House Republican Press Release

April 23, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Reps D’Amelio, Greene:  Measure to Help Military Children who Change Schools Succeed Passes House

Measure would Ease Adjustment of Military Children to New Schools when Parents are Reassigned Out of State

Children of military families who change schools frequently when their parents are reassigned to out-of-state bases will have an easier time adjusting to new schools and be better able to achieve educational success under a measure approved today by the state House of Representatives, state Representatives Anthony J. D’Amelio and Len Greene said today.

The legislation (House Bill 5545), which both legislators cosponsored, was sent to the state Senate for final legislative approval.

“Most of us know that military personnel and their families make tremendous sacrifices to preserve our country’s freedom,” said Representative D’Amelio, R-71^st District.  “What we may not realize is that their children face unique challenges as well. One of them is changing schools whenever their parents are reassigned to out-of-state bases. For military children, that means joining a class at their new school that may be further along in subjects like science and mathematics than was the class they had to leave in mid-term, which makes it more difficult for them to achieve. This legislation will help even their new academic playing fields.”

“Frequent redeployments are an unavoidable fact of life for military families,” said Representative Greene, R-105^th District. “While military parents become accustomed to moving around the country on a regular basis and the inconveniences that are a part of those reassignments, having to change schools every few years can be just as difficult for their children. Military children have to adjust to new teachers with different teaching styles, new textbooks, and graduation requirements that may be substantially different from their former schools. This legislation will help ensure their transition to their new schools goes smoothly, enabling them to deal successfully with the academic challenges they will encounter.”

The legislation commits Connecticut to adhere to the terms of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which helps remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of their parents’ frequent moves. The compact’s mission includes:

• Facilitating the timely enrollment of military children in new schools and ensuring that they are not placed at a disadvantage because of variations in entrance or age requirements, or difficulties in transferring education records from their previous school districts.
• Facilitating the children’s placement in new schools so they are not disadvantaged by variations in attendance requirements, scheduling, grading, course content, or assessment.
• Facilitating their qualification and eligibility for enrollment, educational programs, and participation in extracurricular academic, athletic, and social activities.
• Facilitating on-time graduation for military children who enroll in new schools.
• Promoting flexibility and cooperation between the educational systems, parents, and students to achieve educational success for the students.