Category: Government Actions

PA LEAs Receive Guidance on Military Dependent Children Transfers (October 31, 2023)

On October 16, 2023 Barbara Clemmer, Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission(MIC3) Commissioner, sent a PennLink titled Military Dependent Children Transfers to all LEAs. The message states that the average military student faces transition challenges more than twice during high school and most military children will attend six to nine different school systems from kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12). The Compact seeks to make transition easier for the children of military families, so they are afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children and are not penalized or delayed in achieving their educational goals. The Compact defines children of military families as children enrolled in grades K-12 within the household of an active-duty member. An active-duty member must be in full-time duty status in the uniformed services and can be a member of the National Guard or Reserves.

While the Compact is not exhaustive in its coverage, it does address the key transition issues encountered by military families: eligibility, enrollment, placement, and graduation.

-Eligibility – Transitioning military children shall have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, if qualified, regardless of application deadlines.

-Enrollment – Special power of attorney or relative with guardianship can enroll a child. The Compact provides that transitioning military children may continue to attend the school in which they were enrolled and/or educational assessments. The receiving school is not barred from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement and continued enrollment.

-Graduation – A school district must waive specific courses required for graduation if similar course work has been satisfactorily completed in another school district or shall provide reasonable justification for denial. If a waiver is not granted to a student who would qualify to graduate from a school of the sending state, the school of the receiving state must provide an alternative means of acquiring the required course work so that graduation may occur on time.

Districts are encouraged to educate school personnel who assist with the transition of military students in and out of school on the Compact rules and regulations. Training (in-person and virtual) is available on request, at no cost, by the Commission. Monthly virtual Compact 101 training webinars are also available.

The Commission also offers free resources, toolkits, and other materials to build awareness on the Compact. For more information on or to schedule a training for your district or schools, email [email protected] or visit mic3.net.

Resources
• U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona Letter of SupportU.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona Letter of Support
• Webinars
• Compact 101 Webinars on:
            -11/14 at 2:00pm ET, Registration link: https://csg-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlcuitpzkrEtdT3AHrOy0n7HMvu_TR-0tj#/registration
            -12/12 at 2:00pm ET, Registration link: https://csg-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMof-2rqzouG9DLwnmE4ggznNmhGiw2ByVi#/registrati

• MIC3 Training Toolkit for Schools

Additional information on the Compact can be found at: https://mic3.net/.

PDE Introduces PA EdVentures (October 31, 2023)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is has introduced PA EdVentures, a new free monthly newsletter, delivering key updates, essential news, and other important information from us to you. PENN*LINK users will automatically receive the first edition in the next few weeks but will not be charged, since this is a complimentary new feature.

Sen. Casey Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Early Childhood Education Training (October 31, 2023)

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) have introduced legislation to prepare principals, superintendents, and other school leaders to facilitate high-quality early childhood education programs in school districts. The Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act would provide school leaders with the tools and training to support early childhood educators.

Click here to read the full news release.

USDA Final Rule Expands Free Meal Access at High-Poverty Schools (October 30, 2023)

Due to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) final rule that took effect on October 26, 2023, approximately 3,000 more school districts will be eligible to serve free breakfasts and lunches to all students under an expansion of the Community Eligibility Provision. The final rule amended the Community Eligibility Provision’s minimum threshold for low-income schools and school districts, lowering the minimum “identified student percentage” (i.e., the percentage of students enrolled who are certified as eligible for free school meals) from 40% to 25%. It also allows all students in a school district to receive free meals without requiring families to fill out applications.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

PAPSA Steps Up Advocacy Efforts, Joins Student Services Coalition (October 30, 2023)

PAPSA has stepped up its advocacy efforts by joining the PA Coalition of Student Services Associations. Along with PAPSA, six other educational associations have joined together to advocate for the effective delivery of pupil/student services in the commonwealth and will be calling on the Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) to ensure that funding for student services professionals is included in the outcome of the Commission’s work and in keeping with Chapter 12 requirements. Those organizations are: PA School Counselors Association (PSCA), PA Association of Student Assistance Professionals (PASAP), PA Association of School Nurses and Practitioners (PASNAP), Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania (ASPP), and PA Association of School Social Work Personnel (PASSWP).

Interested parties can contact [email protected] with suggestions with regard to these advocacy efforts.