Senate Bill 90 – Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (Title 4,Texas Education Code, Chapter 162)

Deployment Statistic Since September 11, 2001, of the 1.9 Million Americans who have deployed - 876,000 are parents 245,000 have been away twice 91,000 three times and 48,000 four or more times ~ Department of Defense

Compact’s Purpose, Article I Purpose of the compact is to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents by:

Compact’s Purpose Continued a. Completing timely enrollment despite delay in receiving records and variants in age requirements. b. Establishing class placement. c. Allowing participation in extracurricular academic, athletic, and social activities.

Compact’s Purpose Continued d. Facilitating the qualification and eligibility for enrollment, educational programs, and on-time graduation. e. Providing for the promulgation and enforcement of administrative rules. f. Providing for the uniform collection and sharing of information.

Compact’s Purpose Continued g. Promoting coordination between the compact and other compacts affecting military children. h. Promoting flexibility and cooperation between the educational system, parents, and the student in order to achieve educational success for the student.

Compact States as of January 2010 Alabama Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Hawaii Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Michigan Mississippi Missouri Nevada New Jersey New Mexico North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma Texas Virginia Washington

Applicability, Article III 1. Active duty members of the “uniformed services” defined as: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard as well as the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Services. It also includes members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders.

Applicability Continued 2. Members or veterans of the uniformed services who are severely injured and medically discharged or retired for a period of one (1) year after medical discharge or retirement, and 3. Members of the uniformed services who die on active duty as a result of injuries sustained on active duty for a period of one (1) year after death.

What is the impact on Independent School Districts (ISDs)/Local Education Agencies (LEAs)? Educational Records and Enrollment Placement and Attendance Eligibility Graduation

Educational Records and Enrollment, Article IV a. Place students based on unofficial records (copies) until official records can be obtained. b. Receiving LEA shall request official records and the sending LEA shall process them within 10 days. c. Receiving LEA shall allow 30 days for immunizations.

Educational Records and Enrollment Continued d. Students shall continue in the grade level from the sending state regardless of age. This includes Kindergarten and First Grade.

Placement and Attendance, Article V a. Course placement—When the student transfers before or during the school year, the receiving LEA shall initially honor placement of the student in educational courses based on the student’s enrollment in the sending LEA and/or educational assessments conducted at the LEA in the sending state if the courses are offered.

Placement and Attendance Continued b. Educational program placement - The receiving LEA shall initially honor placement of the student in educational programs based on current educational assessments conducted at the LEA in the sending state.

Placement and Attendance Continued c. Special education services – The receiving LEA shall initially provide comparable services to a student with disabilities based on his/her current Individualized Education Program (IEP). In addition, the receiving LEA shall make reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of incoming students with disabilities.

Placement and Attendance Continued d. Placement flexibility – LEA administrative officials shall have flexibility in waiving course/program prerequisites, or other preconditions for placement in courses/programs offered under the jurisdiction of the LEA.

Placement and Attendance Continued e. Absence as related to deployment activities - Local Superintendents shall allow, at their discretion, excused absence for the student to be with the parent prior to or after a deployment or while on leave from deployment.

Eligibility, Article VI 1. A special power of attorney for guardianship of the military child shall be sufficient for enrollment. 2. Charging tuition to loco parentis or non-custodial parent who lives in area different from the custodial parent is prohibited.

Eligibility, Article VI Continued 3. A student placed in the custody of loco parentis or non-custodial parent may continue to attend school in which they were enrolled while residing with the custodial parent. b. If a student is otherwise eligible, they shall be allowed to participate in extra curricular activities even if they missed application deadlines.

Graduation, Article VII a. Waiver requirements - Schools shall waive specific courses required for graduation if similar courses have been completed in the sending LEA. If a waiver cannot be granted to a student who would qualify to graduate from the sending LEA, the receiving LEA shall provide an alternative means of acquiring required coursework for on-time graduation.

Graduation Continued b. Exit exams - states shall accept: 1) exit or end-of-course exams required for graduation from the sending LEA; 2) national norm-referenced achievement tests or 3) alternative testing, in lieu of testing requirements for graduation in the receiving LEA.

Graduation Continued c. Transfers during Senior year – Should a military student transferring at the beginning or during his/her senior year and not be eligible to graduate under Texas standards, the receiving LEA shall enroll the student in the required classes to receive a diploma from the sending LEA. Coordination for receipt of the diploma shall be conducted by the receiving LEA.

Chain of Command Interstate Commission Texas State Council Membership -  Compact Commissioner: Commissioner Robert Scott  Alternate Compact Commissioner: Mrs. Brenda Weber  Dr. Terry Smith, Executive Director, Education Service Center Region 20 (San Antonio)  Dr. Lorenzo Garcia, Superintendent El Paso ISD  Dr. Robert Muller, Superintendent Killeen ISD  Dr. Robert Duron, Superintendent San Antonio ISD

Texas State Council The Texas State Council met November 6, 2009  Discussed council make-up and roles  Established membership  Discussed issues to raise at Interstate Commission Meeting

Interstate Commission Interstate Commission met November 16-18, 2009 with Five Goals: (1) Approve Rules; (2) Elect Officers; (3) Approve FY11 Budget; (4) Assign Committees; and, (5) Establish a Search Committee to hire Executive Director.

Interstate Commission Continued  Approved Rules with effective date of January 1, 2010  Elected officers – Chair - Cheryl Serrano, Colorado; Vice Chair - Kathleen Berg, Hawaii; and, Treasurer - Brad Neuenswander, Kansas  FY11 Budget was Approved (TX dues $76,264)

Intestate Commission Continued  Committees formed: Finance, Rules, Compliance, and Training and Outreach. Executive Committee Established  Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Chairs of Finance, Rules, Compliance, and Training and Outreach Committees

Interstate Commission Continued Search Committee Established  Short-term committee established to search for an Executive Director  Review applications, interview and hire. Hire expected in February 2010.

Interstate Commission Continued Executive Director and support staff to be headquartered at The Council of State Governments in Lexington, KY Serves as Secretary to the Interstate Commission Coordinates the day-to-day activities of the Interstate Commission Is NOT a member of the Interstate Commission

Interstate Commission Continued Next annual business meeting will be in the fall of Location to be determined in the Spring of 2010.

TEA Subject Matter Experts We’re here to Help! Arts II, III, IV, V(e), VI(a), VII(a)(c) – General Counsel (512) Art V(a)(b)(d), Art VII(a)(c) – Standards and Programs (512) Art V(c) – Special Programs (512) Art VI(b) – Regional Services (512) Art VII(b)(c) – Assessment, Accountability, and Data Quality (512)

Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunities for Military Children – Senate Bill 90 Links/Resources Text of Senate Bill 90 Interstate Commission Rules (Effective January 1, 2010) Council of State Governments military compact web page: National School Boards Association military compact web page:

Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunities for Military Children – Senate Bill 90 Any Questions?

TEA Point of Contact Mike Peebles Texas Education Agency (CC: 360) 1701 N. Congress Avenue Austin, TX Phone: (512) Fax (512)