2013 National PTA Legislative Conference
2013 National PTA Legislative Conference Eileen Huck Government Relations Deputy Director
Our Mission To fight for benefits and programs that strengthen and protect uniformed services families and reflect the Nation’s respect for their Service.
National Military Family Association
2
About Us • Founded in 1969 by military wives concerned about military widows • Decades of expertise in family issues • Serves all Services, ranks, components • Works nationally, but responds to grassroots • Uses program work to support advocacy mission • Go-to group for Congress, DoD, White House, and military families National Military Family Association
3
Who Are Military-Connected Children? • Active Duty Component – 1.2 million children under age 18 – 70% under the age of 12 – Most do not live on a military installation
Source: 2011 Demographics: Profile of the Military Community (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2011_Demographics_Report.pdf)
National Military Family Association
4
Who Are Military-Connected Children? • National Guard and Reserve Component – More than 700,000 dependent children – Approximately 60% under age 12 – In communities across the country
Source: 2011 Demographics: Profile of the Military Community (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2011_Demographics_Report.pdf) National Military Family Association
5
Challenges Faced by Military Children • Frequent moves – Typical military family moves every 2-3 years – A military child may attend 6-8 schools between kindergarten and 12th grade • Repeated deployment of a parent
National Military Family Association
6
Military Children’s Education: Department of Defense Schools (DoDEA) • Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates schools for military-connected children in the U.S. and overseas – Over 84,000 students – 194 schools • Three regions: Americas, Europe, Pacific
National Military Family Association
7
Military Children’s Education: Department of Defense Schools (DoDEA) • Schools in the U.S. are called DDESS – Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools – Schools located on military installations – Established primarily as a response to segregation – 7 states, Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay – 65 schools, 28,000 students
National Military Family Association
8
DoDEA’s Educational Partnership • Works with the Department of Education to ease the transition of military children by providing resources to districts that educate military children – DoD Impact Aid – The DoDEA Grant Program
National Military Family Association
9
DoD Funding for Public Schools: Department of Defense Impact Aid • Funds for schools with a high concentration of militaryconnected children (more than 20%) • An annual Congressional appropriation • No restrictions on how districts can use funds • Administered by the DoDEA Educational Partnership
National Military Family Association
10
DoD Funding for Public Schools: Department of Defense Impact Aid • Funds Authorized in 2013 NDAA: – $25 million for supplemental Impact Aid provided to school districts serving large numbers of military children – $5 million for districts with significant changes in enrollment of military children due to base closures, force structure changes, or force relocations – $5 million for schools with military children with severe disabilities
National Military Family Association
11
DoD Funding for Public Schools: The DoDEA Grant Program • Authorized in the 2007 NDAA • Provides resources to military-connected school districts to develop and implement projects that are designed to: – Promote student achievement in the core curricular areas. – Ease the challenges that military students face due to transitions and deployments. – Support the unique social and emotional needs of military students.
National Military Family Association
12
DoD Funding for Public Schools: The DoDEA Grant Program • Allows DoDEA to issue grants for programs that enhance student achievement – Science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) initiatives – Foreign language – Virtual and distance learning – Professional development
National Military Family Association
13
DoD Funding for Public Schools: The DoDEA Grant Program • Since 2008, DoDEA has awarded nearly $200 million in grants to over 150 military-connected school districts – $10 million to the National Math Science Initiative to increase the number of AP classes at militaryimpacted high schools – $8.7 million to five districts participating in the Virtual Learning pilot program – $7.6 million, four-year grant to improve school climate for military families and their children in San Diego
National Military Family Association
14
DoD Funding for Public Schools: Grants for Renovation and Expansion • $500 million program authorized in 2011 • Funds designated for public schools operating on military installations • Administered by the DoD Office of Economic Adjustment • Priority given to severely overcrowded, run-down schools • Grants awarded to schools in Kansas, Louisiana, California and Hawaii
National Military Family Association
15
The Interstate Compact: What is it and Why is it Important? • An agreement among states to provide equal treatment for military children transitioning to new schools • Addresses multiple issues including: – Enrollment – Eligibility for extracurricular activities – Placement – Graduation requirements • Currently 44 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Compact
National Military Family Association
16
What Does the Compact Cover? • • • • • • • •
Transfer of Records Immunizations Kindergarten & First Grade Entrance Age Placement and Attendance Special Education Services Absences Related to Deployments Eligibility for Extracurricular Participation Graduation Requirements
National Military Family Association
17
Check Out our Website and Write to Us! www.MilitaryFamily.org • [email protected] • [email protected] • facebook.com/militaryfamily • twitter.com@military_family • twitter.com@NMFA_Eileen
National Military Family Association
18
Our Mission To fight for benefits and programs that strengthen and protect uniformed services families and reflect the Nation’s respect for their Service.
National Military Family Association
2
About Us • Founded in 1969 by military wives concerned about military widows • Decades of expertise in family issues • Serves all Services, ranks, components • Works nationally, but responds to grassroots • Uses program work to support advocacy mission • Go-to group for Congress, DoD, White House, and military families National Military Family Association
3
Who Are Military-Connected Children? • Active Duty Component – 1.2 million children under age 18 – 70% under the age of 12 – Most do not live on a military installation
Source: 2011 Demographics: Profile of the Military Community (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2011_Demographics_Report.pdf)
National Military Family Association
4
Who Are Military-Connected Children? • National Guard and Reserve Component – More than 700,000 dependent children – Approximately 60% under age 12 – In communities across the country
Source: 2011 Demographics: Profile of the Military Community (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2011_Demographics_Report.pdf) National Military Family Association
5
Challenges Faced by Military Children • Frequent moves – Typical military family moves every 2-3 years – A military child may attend 6-8 schools between kindergarten and 12th grade • Repeated deployment of a parent
National Military Family Association
6
Military Children’s Education: Department of Defense Schools (DoDEA) • Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates schools for military-connected children in the U.S. and overseas – Over 84,000 students – 194 schools • Three regions: Americas, Europe, Pacific
National Military Family Association
7
Military Children’s Education: Department of Defense Schools (DoDEA) • Schools in the U.S. are called DDESS – Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools – Schools located on military installations – Established primarily as a response to segregation – 7 states, Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay – 65 schools, 28,000 students
National Military Family Association
8
DoDEA’s Educational Partnership • Works with the Department of Education to ease the transition of military children by providing resources to districts that educate military children – DoD Impact Aid – The DoDEA Grant Program
National Military Family Association
9
DoD Funding for Public Schools: Department of Defense Impact Aid • Funds for schools with a high concentration of militaryconnected children (more than 20%) • An annual Congressional appropriation • No restrictions on how districts can use funds • Administered by the DoDEA Educational Partnership
National Military Family Association
10
DoD Funding for Public Schools: Department of Defense Impact Aid • Funds Authorized in 2013 NDAA: – $25 million for supplemental Impact Aid provided to school districts serving large numbers of military children – $5 million for districts with significant changes in enrollment of military children due to base closures, force structure changes, or force relocations – $5 million for schools with military children with severe disabilities
National Military Family Association
11
DoD Funding for Public Schools: The DoDEA Grant Program • Authorized in the 2007 NDAA • Provides resources to military-connected school districts to develop and implement projects that are designed to: – Promote student achievement in the core curricular areas. – Ease the challenges that military students face due to transitions and deployments. – Support the unique social and emotional needs of military students.
National Military Family Association
12
DoD Funding for Public Schools: The DoDEA Grant Program • Allows DoDEA to issue grants for programs that enhance student achievement – Science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) initiatives – Foreign language – Virtual and distance learning – Professional development
National Military Family Association
13
DoD Funding for Public Schools: The DoDEA Grant Program • Since 2008, DoDEA has awarded nearly $200 million in grants to over 150 military-connected school districts – $10 million to the National Math Science Initiative to increase the number of AP classes at militaryimpacted high schools – $8.7 million to five districts participating in the Virtual Learning pilot program – $7.6 million, four-year grant to improve school climate for military families and their children in San Diego
National Military Family Association
14
DoD Funding for Public Schools: Grants for Renovation and Expansion • $500 million program authorized in 2011 • Funds designated for public schools operating on military installations • Administered by the DoD Office of Economic Adjustment • Priority given to severely overcrowded, run-down schools • Grants awarded to schools in Kansas, Louisiana, California and Hawaii
National Military Family Association
15
The Interstate Compact: What is it and Why is it Important? • An agreement among states to provide equal treatment for military children transitioning to new schools • Addresses multiple issues including: – Enrollment – Eligibility for extracurricular activities – Placement – Graduation requirements • Currently 44 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Compact
National Military Family Association
16
What Does the Compact Cover? • • • • • • • •
Transfer of Records Immunizations Kindergarten & First Grade Entrance Age Placement and Attendance Special Education Services Absences Related to Deployments Eligibility for Extracurricular Participation Graduation Requirements
National Military Family Association
17
Check Out our Website and Write to Us! www.MilitaryFamily.org • [email protected] • [email protected] • facebook.com/militaryfamily • twitter.com@military_family • twitter.com@NMFA_Eileen
National Military Family Association
18
