PREPARING FOR A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION MEANS PREPARING FOR A SCHOOL CHANGE
By Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman
It’s that time of year again. It’s the season of change for many military-connected students. With hints of a change in weather, the season also hints at upcoming change of location and schools for military families. Just like preparing for a permanent change of station (PCS), families need to prepare to change school with the same sense of purpose.
Here are five easy, but important, steps families should take before the inevitable end of school and beginning boxes.
Build a Student Education Binder
An education binder is a military student’s educational life story. The binder does more than hold a transcript – it shares the child’s educational history and should include important documents, notes, and tests. The education binder should include information such as:
○ Schoolwork samples
○ Report cards
○ Standardized test scores
○ IEP and 504 documentation
○ Transcripts highlighting different curricula at different schools
○ Teacher conference notes
○ Teacher-to-teacher communication
○ Notes about deployments & homecomings, especially those that impact grades or attendance
○ List of schools attended
○ Student’s picture so counselors and teachers can put a face with a name
The binder will grow with the student. For middle and high school students, a binder will hold past work, test scores, description of classes completed, volunteer hours, clubs and activities, employment and letters of recommendation. Organized well, this can help transition a student from high school to employment, trade school or college.
Do not let the education binder be packed. Parents will need to hand carry it through the move. At registration, or during the first week of school, give the binder to the school counselor to review and then to the classroom teacher.
While a student’s transcript is very important, it is only one piece of the puzzle. The goal of the education binder is o show a student’s entire academic history. Let the binder tell the story. For more information on how to build a binder and how to use it, visit www.seasonsofmymilitarystudent.com
Understanding the Interstate Compact
Parents need to get very familiar with the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, an important agreement among states that seeks to alleviate many of the school transition problems military families encounter. Parents should learn what it covers and what it does not.
Public education and curriculum can vary wildly between school districts and states. It’s important that parents are armed with knowledge before they transfer to a new school. The compact is an agreement between all 50 states and the District of Columbia to provide consistent education and enrollment policies for military-connected children in every school district.
The compact addresses transition issues in schools such as enrollment, placement, attendance, eligibility, and graduation. There is a comprehensive list of guidelines every school should follow on the website of the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission, which oversees the compact, www.MIC3.net.
Parents should print a copy of the compact and add it to the student’s education binder for easy reference. They should also find the local School Liaison Officer (SLO) assigned to their installation. A SLO will field common questions about new schools, transition issues, and the compact.
Plan Ahead for the Exit
Planning for leaving school will help create an easier transition for the departing student - both academically and socially. When a move is imminent, sharing the move date and foreseen challenges with teachers can help to prevent academic roadblocks in the final days.
Don’t forget about the small, but critical items like updating medical records and sports physicals, withdrawal procedures and updating specialized education plans are an important part of the exit plan.
Anticipating a move on a calendar can wreak havoc on grades, class assignments, testing, and projects. Work with teachers to plan ahead so a student can exit a school with confidence. Teachers can also offer students a packet of assignments, activities, and worksheets to maintain or polish academic skills during travel and transition.
And don’t forget about the goodbye. It’s essential to allow a student time and space to say goodbye to friends and fellow students. This is especially true for older students in middle and high school.
Do the Research
Before a student leaves a school, find out what curriculum the new school district is using. Preparing for new academic expectations before school begins can save hours of frustration in the classroom, leaving more time and energy for the student’s social and emotional adjustment.
Not all schools have the same education standards or curricula. In most cases, military-connected students spend the first six to ten weeks in a waiting period with their academics. A student is either playing catch up to the current curriculum or repeating material already studied. Either way, children continue to be in transition weeks after school begins.
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For additional information on making your next PCS as smooth as possible, please take a look at the resources provided by Military Families for High Standards.
Staying organized, planning ahead and documenting a student’s school history will help eliminate some of the challenges and allow them to embrace the journey ahead.
Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman is an Air Force spouse and advocates for military-connected children. A member of Military Families for High Standards, she is co-author of the book, “Seasons of My Military Student: Practical Ideas for Parents and Teachers.”