly?

40. Goal: • Improve the quality of the educational experience for all students. • Military-connected students do not need an advantage over other students, only be offered a level playing field to success. • Commitment - Include grant programs to meet the needs of military-connected students. • DOE/DODEA offers grants specific to military programs - http://www.militaryk12partners.dodea.edu/grants.cfm

41. Parents What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a parent of a military-connected student? Please write in the chat window

42. How do I prepare my kid for a move?www.schoolquest.com • Explain WHY you are moving and what YOU will miss. • Have children draw pictures, write, or act out their feelings. • Memories are important and can be saved through an address book or scrapbook you can complete together.

43. How do I prepare my kid for a move?www.schoolquest.com 4. Say goodbye to people, places, and things. last visits? good-bye social? 5. Take advantage of the MCEC Interactive Counseling Center to visit with a counselor from the new school. 6. Parents of special needs students should make sure their child’s IEP is up to dateand bring a copy with you!

44. On Base Resources • PASS (Parent Advocate for Students &Schools) workshops • Call Key Spouses/FRG's/Ombudsmen or 1st Shirt • Join and Participate in Military Kids Connect - https://www.militarykidsconnect.org/ • Work with your School Liaison Officer - http://militaryk12partners.dodea.edu • Contact and use your base family support services.

45. Helping all military families. Active Duty, Retired, National Guard or Reserves, whatever your status, we're here for you!

46. SchoolQuest.organ initiative of Military Child Education Coalition How do I help my child adjust to a new school with new teachers, new friends, and new expectations? • Talk and listen to your child. • Tour the school & School’s web site • Learn the rules. • Get a list of required school supplies. • Encourage your child to make new friends. • Get to know your child’s teachers. • Keep family traditions!

47. www.tutor.com/MILITARY • FREE for students in Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard and Reserve families. • Expert tutors are online 24/7 and available to help including test prep, proofreading, Math, Science, English and Social Studies. - Service available to ALL students; free for military-connected families

48. Tutors in over 40 subjects! • Math, science, social studies, and English. Military students at every skill level can get help, from elementary math to honors English to AP Chemistry. Access for students at schools on and off installations

50. Talk to your PTA –Did you know the National PTS offers 15 ways that the National Standards can be used by PTAs to support military families?http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=3616 • Standard 1: Welcome All Families to the School Community • Standard 2: Communicating Effectively • Standard 3: Supporting Student Success • Standard 4: Speaking Up for Every Child • Standard 5: Sharing Power • Standard 6: Collaborating with Community • Ask for or start a Parent Buddy System