The Council of State Governments (CSG), in cooperation with the US Department of Defense, drafted this Interstate Compact to address some of the educational challenges transitioning children of military families face. Since July 2006, CSG worked with a variety of federal, state and local officials as well as national stakeholder organizations representing education groups and military families to create the new interstate agreement.
While the Compact is not exhaustive in its coverage, it does address the key issues encountered by military families: eligibility, enrollment, placement and graduation. In addition, the Compact provides for a detailed governance structure at both the state and national levels with built-in enforcement and compliance mechanisms.
The goal of the Compact is to replace the widely varying policies affecting transitioning military students. The Compact leverages consistency: It uses a comprehensive approach that provides a consistent policy in every school district and in every state that chooses to join.
The Compact addresses key educational transition issues encountered by military families including enrollment, placement, attendance, eligibility and graduation.
Children of active duty members of the uniformed services, National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders, commissioned officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Unites States Public Health Service (USPHS), and members or veterans who are medically discharged or retired for one year are eligible for assistance under the Compact. The Compact also covers students of members who perish on active duty for a period of one year following their death.